Research Scientist, Conversational AI

At ASAPP, our mission is simple: deliver the best AI-powered customer experience—faster than anyone else. To achieve that, we’re guided by principles that shape how we think, build, and execute. We value customer obsession, purposeful speed, ownership, and a relentless focus on outcomes. We work in tight, skilled teams, prioritize clarity over complexity, and continuously evolve through curiosity, data, and craftsmanship. We’re seeking technologists and problem solvers who thrive in fast-paced environments, love collaborating with great talent, and approach every day like it’s Day 1.

We're a globally diverse team with hubs in New York City, Mountain View, Latin America, and India—embracing both hybrid and remote work to bring the best minds together, wherever they are. If you're driven by continuous learning, rapid pivots, and the challenges of building in a high-growth startup, we’d love to talk. This is more than a job—it’s a journey.

Position Overview: We are expanding our research team and looking for an experienced Research Scientist specializing in Conversational AI & Machine Learning. In this role, you will work on solving scientific challenges related to Conversational AI to build domain-specific, real-world solutions. You will have the opportunity to leverage the massive amounts of data generated by our products to ask fundamental research questions, while deploying AI features into real-world applications.

What you'll do

• Hands-on Research: Be deeply involved in hands-on technical work in any and all aspects of research projects from early exploration to working prototypes to achieve successful real-world applications.
• Research Leadership: Identify promising applications of AI relevant to ASAPP’s core mission, formulate and advocate for research programs in those areas, and take ownership of driving impactful research initiatives.
• Collaboration & Advocacy: Work with cross-functional teams to socialize your research findings, advocate for their application, and guide the productization of those findings to improve customer experience solutions.
• Documentation & Publication: Document significant experimental results, contribute to publishing peer-reviewed papers, and participate in patenting innovations.
• Mentorship: Mentor and guide junior researchers, helping them develop their skills in independent research and the communication of their findings.

What We're Looking For

• Education: PhD in a relevant field (such as Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Linguistics, etc.)
• Technical Expertise: Strong research experience in LLMs, Conversational AI, or Speech systems, including practical knowledge of algorithm design, model development, and experimental evaluation. Ideally with a focus on real-world applications.
• Mentorship: Experience in coaching and guiding junior researchers or research engineers.
• Hands-on Contribution: As an individual contributor, you’ll be expected to lead experiments, perform hands-on research, and drive the execution of innovative projects.
• Enthusiasm: A passion for continued learning and deepening expertise in machine learning and AI, with a strong desire to apply research in impactful ways.

What we'd like to see

• Experience with Spoken Conversational AI applications or Speech LLMs.
• Ability to develop and lead independent research programs.
• A collaborative mindset, eager to share research findings and drive their application across product teams.
• Experience in a startup environment, with the ability to balance deep research and rapid execution.

$190,000 - $230,000 a year

Compensation package also includes an annual performance bonus on top of the listed salary range

Separately, we also offer a compelling equity grant comprised of stock options

Benefits Include Competitive compensation with stock options

Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance

401k matching

Fitness and wellness stipend

Mental well-being benefits

Professional learning and development stipend

Parental leave, including adoptive and foster parents

3 weeks paid time off (increases with tenure) along with sick leave, bereavement and jury duty

ASAPP is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status. If you have a disability and need assistance with our employment application process, please email us at [email protected] to obtain assistance.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.