AI Research Scientist

It all started with an idea at Block in 2013. Initially built to take the pain out of peer-to-peer payments, Cash App has gone from a simple product with a single purpose to a dynamic ecosystem, developing unique financial products, including Afterpay/Clearpay, to provide a better way to send, spend, invest, borrow and save to our 50+ million monthly active customers. We want to redefine the world's relationship with money to make it more relatable, instantly available, and universally accessible.
Today, Cash App has thousands of employees working globally across office and remote locations, with a culture geared toward innovation, collaboration and impact. We've been a distributed team since day one, and many of our roles can be done remotely from the countries where Cash App operates. No matter the location, we tailor our experience to ensure our employees are creative, productive, and happy.
The Role
This role is part of our Block AI R&D team which sits within our Science organization. This team's mission is aimed at developing advanced deep learning based signals and learned representations for ML models. Our team has the mandate to explore, develop and implement alternatives to traditional feature based ML with SOTA and to communicate that work at public venues (e.g. publishing).
You Will

• Lead the conception, design, and implementation of large-scale experiments to validate novel ideas rapidly and comprehensively.
• Apply the latest theoretical advancements to enhance existing products, processes, and technologies, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the industry.
• Engage in the creation of experiments, prototyping, and architectural design, contributing to a diverse range of computer science domains such as machine learning, data mining, natural language processing, and performance analysis.
• Author and publish research papers that communicate findings to both the team and the broader research community, establishing a significant impact on the field.
• Contribute to the growth of research initiatives by sharing emerging trends and best practices, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
• Take the lead in defining data structures, frameworks, designs, and evaluation metrics for research solution development, exhibiting autonomy in decision-making.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners, identifying potential research areas and participating in the development of long-term research strategies.
• Conduct experiments aligned with research inquiries, employing simulations and prototypes to assess the outcomes of investigations.
• Refine research methodologies, solidifying hypotheses, and contributing to the evolution of research practices under minimal supervision.

You Have

• A Ph.D. degree in a quantitative field (computer science, physics, math, etc) with significant experience using and developing machine learning and AI methodologies.
• Proven experience in conducting research projects with tangible outcomes.
• A demonstrated history of generating intellectual property within the field. These contributions could take the form of open source software, patents, or refereed publications in venues such as conferences, journals, books, etc.
• Proficiency in machine learning techniques, data mining, experimental design, and academic publishing.
• Strong programming skills in languages such as Python, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a creative mindset to tackle complex challenges.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and contribute to the research community.

Technologies We Use and Teach

• Python
• NumPy, Pandas, sklearn, xgboost,
• TensorFlow, Pytorch, keras, etc
• MySQL, Snowflake,
• GCP/AWS and
• Spark

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, and always assess candidates on an individualized basis.
We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
Block will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.
To find a location's zone designation, please refer to this resource . If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.
Zone A:
$198,000 - $297,000 USD
Zone B:
$188,100 - $282,100 USD
Zone C:
$178,200 - $267,400 USD
Zone D:
$168,300 - $252,500 USD
Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral (formerly Square Crypto) builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution.