AI Research Scientist(6239)

Overview of Role

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is seeking applications for skilled Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Scientists for their Artificial Intelligence for Business Intelligence (AI4BI) Center. Applicants should have graduated with a Ph.D. in the past 1-2 years in computer science, information systems, information science, statistics, systems and industrial engineering, or related AI or machine learning field. The AI4BI Center is a global and international team that seeks to develop advanced AI-enabled analytics techniques to facilitate important business intelligence applications highly relevant to TSMC. This role will be based in our San Jose office in a hybrid working environment (working four days in the office). Individuals in this position may be responsible for tasks across two technical areas. The first is designing and implementing significant machine learning, deep learning, text mining, Large Language Model (LLM), foundation model, and/or network science-based approaches to extract insights from structured (e.g., transactional) and unstructured data sources (e.g., 10K reports, social media posts, news) for various BI applications. Second, the position may require efforts in developing time series modelling and/or reinforcement learning-based approaches for analyzing fab tool productivity and facilitating effective wafer start strategies. This role requires close interaction and coordination with international teams of research scientists, data engineers, and business stakeholders to gather requirements, oversee development, evaluate the outputs of technical solutions, produce internal reports, and co-author publications at top-tier AI venues.

Responsibilities

• Create and manage advanced machine learning, deep learning, LLM, foundation models, time-series modelling, and/or reinforcement learning algorithms to develop data-driven solutions for complex business problems
• Analyze and interpret complicated data sets to provide actionable insights that aid in enhancing decision-making processes for business stakeholders
• Work with cross-functional and international teams to identify and prioritize data-driven opportunities, including the development and deployment of predictive models to drive business outcomes
• Work with teams with senior data scientists, other junior data scientists, and data engineers to develop and uphold efficient procedures for gathering, retaining, and scrutinizing data
• Work in teams with data engineers
• Consistently assess and refine model performance to ensure precision and dependability
• Communicate insights and recommendations via internal reports to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Design and implement the latest AI, machine learning and data science tools and techniques to enhance existing processes based on feedback and guidance from senior data scientists

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in computer science, information systems, information science, statistics, or related AI or machine learning field in the past 1-2 years
• 4-5 years of AI/ML experience
• Proficient in Python, GitHub, and Markdown for data wrangling, pre-processing, and extraction from structured and unstructured data sources
• Strong conceptual and practical knowledge and experience of classical machine learning algorithms and learning paradigms, including supervised learning and unsupervised learning
• Strong skills in fundamental deep learning implementation, including data encodings, processing units, and learning paradigms
• Proficiency in adapting machine learning or deep learning algorithms based on unique dataset characteristics and business requirements
• Strong practical network science skills and experience
• Hands-on experience with text analytics for named entity recognition, sentiment analysis, and topic modelling
• Hands-on research experience with time series modeling and forecasting with statistical, machine learning, deep learning-based, and/or foundation model (TimesFM) approaches
• Hands-on research experience with reinforcement learning approaches, including value-based, policy-based, actor-critic, and/or multi-objective
• Hands-on research experience, including literature review, model design, implementation, evaluation, and publication
• Experience fine-tuning LLMs and other foundation models with strategies such as low rank adaptation, few shot learning, and others
• Experience with prompt engineering on LLMs and other foundation models with techniques such as reinforcement learning (e.g., Direct Preference Optimization (DPO), Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO)), prompt tuning, and others
• Knowledge about deploying models into user interface tools for dashboarding (e.g., PowerBI), Python frameworks for rapid prototyping and interaction (e.g., Streamlit, Dash), and/or JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React)
• Must be willing to travel to Taiwan for at least 1-3 months each year for training, team building, and project coordination

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge on processing text in financial, accounting, and market analysis reports
• Multi-lingual text analysis using packages like Stanza, Polyglot, or Textflint.
• Knowledge of graph embedding techniques such as graph convolutional networks, graph attention networks, and graph transformers using packages such as stellargraph, PyG, or Deep Graph Library.
• Understanding of neural information retrieval methods, including deep structured semantic models, entity resolution, and retrieval augmented generation (RAG).
• Familiarity and practical experience with learning paradigms such as adversarial learning, knowledge distillation, and self-supervised learning.
• Experience working with foundation models for language (e.g., LLaMA), time (e.g., TimesFM), and other data modalities
• Publications in leading AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, KDD) and/or journals (e.g., IEEE TKDE, ACM TOIS)

Company Description

As a trusted technology and capacity provider, TSMC is driven by the desire to be:

• The world’s leading dedicated semiconductor foundry
• The technology leader with a strong reputation for manufacturing excellence
• Advancing semiconductor manufacturing innovations to enable the future of technology

TSMC pioneered the pure-play foundry business model when it was founded in 1987 and has been the world’s leading dedicated semiconductor foundry ever since. The Company supports a thriving ecosystem of global customers and partners with the industry’s leading process technologies and a portfolio of design enablement solutions to unleash innovation for the global semiconductor industry. With global operations spanning Asia, Europe, and North America, TSMC serves as a committed corporate citizen around the world. 

In North America, TSMC has a strong sales and service organization that works with customers by helping them achieve silicon success with cutting-edge technologies and manufacturing excellence. The Company has continued to accelerate its R&D investment and staffing in recent years and is expanding its manufacturing footprint to support customer innovation with 3D IC technologies and optimal manufacturing capacity.

Diversity statement 

TSMC Technology, Inc. is committed to employing a diverse workforce and provides Equal Employment Opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

TSMC is an equal opportunity employer prizing diversity and inclusion. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity. If you require reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please feel free to notify us at G_Accomodations@tsmc.com. TSMC confirms to all applicants its commitment to meet TSMC’s obligations under applicable employment law. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.  

Pay Transparency Statement

At TSMC, your base pay is only part of your overall total compensation package. At the time of this posting, this role typically pays a base salary between $150,000 and $230,000 per year. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hires. Actual pay may be more or less than the posted range. Factors that influence pay include the individual's skills, qualifications, education, experience and the position level and location.  TSMC’s total compensation package consists of market competitive pay, allowances, bonuses, and comprehensive benefits. We also offer extensive development opportunities and programs.