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Research Engineer (Reinforcement Learning)

LiveKitNorth AmericaR&D
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Salary
$135K - $300K USD
Job type
Full-time
Work mode
Remote
Posted
18 Aug 2026
Status
Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

Role Overview

LiveKit is hiring a remote Research Engineer specializing in Reinforcement Learning within North America to build advanced post-training systems for voice and text agents. This full-time position is ideal for an experienced Python developer with a strong background in taking machine learning models from initial data generation all the way through to production.

Key Responsibilities

Create the specific environments and verifiers that the organization's models will train against.
Manage the complete synthetic data pipeline, overseeing everything from initial generation to strict quality gates.
Execute and manage training experiments from start to finish while analyzing the factors that drive model improvement.
Establish comprehensive evaluation protocols that every model release must successfully pass.
Select and adapt open-weight base models to suit specific operational tasks.
Ensure trained behaviors remain consistent and effective for both voice and text agent interactions.
Deploy models directly into production environments and continuously refine them using real-world usage data.

Requirements

Proficient as a strong Python engineer.
Proven track record of taking a model from raw data collection through to production deployment.
Treats data as a core product, paying close attention to coverage, diversity, and leakage.
Anticipates that models will exploit weak rewards and actively designs safeguards against this behavior.
Highly comfortable working with GPUs and realistic about hardware limits.
Understands precisely when model training is necessary and when it is not.
Capable of working effectively and collaboratively within a distributed remote environment.

Nice to Have

Practical experience with post-training processes such as fine-tuning, reward design, or reinforcement learning methods like GRPO.
Familiarity with RL and fine-tuning frameworks including TRL, verl, OpenRLHF, or custom-written training loops.
Experience achieving fast rollouts using vLLM or SGLang, alongside multi-GPU training with FSDP.
Background in training multi-turn agents or tool-using agents.
Experience building execution sandboxes, verifiers, evaluation harnesses, and developer tooling.
Working knowledge of open-weight families like Qwen or Llama, as well as techniques like LoRA.

Skills and Tools

Python
Machine Learning GPUs
Synthetic Data Pipelines
Reinforcement Learning Frameworks

Salary and Benefits

Competitive yearly salary ranging from $135,000 to $300,000 USD, accompanied by an equity package.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefit options.
Flexible vacation policy designed to support work-life balance.
Opportunity to work alongside a small, senior team that values craftsmanship and creativity.

About the Company

Founded in 2021, LiveKit develops the core infrastructure layer for the voice-driven era of computing, offering developers a complete platform to build, test, deploy, scale, and observe agents in production. The company currently powers voice AI applications for major organizations such as OpenAI, xAI, Salesforce, Coursera, and Spotify, successfully facilitating billions of calls annually.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should visit the official LiveKit careers page to submit their application for this remote position.

Skills and tech stack

Python

Questions candidates ask

What is the location requirement for this role?

This position is fully remote and based in North America.

What is the salary range for the Research Engineer position?

The salary ranges from $135,000 to $300,000 USD per year, plus an equity package.

What core programming language is required?

Candidates must be strong Python engineers.

What types of agents does LiveKit build infrastructure for?

LiveKit builds infrastructure for voice-driven and text-based agents operating across channels like SMS, chat, and live conversations.

What benefits are provided with this job?

LiveKit offers competitive salary and equity packages, health, dental, and vision benefits, and a flexible vacation policy.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official LiveKit careers page.

Apply on company site