Advanced Micro Devices, Inc

Director, Applied AI Research - Compute & Systems

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc • $180K — $220K *
Santa Clara, CA 95051In-Person
Enterprise Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in applied AI/ML research, leading to production impact.
  • Deep expertise in reinforcement learning and its practical challenges.
  • Strong grounding in kernel/compiler optimization and AI-for-systems.
  • Experience building evaluation, simulation, or verification infrastructure.
  • Proven leadership in managing concurrent research workstreams and teams.
  • Ability to engage hands-on with research and training pipelines.
  • Demonstrated success in recruiting and mentoring top AI research talent.

Responsibilities

  • Define and own an applied AI research agenda for key engineering projects.
  • Lead and mentor a high-caliber team of applied researchers and engineers.
  • Drive compounding gains using recursive self-improvement methodologies.
  • Establish evaluation and verification systems to ensure research applicability.
  • Identify and mitigate practical failure modes in reinforcement learning processes.
  • Manage the transition from research to concrete engineering implementations.
  • Collaborate with multiple engineering teams to ground research in real-world problems.
  • Set and track measurable performance outcomes related to research impact.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits covering medical, dental, and vision care.
  • Retirement plans with company matching contributions.
  • Paid time off and holiday leave for work-life balance.
  • Access to employee assistance programs for personal support.
  • A collaborative work environment encouraging innovation and growth.
Full Job Description
THE ROLE:

AMD is looking for a Director of Applied AI Research to lead research that sits where AI, compute, and AMD's hardware meet. You will lead applied research that uses AI to advance AMD's compute and hardware, with agents, reinforcement learning, and recursive self-improvement (RSI) as central tools for making those gains compound. You will collaborate with our AI research teams and hardware engineering teams to make this happen.

THE PERSON:

You will build and lead a team of applied researchers and research engineers, set technical direction across compute- and hardware-focused workstreams, and own the path from promising idea to validated, adopted capability. The ideal candidate is a researcher who is energized by real systems and real constraints. It's someone who can frame a research question, run the experiment, build the verifier that proves it worked, and partner with different engineering teams to land it. We are open to candidates who want to remain hands-on as player-coaches as well as those who lead primarily through their teams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Define and own an applied AI research agenda focused on compute and hardware-kernel and compiler optimization, PPA and design-space exploration, and AI-for-systems, on the highest priority engineering projects at the company


  • Build, lead, and mentor a high-caliber team of applied researchers and research engineers; set research direction, hiring bar, and standards for rigor and delivery


  • Use recursive self-improvement loops to drive compounding, verifiable gains on concrete compute and hardware targets


  • Design and partner with teams to own the evaluation, simulation, and verification infrastructure (fast verifiers, benchmarks) that makes applied results trustworthy and ready to adopt


  • Confront the practical failure modes of RL and self-improving loops-reward hacking, evaluation gaming, reward-signal scaling-and build research and/or partner with research teams to detect and mitigate them


  • Own the full path from research to impact: frame the problem, run the experiments, validate the result, and partner with engineering to land it in real flows


  • Partner deeply across silicon, architecture, compiler, software, and AI-for-hardware engineering teams to ground research in real problems and ensure adoption


  • Set and track measurable outcomes-verified performance and PPA gains, cycle-time reduction, and the rate at which improvements feed back into the loop


  • Represent the applied research agenda to executive leadership; communicate progress, trade-offs, and roadmap implications to technical and business audiences


  • Stay at the frontier of RL and AI-for-systems research and translate emerging techniques into applied opportunity for AMD


PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

  • Demonstrated technical leadership in applied AI/ML research, with a track record of research that reached real systems or production impact


  • Deep, current expertise in reinforcement learning, including reward modeling, training pipelines, and the practical failure modes of RL at scale


  • Strong grounding in AI-for-systems and compute/hardware problems-kernel or compiler optimization, design-space exploration, or hardware/software co-design


  • Experience building the evaluation, simulation, or verification infrastructure that applied research and training loops depend on


  • Experience leading research teams and setting direction across multiple concurrent workstreams


  • Ability to remain hands-on with training pipelines, kernels, or research prototyping while leading a team


  • Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with a track record of landing research inside engineering organizations


  • Track record of attracting, hiring, and developing top applied AI research talent


ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:

  • PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Machine Learning, or a related field, or equivalent research experience and demonstrated impact

LOCATION:

Santa Clara, CA

This role is not eligible for Visa sponsorship

#LI-BW1

#LI-hybrid

Benefits offered are described: AMD benefits at a glance.

About Advanced Micro Devices, Inc

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Careers

Join the innovative forefront of technology with a career at Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), a leader in semiconductor development. As part of our global team, you will contribute to an organization renowned for its dedication to innovation, leadership, and diversity in the tech industry.

Work You’ll Do

At AMD, we offer job opportunities that push the boundaries of what is possible. Our team is composed of professionals who lead the way in microprocessor and graphics technology, driving industry standards and innovation. With AMD, you will be part of a culture that values growth and professional development, ensuring that every team member has the opportunity to excel.

Transform Your Career

AMD is not just about advancing technology, but also about advancing careers. Whether you are looking for an internship, a full-time position, or leadership roles, AMD provides the platform to propel your career to new heights. Our commitment to professional growth is matched by our dedication to diversity and inclusion, making AMD a place where everyone can thrive.

Innovative Work Environment

Join a team of over 12,000 dedicated professionals at the intersection of technology, industry expertise, and digital innovation. At AMD, you will work on groundbreaking projects that shape the future of computing and graphics. Our collaborative environment encourages networking and the sharing of ideas across teams and disciplines.

Career Development and Benefits

AMD is committed to the development of its employees. We offer robust training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, to ensure our team is equipped for both current challenges and future opportunities. Our benefits package is designed to support the well-being and financial security of our employees and their families.

Explore Job Opportunities

From engineering to marketing, AMD offers a range of career paths that cater to diverse skills and interests. Our hiring process is designed to be transparent and engaging, helping you to understand where you fit within our team and how you can contribute to our collective goals.

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Prepare for your future with AMD by accessing resources that help you craft your resume and excel in interviews. Our goal is to help you showcase your best professional self and align your skills with the needs of our dynamic team. At Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., we empower our employees to innovate, lead, and grow. Join us in driving the future of technology while building a rewarding and sustainable career.
Learn more about Advanced Micro Devices, Inc
Size
15,500 employees
Market Cap
$100.9 billion
Industry
Manufacturing & Automotive
Net Income
$2.4 billion
Founded
1969
5 Year Trend
+30.9%
Revenue
$9.7 billion
NASDAQ
AMD
* Ladders Estimates

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