Skills · Train models
How language models work
Partly taught here
Tokens, attention, transformers and what a forward pass computes.
Mentioned in 226 of 339 recorded research roles (67%) and 736 of 1,827 technical roles (40%), in this recorded board.
Learn it here
- Book, Chapter 1: what a model call computes
- Book, Chapter 9: prefill and decode
- Transformer and Inference Internals (coming soon)
The course page has its planned syllabus and a sign-up, which tells us how many people want it.
Everything here that teaches it
3 pieces. Pieces built around this skill come first in each list; the rest use it along the way.
Book chapters
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Chapter 1: What a model call is: tokens, probabilities and Lucy's first brief
Derive what a model call computes: byte-pair tokens, logits, softmax with temperature and sampling. Measure entropy and perplexity on a real model, then brief Lucy from one call.
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Chapter 7: In-context learning: why a skill's exact words must be tested
Measure how much a prompt's wording moves a real model: paraphrases, example order and case-sampling noise. Then load bounded, versioned skill files and activate them only on evaluation evidence.
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Chapter 2: Structured output and typed tools: what a schema guarantees
Derive what a JSON schema guarantees: constrained decoding masks logits, which is not conditioning on validity. Measure a real model with and without a schema, then build typed tools that validate anyway.
Also in Train models: Post-training and fine-tuning, Reinforcement learning, RL environments and verifiers, Pretraining and scaling laws, Interpretability, Alignment research, Multimodal models.
Who asks for it
- Research scientists and engineers 226 of 339
- Fellowships, residencies and internships 16 of 32
- Applied AI and forward-deployed 171 of 326
- ML systems and infrastructure 46 of 102
- Machine learning engineers 73 of 143
- Software engineering at labs 204 of 885
Recorded roles that mention it
736 recorded postings mention it. Here are the newest 60 research, fellowship, applied and ML-systems roles; the rest are on the role pages linked above. Each title opens the lab's own posting.
- Applied AI Architect ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Applied AI Engineer, Public Sector ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $280k to $320k base
- Manager of Applied AI Architecture, Startups ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $315k to $380k base
- Manager, Applied AI Architecture, Enterprise Tech ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Manager, Applied AI Engineering (Megas) ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $320k to $405k base
- Software Engineer, Staff: Applied AI, Science & Engineering ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · PhD preferred · $405k to $485k base
- Staff Research Engineer, Multi-Agent Scaling ↗
Anthropic · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated · $500k to $850k base
- Manager, Solutions Engineering ↗
Factory · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Engineer ↗
Lovable · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Engineering Lead ↗
Lovable · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- LLM Scientist, AI for Science ↗
Mistral AI · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated
- Research Engineer - Eval Platform ↗
Mistral AI · Research scientists and engineers · Master's, PhD or equivalent
- Research Engineer, Inference Foundation ↗
Mistral AI · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Engineer - London ↗
OpenAI · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Engineer - Munich ↗
OpenAI · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Engineer - Paris ↗
OpenAI · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Engineer - Zurich ↗
OpenAI · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Member of Technical Staff, ML Platform ↗
Runway · ML systems and infrastructure · No degree stated · $240k to $290k base
- Senior Applied AI Engineer ↗
CodeRabbit · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $200k to $300k base
- Applied AI Engineer ↗
Cognition · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $180k to $225k base
- Applied AI Engineer - ANZ ↗
Cognition · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $180k to $225k base
- Applied AI Engineer - APAC ↗
Cognition · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $180k to $225k base
- Research Engineer, Mid-Training ↗
Cognition · Research scientists and engineers · PhD required
- Forward Deployed Product Engineer ↗
Cosine · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Strategist ↗
Cursor (Anysphere) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Strategist ↗
Cursor (Anysphere) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Forward Deployed Strategist ↗
Cursor (Anysphere) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Research Engineer ↗
Factory · Research scientists and engineers · Bachelor's degree
- Research Engineer ↗
Greptile · Research scientists and engineers · PhD preferred · $180k to $280k base
- Staff Forward Deployed Engineer – AI-Native Software Development ↗
JetBrains (Junie, Mellum) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Staff Research Engineer (LLM Pre-Training) ↗
JetBrains (Junie, Mellum) · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated
- AI Research Engineer, Post-Training ↗
Lovable · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated
- Research Engineering Lead ↗
Lovable · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated
- Research Scientist Intern, Robotics - Meta Superintelligence Labs (PhD) ↗
Meta (Superintelligence Labs and FAIR) · Fellowships, residencies and internships · PhD required
- Forward Deployed Engineer ↗
OpenHands (formerly All Hands AI) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $175k to $240k base
- Machine Learning Scientist ↗
Relace · Research scientists and engineers · Master's, PhD or equivalent
- Forward Deployed Engineer ↗
Replit · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $180k to $300k base
- Senior Applied AI Engineer ↗
StackBlitz (Bolt) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Staff Applied AI Engineer ↗
StackBlitz (Bolt) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Member of Technical Staff- Research Engineer (Harness Engineering and Agentic Orchestration) ↗
Tessl · Research scientists and engineers · PhD preferred
- Software Engineer, Inference ↗
Thinking Machines Lab · ML systems and infrastructure · No degree stated · $300k to $400k base
- Forward-Deployed Engineer ↗
Vercel (v0) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Partner Solutions Engineer ↗
Vercel (v0) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $176k to $225k base
- Solutions Architect ↗
Vercel (v0) · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $190k to $340k base
- Research Scientist, Asta ↗
Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) · Research scientists and engineers · PhD required · $167k to $261k base
- Research Scientist, Robotics ↗
Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) · Research scientists and engineers · PhD required · $167k to $261k base
- Senior Research Engineer, Olmo + Molmo ↗
Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) · Research scientists and engineers · PhD or equivalent experience · $174k to $261k base
- Senior Research Scientist, Open Ecosystem ↗
Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) · Research scientists and engineers · PhD required · $170k to $270k base
- [Expression of Interest] Research Engineer / Scientist, Alignment - London ↗
Anthropic · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated
- [Expression of Interest] Research Manager, Interpretability ↗
Anthropic · Research scientists and engineers · No degree stated · $350k to $500k base
- Anthropic Fellows Program, AI Safety & Security ↗
Anthropic · Fellowships, residencies and internships · No degree stated
- Anthropic Fellows Program, ML Systems & Reinforcement Learning ↗
Anthropic · Fellowships, residencies and internships · No degree stated
- Anthropic Fellows Program, The Anthropic Institute (Economics & Policy) ↗
Anthropic · Fellowships, residencies and internships · No degree stated
- Applied AI Architect ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Applied AI Architect ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Applied AI Architect ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Applied AI Architect ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Applied AI Architect ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated
- Applied AI Architect, Commercial ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $240k to $315k base
- Applied AI Architect, Cyber ↗
Anthropic · Applied AI and forward-deployed · No degree stated · $240k to $315k base
