Machine Learning / AI Engineering Co-op (Winter 2026) - Remote

Overview

FirstPrinciples is a non-profit organization building an autonomous AI Physicist designed to advance humanity's understanding of the fundamental laws of nature. Our goal for the AI Physicist is to achieve a breakthrough that unifies quantum field theory & general relativity and to explain the deepest unresolved phenomena in our universe by 2035. To do this, we’re pioneering a new approach to scientific discovery by creating an intelligent system that can explore theoretical frameworks, reason across disciplines, and generate novel insights. We’re a non-profit that operates like a tech start-up by moving quickly and continuously iterating to accelerate scientific progress. By combining AI, symbolic reasoning, and autonomous research capabilities, we’re developing a platform that goes beyond analyzing existing knowledge to actively contribute to physics research.

In Short

• Seeking Machine Learning / AI Engineering Co-ops for a full-time, 4-month term (January–April 2026).
• This remote role can be based anywhere in Canada.
• Contribute to the development of next-generation AI models and frameworks.
• Work on large-scale data and model training workflows.
• Experiment with reinforcement learning and alignment methods.
• Design multi-agent systems for reasoning tasks.
• Contribute to frameworks for memory-augmented AI agents.
• Explore neural-symbolic architectures and apply LLMs.
• Develop distributed training and evaluation systems.
• Own a well-defined project with potential production impact.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Physics, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on experience in Python, PyTorch, CUDA, Warp, or JAX.
• Comfort with distributed or large-scale training environments.
• Personal or research projects in ML, LLMs, or reinforcement learning.
• Strong programming skills in at least one compiled/systems language (Python, Go, or Rust).
• Ability to work cross-functionally and communicate complex topics.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable in a fast-growing environment.
• Demonstrated passion for physics and making knowledge accessible.

Benefits

• Be treated as a full contributor with real project impact.
• Opportunity to work in a mission-driven, innovative environment.
• Gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge AI technologies.
• Collaborate with a team focused on scientific discovery.