NVIDIA
Research Scientist, Fundamental LLM Research for Knowledge, Reasoning, and Agents - New College Grad 2026
NVIDIA is seeking a Research Scientist in the fields of NLP and deep learning research to contribute to our LLM Research team. We are committed to groundbreaking research that not only pushes the boundaries of knowledge but also makes a significant impact in practical applications. We are particularly interested in exploring methods for alternative language model or multimodal architectures, alternative knowledge distillation and data synthesis methods, alternative scaling laws, information-theoretic approaches, test-time inference algorithms, enhancing factuality, reasoning, long-context, or agentic capabilities of language or multimodal models, and AI safety.
What you’ll be doing:
As a Research Scientist, your role will encompass the following responsibilities:
Research and propose alternative model architectures that enhance the performance and efficiency of language or multimodal models.
Investigate novel methods for knowledge distillation and data synthesis for language or multimodal models
Explore novel methods for test-time inference algorithms
Analyze multiple novel methods for enhancing factuality, reasoning, long-context, or agentic capabilities of language or multimodal models.
Research: Undertake research, design, and implementation of novel methods aimed at enhancing the capability of large and small language models.
Publication: Contribute to the academic community by publishing original research findings in reputable conferences and journals.
Collaboration: Collaborate closely with fellow team members, as well as interdisciplinary teams within the company, to foster a collaborative research environment.
Mentorship: Provide mentorship and guidance to interns and students within the research team.
Technology Transfer: Collaborate with product groups within the university to facilitate the transfer of research technology into practical applications.
What we need to see:
Completing or recently completed a PhD in CS or equivalent research experiences in research labs with strong publication records at top-tier conferences.
A strong foundation in the theory and practice of NLP and deep learning.
Proficiency in all aspects of large language models from training to alignment to inference to evaluation is expected.
Alternatively, proficiency in all aspects of large multimodal models or diffusion models is expected.
A track record of outstanding research achievements and contributions.
Excellent communication skills to effectively convey research findings and collaborate with peers.
NVIDIA is widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and productive people in the world working for us. If you're creative and autonomous, we want to hear from you!
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 160,000 USD - 258,750 USD.You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Top Skills
NVIDIA Santa Clara, California, USA Office
2701 San Tomas Expressway, Santa Clara, CA, United States, Santa Clara
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene
Key Facts About San Francisco Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
- Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
- Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine



