At Ibtekarmind, we are looking for a Senior AI & ML Researcher to lead research, experimentation, and development of advanced AI and ML solutions. The researcher will be responsible for exploring new methods, designing and evaluating models, and transforming research findings into practical, secure, and scalable solutions. The role will work closely with data engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and infrastructure teams to support innovative and locally sustainable technology systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• ·       Lead research and experimentation in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
• ·       Design, develop, train, and evaluate advanced AI/ML models and algorithms.
• ·       Identify and explore new AI/ML methods, technologies, and research opportunities.
• ·       Develop prototypes and convert research findings into practical and scalable solutions.
• ·       Conduct model testing, benchmarking, validation, and performance optimization.
• ·       Work with large, complex, structured, and unstructured datasets for research and model development.
• ·       Collaborate with data engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and infrastructure teams to integrate AI solutions into systems and applications.
• ·       Ensure AI/ML solutions consider security, privacy, reliability, explainability, and responsible AI practices.
• ·       Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior AI/ML researchers and engineers.
• ·       Prepare and maintain research documentation, technical reports, experiment results, and model documentation.
• ·       Evaluate open-source AI technologies and develop solutions that support self-hosted and locally sustainable systems.
• ·       Support the organization in developing AI solutions relevant to local operational needs and Afghanistan’s technology environment.

Required Qualifications:

• ·       PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Data Science, or a closely related field.
• ·       Strong knowledge of machine learning, deep learning, statistical modeling, and AI algorithms.
• ·       Proven experience designing, training, evaluating, and optimizing AI/ML models.
• ·       Strong programming skills in Python and experience with frameworks such as PyTorch, Tensor Flow, or JAX.
• ·       Experience with large datasets, data preprocessing, feature engineering, and model evaluation.
• ·       Strong understanding of NLP, computer vision, generative AI, or other relevant AI domains.
• ·       Knowledge of model explainability, responsible AI, privacy, security, and bias evaluation.
• ·       Experience with research methodology, experimentation, benchmarking, and technical documentation.
• ·       Familiarity with MLOps, model deployment, version control, and production AI workflows.
• ·       Ability to work with self-hosted, on premise, cloud, or hybrid AI infrastructure.
• ·       Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and technical leadership skills.
• ·       Ability to collaborate effectively with data engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and infrastructure teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• ·       PhD or advanced research background in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a related field.
• ·       Published research in reputable journals, conferences, or technical platforms.
• ·       Experience with Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), NLP, computer vision, or multimodal AI systems.
• ·       Experience fine-tuning, evaluating, and optimizing open-source AI models.
• ·       Knowledge of distributed training, GPU computing, and high-performance AI infrastructure.
• ·       Experience with MLOps, model deployment, monitoring, and production AI systems.
• ·       Familiarity with self-hosted, on premise, and privacy-focused AI solutions.
• ·       Experience leading AI/ML research projects and mentoring junior researchers or engineers.
• ·       Knowledge of responsible AI, model safety, explainability, bias mitigation, and data privacy.
• ·       Relevant professional certifications or specialized training in AI, ML, cloud, or advanced computing are an advantage.

Plus, Points:

• ·       Experience with open-source LLMs and self-hosted AI platforms.
• ·       Hands-on experience with GPU servers, distributed training, and model optimization.
• ·       Experience developing AI solutions for low-resource languages, especially Pashto and Dari.
• ·       Knowledge of RAG, vector databases, embeddings, and AI agent systems.
• ·       Experience with edge AI, offline AI, or limited-connectivity environments.
• ·       Contributions to open-source AI/ML projects or research communities.
• ·       Experience building AI solutions for local, regional, or developing-market challenges.
• ·       Strong understanding of AI security, adversarial ML, and model protection.

Experience Requirement:

• ·       Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or applied research.
• ·       Proven experience in designing, training, evaluating, and optimizing advanced AI/ML models.
• ·       Experience conducting research, experimentation, benchmarking, and model validation.
• ·       Practical experience with deep learning, NLP, computer vision, generative AI, or LLM-based systems.
• ·       Experience working with large datasets, GPU-based computing, and AI/ML frameworks.
• ·       Experience deploying or integrating AI/ML models into real-world or production systems.
• ·       Experience leading research projects and providing technical guidance or mentorship to junior team members.
• ·       Experience collaborating with data engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and infrastructure teams.
• ·       Experience with self-hosted, on premise, cloud, or hybrid AI environments is preferred.

What We Offer:

• ·       Competitive salary based on qualifications and experience.
• ·       Opportunity to lead advanced AI/ML research and innovation projects.
• ·       Access to modern AI tools, GPU infrastructure, and research resources.
• ·       Hands-on work with self-hosted, privacy-focused, and locally sustainable AI systems.
• ·       Opportunities for professional development, research growth, and technical leadership.
• ·       Collaboration with data engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and infrastructure teams.
• ·       Opportunity to develop AI solutions for Pashto, Dari, and other locally relevant challenges.
• ·       Opportunity to contribute to independent and innovative technology solutions for Afghanistan.