AI/ML Researcher/Engineer

Contract - 10-20hrs/week Why Tala Health? At Tala Health, your research has a real-world impact. We’re reimagining healthcare through AI-native systems that combine scientific rigor with clinical empathy, helping patients move from first symptom to full recovery faster than ever. Backed by $100 M in funding and led by pioneers in AI and health innovation, Tala Health gives you the rare opportunity to take your ideas beyond the lab and build technology that transforms care at scale. This is where discovery meets delivery, and where your next breakthrough directly improves lives. What We’re Looking For We’re seeking part-time AI/ML Researchers and/or Engineers to support the development of advanced models and tools used in healthcare regulatory applications (e.g., FDA submissions). This is an ideal opportunity for PhD or postdoctoral researchers eager to apply their academic expertise to real-world, high-impact projects in healthcare AI. You’ll work with a small, fast-moving team of technical experts, contributing to cutting-edge model development, fine-tuning, and regulatory documentation. What Success Looks Like First 14 Days (Onboarding) Gain familiarity with Tala Health’s infrastructure, tools, and research processes. Set up the environment and successfully run basic model training or data workflows. Meet regularly with the technical team to align on priorities. First 30 Days (Contributing) Conduct post-training and fine-tuning experiments on existing models for clinical applications. Begin contributing to the first regulatory (FDA) submission package. Demonstrate clear understanding of project goals and data pipelines. By 60 Days and Beyond Independently build, test, and document new model variations. Deliver a complete model ready for integration into regulatory workflows. Contribute to technical documentation and research summaries for ongoing submissions. Key Responsibilities • Design and develop agentic AI tools for healthcare applications. • Perform post-training, fine-tuning, and evaluation of large language models for targeted clinical use cases. • Design and implement statistical experiments to test and validate hypotheses using clinical datasets. • Conduct advanced data analyses to explore complex clinical problems. • Document, communicate, and present analytical conclusions for internal and regulatory use. • Collaborate with technical and research teams to implement project roadmaps and iterate on model designs. What You Bring • Pursuing or completed PhD or postdoc in a technical field (Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related). • Strong Python skills and familiarity with numerical/scientific libraries • Experience working with healthcare or clinical datasets. • Exposure to large language models (LLMs) including fine-tuning, post-training evaluation, inference-time computation, or agentic system development. • Knowledge of Hugging Face libraries and third-party AI infrastructure (e.g., Together AI, Fireworks AI) is a plus. • Proficiency in SQL (intermediate level). • Experience working in a Linux environment. • Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to clearly explain technical ideas and contribute to regulatory documents. • Curiosity, collaboration, and eagerness to learn fast in an applied setting. Location Remote (U.S.-based) — Must be available during typical working hours with flexibility for research meetings. Compensation Range $45–$60/hour, commensurate with experience (10–20 hours per week, contract position) We review applications on a rolling basis. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. We are a Drug-Free Workplace/EO employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability. Note: Our team is flexible and takes pride in accomplishing what others cannot. The tasks listed above are expected, while occasional projects will fall outside. Apply tot his job