Phd Computer Science Jobs in Pasadena, CA (NOW HIRING)

Brentwood School, a vibrant and diverse K–12 independent school, is seeking a full-time Computer Science Innovation Group Lead.

The Belldegrun Center for Innovation and Leadership engages K-12 students with real-world challenges that culminate in a multi-year independent study program. Students develop their skills as creative, curious, and critical thinkers; collaborators and communicators; innovative problem solvers, and researchers. Independent Study opportunities in the BCIL focus on depth of understanding and span STEM, the arts, humanities, civics, policy, and entrepreneurship.

Brentwood School is expanding the scope of independent research opportunities associated with the BCIL. As such, the School is seeking an experienced Research Lead to join a newly formed innovation group.

The Computer Science Innovation Group Lead will mentor exceptional high school students working on independent study projects at the forefront of the most transformative fields in the discipline. This role requires a professional researcher who can mentor cutting-edge research projects in applied computer science, AI, and quantum computing.

In addition to on-campus research facilities, the Group Lead will also work to place students with leading researchers and companies shaping these technologies. The role also includes teaching 1-2 sections of traditional computer science, with the goal, in addition to quality instruction, of broadening student participation in independent research projects.

As the program's internal aspects grow and succeed, the BCIL also has externally focused goals, including creating and supporting a network of public school teachers to teach advanced CS topics and defining and supporting community-wide projects.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the Applied CS, Quantum Computing & AI vertical within the Innovation Group's advanced independent study program
• Mentor students in AI/ML techniques, quantum computing principles, algorithm development, and computational thinking
• Develop students' programming capabilities, mathematical foundations, and research methodologies
• Foster understanding of both the technical possibilities and ethical implications of AI and quantum technologies
• Guide students through the complete research or development cycle from problem formulation to implementation and evaluation
• Teach up to two sections of traditional computer science (AP level)

Project Development & Supervision

• Serve as Principal Investigator for student projects in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, quantum algorithms, and AI applications
• Design experiences involving real datasets, computational challenges, and opportunities for novel contributions
• Provide technical guidance on model development, algorithm selection, evaluation metrics, and optimization
• Supervise work with frameworks and tools (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Qiskit, scikit-learn, etc.)
• Support students in publishing research, contributing to open-source projects, or competing in ML/AI competitions

Professional Network & Placement

• Connect students with Computer Science research labs at UCLA, USC, Caltech, the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, and industry research divisions in the Los Angeles area and Israel.
• Facilitate internships or research placements at tech companies, AI startups, quantum computing firms, or university research groups
• Arrange mentorship with researchers, ML engineers, data scientists, or quantum computing specialists
• Build relationships with the Southern California AI/quantum ecosystem, including startups, accelerators, and investment firms

Curriculum & Program Innovation

• Integrate emerging developments in large language models, generative AI, quantum machine learning, reinforcement learning, or AI safety
• Create interdisciplinary projects applying AI to biotechnology, creative arts, social sciences, or other verticals
• Develop computational resources and access to GPUs, cloud platforms, or quantum computing simulators
• Address ethical dimensions of AI, including bias, fairness, transparency, and societal impact

Qualifications

Required

• Advanced degree in computer science, physics, mathematics, or related field, or equivalent demonstrated expertise
• Experience leading a research team
• Significant experience with machine learning/AI development, quantum computing research, or both
• Strong programming skills and experience with modern AI/ML frameworks and tools
• Track record of research publications, deployed AI systems, open-source contributions, or recognized technical work
• Deep understanding of both theoretical foundations and practical applications
• Active engagement with the AI/quantum computing research or professional communities

Preferred

• PhD with research focus in machine learning, quantum computing, quantum information science, or related areas
• Experience in industry AI/ML roles (research scientist, ML engineer, data scientist) or quantum computing development
• Publications at top conferences (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, QIP, etc.) or in leading journals
• Contributions to significant AI/ML projects or quantum computing initiatives
• Previous mentorship of students or junior researchers in computational fields
• Connections with Southern California tech companies, research institutions, or AI/quantum startups
• Expertise in emerging areas such as foundation models, quantum algorithms for optimization, AI safety, or quantum error correction

While being vaccinated for COVID-19 is not required, it is strongly recommended.

COMPENSATION: Brentwood School's diverse and talented faculty ranges widely in experience level, from those new to teaching to veterans who are experts in their respective disciplines with 30+ years of experience. Our salary range of $145,000 to $200,000 includes all levels of experience. Salaries are determined based on years of experience, education, full- or part-time status, and number of months worked per school year. Salary ranges do not include benefits i.e. 403b retirement matching, paid lunchtime, free breakfast and lunch, free parking, subsidy toward medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D plans, and generous time off. The pay range is an estimate and is not guaranteed. If hired, your actual base salary will be determined by your education, experience, and schedule.