Joining Sakana AI.
Last update: September 2024. Business Analyst and Applied Engineer descriptions updated.
Interested in joining us? We’re hiring! Although we are a small lab, we are always looking to bring on exceptional talent to join our team. If you are interested in applying for one of the positions in this post, please follow the below two steps:
-
Complete this Google Form.
-
Email careers@sakana.ai with a description about yourself. Indicate that you have completed the form.
Please read and follow the instructions in the Google Form very carefully.
Member of Technical Staff
Pushing the boulder of civilization ever upwards gives us purpose.
We are hiring researchers and engineers who are passionate about novel approaches to develop the next generation of nature-inspired foundation AI models together with us! We are looking for candidates who we believe have the potential to build great things — people who have passions in pushing the boundaries of areas such as evolutionary computation, generative AI, open-endedness, collective intelligence, artificial life and autonomous agents.
Ideal candidates can demonstrate this by highlighting previous projects or publications related to AI that they are proud of showcasing. For candidates with academic backgrounds, we will be interested in your publications in venues such as NeurIPS, ICLR, GECCO, ALIFE, MLSys, JMLR, ICML, IROS, or other peer-reviewed journals or conferences. The ability to write high quality code and having experience contributing to popular open-source software projects will be a strong asset.
Candidates will be expected to be physically based in Tokyo, but we will provide assistance with the Visa application process if needed. We will be offering positions from 4 month internships, part-time student researcher (for graduate students in Japan), 1-year visiting researcher, to full time roles.
For candidates interested in applied research and engineering roles, having some level of Japanese language fluency, and experience working with Japanese institutions will be beneficial.
We are looking for a computing platform specialist to help manage our compute infrastructure as we advance. The candidate is expected to also be proficient at general IT and can handle IT administration work, and be a Swiss Army Knife of IT for the company. This is a full-time role, and it is required that the candidate is based in Japan and is fluent in Japanese (although business-level proficiency is not required).
Llion Jones (CTO) at GTC24’s “Transforming AI” session, hosted by Jensen Huang. (Source: NVIDIA GTC)
The ideal candidate will have experience working with GPU-based HPC infrastructure such as Sakura Internet, ABCI, Tsubame supercomputing cluster, NEDO GENIAC, in addition to the more popular global providers such as Google Cloud and AWS. Being bi-lingual in Japanese and English, to navigate domestic compute platforms, will be required to work with a highly international team. The candidate is expected to know how to apply and set up accounts, and administer usage. Experience with SLURM, UNIX admin, shell scripting and writing Python scripts to manage administrative jobs will be great.
Business Analyst
We believe that AI is the most important technological development in this century. R&D in AI will lead to continued transformation of our entire civilization. How people, and by extension, businesses and governments, use technology is entering a phase of rapid transformation — one that is effectively accelerated by AI. As a business analyst, you will help Sakana AI prepare for opportunities to impact the broader ecosystem of business and government organizations in Japan and globally. For the role of Business Analyst, we are looking for candidates who are passionate about long term R&D in AI, and can work on long term, sustainable opportunities as we advance.
This is a full-time role, and regardless of the candidate’s background, it is required that the candidate is based in Japan and is bi-lingual in English and Japanese with business-level proficiency.
Tokyo has the potential to become a Global R&D Powerhouse for Generative AI.
The ideal candidate will have worked at a Global Investment Bank in Tokyo, as an Analyst or Associate, with experience working with Japanese organizations. The candidate is expected to be proficient in Business-level Japanese. Having a strong passion in using Generative AI models, such as large language models or image generation models will be an asset.
If the candidate does not come from an investment banking background, we would still consider candidates with management consulting experience at top global management consulting firms, who have experience working in Japan, with large Japanese institutions.
Note that at this point, we will not be considering candidates who do not have experience working in Japan, with Japanese institutions.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Develop and implement the company’s overall business strategy.
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with external partners, including investors and strategic business partners.
Qualifications and Skills
- Proven experience at a Global Investment Bank in Tokyo, as an Analyst or Associate in the Investment Banking Division (IBD) or Equity Capital Markets (ECM) areas, working with Japanese organizations, working on fundraising, M&A, and IPOs
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Law, or a related field. Degrees in Computer Science, Machine Learning will be a big plus.
- Proficient in English and Business-level Japanese
- Experience in an executive finance leadership role in a startup is a plus.
- A passion for using Generative AI models such as LLMs and/or image generation models will be an asset.
HR Manager and Financial Accounting Manager
We believe that AI is the most important technological development of this century. Research and development in AI will continue to transform our entire civilization. The roles of HR and Accounting are pivotal in ensuring that our organization not only adheres to global standards but also attracts, develops, and retains the exceptional talent necessary to innovate and expand the capabilities of AI. As an HR or Accounting Manager at Sakana AI, you will play a key role in elevating our operational excellence and strategic management in human resources and finance. We are seeking candidates who are deeply dedicated to advancing corporate functions with innovative HR or financial strategies over the long term.
The ideal candidates for both of these roles will have experience in leadership roles in HR or accounting, preferably within a technology-focused organization. Candidates should possess experience in developing HR systems or financial operations from the ground up, with a proven track record of improving processes and enhancing effectiveness. The candidate should have native-level proficiency in Japanese and business-level proficiency in English. A strong passion for technology and its potential to transform business practices is essential.
For candidates from accounting background, having experience at Big Four accounting firms in Japan, CPA qualifications, or experience in financial control functions at an investment bank in Japan, or related industry would be an asset, though not strictly required.
This is a full-time role, and it is required that the candidate is based in Japan and is bi-lingual in English and Japanese with business-level proficiency.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Develop and implement HR strategies that align with the overarching business goals of an AI R&D company. (HR role)
- Establish and manage accounting systems that comply with regulatory standards while facilitating strategic decision-making. (Finance role)
- Directly manage and perform day-to-day HR or Accounting tasks to ensure operational efficiency and accuracy.
- Oversee partnerships with outsourcing firms to maintain high service standards in HR or accounting functions.
- Lead organizational development initiatives that cultivate an innovative and effective workplace culture.
Qualifications and Skills
- Demonstrated experience in developing HR or accounting systems and operations from scratch, with a proven record of enhancing quality and efficiency.
- Experience in an executive HR or financial leadership role, or significant collaboration with executive-level management in a startup environment, is preferred.
- Native-level proficiency in Japanese and proficient in business-level English.
- A passion for leveraging technology to boost business efficiency and employee engagement will be highly valued.