Research Scientist, Life Sciences

Details

Anthropic’s mission is to create reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. The Life Sciences team combines cutting-edge AI with hands-on biological research to make fundamental biological discoveries. This role sits at the intersection of computational and experimental biology and requires bridging biological domain knowledge with machine learning objectives to accelerate scientific discovery.

Responsibilities

• Implement a scientific research program that may include both wet-lab and computational components.
• Design and implement evaluation methodologies for assessing AI model capabilities relevant to biological research and applications.
• Develop and execute strategies to systematically improve model performance on scientific tasks.
• Develop approaches to address long-horizon task completion and complex reasoning challenges essential for scientific discovery.
• Translate between biological domain knowledge and machine learning objectives; collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of hands-on experience in life sciences R&D, with deep expertise in areas such as molecular biology, drug discovery, or computational biology.
• Track record of bridging biological domain knowledge with computational approaches to solve real scientific problems.
• Basic proficiency in Python and familiarity with ML development practices.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and developing solutions in rapidly evolving research environments; able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Results-oriented with a bias toward flexibility and impact; ability to balance rigorous scientific standards with rapid iteration.
• Passion for using AI to accelerate scientific discovery while maintaining high ethical standards.

Strong Candidates May Also Have

• Ph.D. in a biological science (molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, computational biology), or related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Published research or practical experience in scientific AI applications.
• Familiarity with modern machine learning techniques and model training methodologies.
• Familiarity with biological databases (UniProt, GenBank, PDB) and computational biology tools.

Compensation & Logistics

• Annual base salary: $300,000 - $320,000 USD.
• Total compensation package includes equity, benefits, and may include incentive compensation.
• Education requirement: at least a Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• Visa sponsorship: Anthropic does sponsor visas where feasible and retains immigration counsel to assist.

Location & Work Policy

• Location: San Francisco, CA.
• Role-specific policy: staff are expected to be able to work from the San Francisco office at least 3 days a week (hybrid); the company generally expects staff to be in one of their offices at least 25% of the time.

About Anthropic & Culture

• Anthropic emphasizes large-scale, high-impact AI research, strong collaboration, frequent research discussions, and communication skills.
• The team values ethical considerations in AI and seeks diverse perspectives.

How to Apply

• Applicants are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed qualification. The application requests standard contact, resume/LinkedIn, and optional additional information. Anthropic provides guidance for candidate AI usage during the application process.