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Applied AI Researcher, System Self-Construction

Distyl AI· Research
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Hybrid (San Francisco), Hybrid (New York)$150k - $250k + equityFull-timePosted 11mo ago

About the role

Research role focused on designing architectures for autonomously generating, assembling, and refining sub-systems within self-constructing AI systems. Emphasis on meta-learning, recursive design principles, and evolutionary concepts to redefine how software is used in enterprise AI.

Responsibilities

  • The System Self-Construction team builds systems that can build other systems. Researchers design architectures capable of autonomously generating, assembling, and refining sub-systems. This involves developing meta-learning loops, automated pipeline generation, and self-architecting frameworks that reduce the human bottleneck in complex system creation.
  • Researchers in Self-Construction study recursive design principles: how systems represent their own construction processes, evaluate them, and evolve. They draw from meta-learning, program synthesis, and evolutionary computation to explore what it means for a system to “understand” and redesign itself. They’re defining the frontier of self-referential, generative system architectures.

Qualifications

  • Experience Building Modular and Composable Systems: engineered architectures where components interact dynamically (e.g. graph-based planners, agent orchestration frameworks, workflow engines, or automated pipeline builders).
  • Experience Building with Models, Not Just Building Models: expertise in compound AI systems, agentic collaboration, and techniques like ensembling, ReAct, graph-of-thoughts, etc.
  • Proven Track Record of Research Results: publications or notable work shared publicly.
  • Uses AI Every Day: active use of tools like ChatGPT, Cursor, Perplexity to accelerate workflow.
  • Strong Programming and Data Analysis Skills: ability to build prototypes and run experiments to demonstrate effectiveness to a Fortune 500 Head of AI.
  • Biases Towards Showing vs Telling: impact-driven communication with customers.

Skills

Required:Modular and composable system designModels-based AI system development

Benefits

  • 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance for employee and dependents
  • Flexible time off
  • Retirement and financial planning benefits including pre-tax HSA, FSA, commuter accounts, 401(k), and financial coaching resources
  • Comprehensive wellness benefits (physical and mental well-being, fertility and family-building benefits through Carrot)
  • Complimentary in-office lunches and snacks
  • Access to state-of-the-art AI models and tools for real-world problems
  • Ownership of high-impact projects across top enterprises
  • Mission-driven, fast-moving culture that values curiosity, pragmatism, and excellence
Last updated Aug 12, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Distyl AI

Rearchitecting Entire Industries For Frontier Technologies

Building AI solutions that power F500 big bets and create a competitive edge.

AIIndustry transformationEnterprise AIInnovation
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