Research Scientist in Generative AI Science ( Seed PhD

Research Scientist in Generative AI for Science (Byte Dance Seed) - 2026 Start (PhD)

Location:

San Jose

Team:

Technology

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Code:

A31350A

Our team at Byte Dance Seed has been focusing on building foundation models for science, including biology, physics, and chemistry. We are looking for outstanding researchers to join our team and conduct cutting‑edge research in AI for Science. We are looking for talented individuals to join our team in 2026. As a graduate, you will get unparalleled opportunities for you to kickstart your career, pursue bold ideas and explore limitless growth opportunities.

Co‑create a future driven by your inspiration with Byte Dance. Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by end of year 2026. Candidates can apply to a maximum of two positions and will be considered for jobs in the order you apply. The application limit is applicable to Byte Dance and its affiliates' jobs globally. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

We encourage you to apply as early as possible.

• Design and develop generative AI models for natural sciences, including protein structure prediction, molecular conformation analysis, and computational protein design.
• Reproduce and evaluate emerging AI/ML methods using public benchmarks and datasets.
• Work closely with a multidisciplinary drug discovery team, applying innovative algorithms to tackle complex challenges.
• Stay informed on the latest advancements in scientific research.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Pursuing a Ph.D. in fields like computer science, electrical computer engineering, or related areas.
• Strong research background in AI and machine learning with solid publications in leading conferences (e.g., ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR) and journals, encompassing areas like large language models, diffusion models, geometric deep learning, natural language processing, computational protein design, protein structure and conformation prediction, and related fields.
• Proficient in Python programming and deep learning platforms, such as Pytorch.

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $136800 - $259200 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

Founded in 2012, Byte Dance's mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. With a suite of more than a dozen products, including Tik Tok, Lemon8, Cap Cut and Pico as well as platforms…