Member of Technical Staff, Engineering Remote

About First Principles

First Principles is a non-profit organization building an autonomous AI Physicist to understand the nature of reality: the underlying structure, governing principles, and fundamental laws of our universe. We're developing an intelligent system that can explore theoretical frameworks, reason across disciplines, and generate novel insights to tackle the deepest unsolved problems in physics. By combining AI, symbolic reasoning, and autonomous research capabilities, we are developing a platform that goes beyond analyzing existing knowledge to actively contribute to physics research.

Our goal is to accelerate progress on the questions that have captivated humanity for centuries.

We operate as a global nonprofit organization with a Canadian foundation, a US-based 501(c)(3).

First Principles is seeking skilled and motivated developers to join our team. In this role, you will play a crucial role in building technology tools to accelerate research in theoretical physics. You will work on developing our AI Physicist, leveraging gen AI tools like ChatGPT, and exploring and building new technologies to drive breakthroughs in theoretical physics.

• Contribute to the design and coding of the AI Physicist, a closed-loop research engine, including the development of tools to support hypotheses generation, peer review, physics-based simulations, validation against experimental data and self-revision, among other things.
• Write safe, testable code and set up automated unit tests to catch errors and apply lessons from recent research findings.
• Explore and integrate state-of-the-art tools into existing platforms to enhance model capabilities. These tools can provide advanced analysis and insights, furthering the understanding of theoretical physics.
• Add self-improvement features that pass automated checks before deployment.
• Track runtime metrics and suggest optimizations that keep the project efficient and sustainable.
• Develop custom tech solutions tailored to the specific needs of researchers. This may include developing algorithms, data analysis tools, or other software to accelerate research in specific areas of theoretical physics.
• Apply knowledge of product development principles and practices to ensure that the tools developed are useful and effective for theoretical physicists worldwide.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define requirements, prioritize features, and ensure successful delivery.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• Experience with common software architecture patterns and best practices.
• Proven experience with web development and API integrations is essential.
• Excellent programming skills are a must.
• Proficiency in gen AI tools and their applications (e.g., ChatGPT, Alpha Code, Claude) is necessary.
• Strong communication skills are crucial to articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of theoretical physics or a strong interest in the field is a plus.
• Familiarity with cloud technologies and infrastructure is a plus.
• A passion for advancing knowledge and science advocacy is highly desirable.

Join us at First Principles and be a part of a transformative journey where science drives progress and unlocks the potential of humanity.