Research Jobs at Basis Research Institute with Visa Sponsorship
Research roles at Basis Research Institute sit at the intersection of rigorous scientific inquiry and applied policy work. The institute has a track record of sponsoring international researchers, supporting candidates through H-1B, OPT, CPT, TN, and J-1 pathways depending on your background and career stage.
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Get Access To All JobsAbout Basis
Basis is a nonprofit applied AI research organization with two mutually reinforcing goals. The first is to understand and build intelligence. This means to establish the mathematical principles of what it means to reason, to learn, to make decisions, to understand, and to explain; and to construct software that implements these principles. The second is to advance society’s ability to solve intractable problems. This means expanding the scale, complexity, and breadth of problems that we can solve today, and even more importantly, accelerating our ability to solve problems in the future. To achieve these goals, we’re building both a new technological foundation that draws inspiration from how humans reason, and a new kind of collaborative organization that puts human values first.
About The Role
Research scientists lead Basis’ efforts to develop a deeper understanding of the conceptual, mathematical, and computational principles of intelligence. We are looking for people who are technically excellent, and who value probing concepts at their foundations. Our research scientists/engineers aspire to do rigorous, high-quality, robust science, but are not afraid to tinker, make mistakes, and explore radically different ideas in order to get there. Basis is a collaborative effort, both internally and with our external partners; we are looking for people who enjoy working with others on problems larger than ones they can tackle alone.
Research Focus
Despite the increasing recognition that both having and discovering world models are central to intelligence, current AI systems struggle to replicate this human capability. There remains significant uncertainty about what precisely constitutes a world model, how we might reliably detect if an agent possesses one, and crucially, how we can develop agents that learn these models rapidly and reliably. Our research within the MARA project aims to develop new foundations and technologies for modeling, abstraction, and reasoning in AI systems. MARA’s overarching goal is to uncover principled methods for how intelligence constructs, refines, and utilizes world models through interactive experimentation. Building these systems will demand advances in knowledge representation, abstraction, reasoning, active learning, reinforcement learning, and a first-principles rethinking of what it means to model the world. The immediate mission of MARA is to solve concrete challenges such as AutumnBench, physical and simulated robotics benchmarks, and the Abstract Reasoning Corpus (ARC), with the broader mission of building systems capable of learning in an open, growing portfolio of domains using human-comparable amounts of data and interaction.
Who We’re Looking For
- Researchers holding a PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cognitive science, or related fields.
- Strong background in areas such as program synthesis, probabilistic programming, machine learning, AI reasoning systems, and cognitive modeling.
- Experience in developing AI systems that combine neural and symbolic methods is highly valued.
- Interest in foundational AI research and its applications to modeling, abstraction, and reasoning.
- Individuals with a demonstrated track record in scientific research, evidenced through publications, technical reports, or impactful software projects.
- Excited about solving real world problems and having positive societal impact.
Responsibilities
- Conduct independent and collaborative research focused on the MARA project.
- Develop new methods and algorithms for modeling, abstraction, and reasoning in AI systems.
- Apply these methods to concrete challenges such as AutumnBench, physical and simulated robotics environments, the Abstract Reasoning Corpus (ARC), and other domains.
- Disseminate research findings through academic publications and presentations at leading conferences.
- Provide mentorship to junior team members and contribute to the scientific discourse through seminars, workshops, and collaborative projects.
- Develop and maintain open-source software.
- (Optionally) Publish and present findings in journals and conferences.
- Contribute to the culture and direction of Basis.
Role Details
Exceptional candidates who may not meet all of the following criteria are still encouraged to apply.
- FT/PT: This is a full-time position.
- In-person Policy: We are in the office four days a week. Be prepared to attend multi-day Basis-wide in-person events.
- Location: This role is in-person in either New York City or Cambridge, MA.
- Salary range: Competitive salary.
- Start date: Immediate start possible.
Privacy Notice
By submitting your application, you grant Basis permission to use your materials for both hiring evaluation and recruitment-related research and development purposes. Your information may be processed in different countries, including the US. You retain copyright while providing Basis a license to use these materials for the stated purposes.
Read our full Global Data Privacy Notice here.
Compensation Range: $120K - $180K
About Basis
Basis is a nonprofit applied AI research organization with two mutually reinforcing goals. The first is to understand and build intelligence. This means to establish the mathematical principles of what it means to reason, to learn, to make decisions, to understand, and to explain; and to construct software that implements these principles. The second is to advance society’s ability to solve intractable problems. This means expanding the scale, complexity, and breadth of problems that we can solve today, and even more importantly, accelerating our ability to solve problems in the future. To achieve these goals, we’re building both a new technological foundation that draws inspiration from how humans reason, and a new kind of collaborative organization that puts human values first.
About The Role
Research scientists lead Basis’ efforts to develop a deeper understanding of the conceptual, mathematical, and computational principles of intelligence. We are looking for people who are technically excellent, and who value probing concepts at their foundations. Our research scientists/engineers aspire to do rigorous, high-quality, robust science, but are not afraid to tinker, make mistakes, and explore radically different ideas in order to get there. Basis is a collaborative effort, both internally and with our external partners; we are looking for people who enjoy working with others on problems larger than ones they can tackle alone.
Research Focus
Despite the increasing recognition that both having and discovering world models are central to intelligence, current AI systems struggle to replicate this human capability. There remains significant uncertainty about what precisely constitutes a world model, how we might reliably detect if an agent possesses one, and crucially, how we can develop agents that learn these models rapidly and reliably. Our research within the MARA project aims to develop new foundations and technologies for modeling, abstraction, and reasoning in AI systems. MARA’s overarching goal is to uncover principled methods for how intelligence constructs, refines, and utilizes world models through interactive experimentation. Building these systems will demand advances in knowledge representation, abstraction, reasoning, active learning, reinforcement learning, and a first-principles rethinking of what it means to model the world. The immediate mission of MARA is to solve concrete challenges such as AutumnBench, physical and simulated robotics benchmarks, and the Abstract Reasoning Corpus (ARC), with the broader mission of building systems capable of learning in an open, growing portfolio of domains using human-comparable amounts of data and interaction.
Who We’re Looking For
- Researchers holding a PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cognitive science, or related fields.
- Strong background in areas such as program synthesis, probabilistic programming, machine learning, AI reasoning systems, and cognitive modeling.
- Experience in developing AI systems that combine neural and symbolic methods is highly valued.
- Interest in foundational AI research and its applications to modeling, abstraction, and reasoning.
- Individuals with a demonstrated track record in scientific research, evidenced through publications, technical reports, or impactful software projects.
- Excited about solving real world problems and having positive societal impact.
Responsibilities
- Conduct independent and collaborative research focused on the MARA project.
- Develop new methods and algorithms for modeling, abstraction, and reasoning in AI systems.
- Apply these methods to concrete challenges such as AutumnBench, physical and simulated robotics environments, the Abstract Reasoning Corpus (ARC), and other domains.
- Disseminate research findings through academic publications and presentations at leading conferences.
- Provide mentorship to junior team members and contribute to the scientific discourse through seminars, workshops, and collaborative projects.
- Develop and maintain open-source software.
- (Optionally) Publish and present findings in journals and conferences.
- Contribute to the culture and direction of Basis.
Role Details
Exceptional candidates who may not meet all of the following criteria are still encouraged to apply.
- FT/PT: This is a full-time position.
- In-person Policy: We are in the office four days a week. Be prepared to attend multi-day Basis-wide in-person events.
- Location: This role is in-person in either New York City or Cambridge, MA.
- Salary range: Competitive salary.
- Start date: Immediate start possible.
Privacy Notice
By submitting your application, you grant Basis permission to use your materials for both hiring evaluation and recruitment-related research and development purposes. Your information may be processed in different countries, including the US. You retain copyright while providing Basis a license to use these materials for the stated purposes.
Read our full Global Data Privacy Notice here.
Compensation Range: $120K - $180K
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Research Jobs at Basis Research Institute Jobs
Align your credentials to specialty occupation standards
H-1B eligibility for Research roles hinges on USCIS determining the position qualifies as a specialty occupation. Frame your degree and publications around the specific scientific discipline Basis Research Institute lists in the job description, not general research experience.
Use Migrate Mate to filter open Research roles
Basis Research Institute lists Research positions across varying seniority levels. Use Migrate Mate to filter by visa type and role so you're only reviewing jobs actively open to sponsored candidates, not wasting time on postings that won't support your status.
Clarify J-1 home residency requirements before applying
Many J-1 research exchange programs carry a two-year home country physical presence requirement. If your J-1 program is subject to this rule, confirm with your sponsor whether a waiver is needed before accepting an offer from Basis Research Institute.
Understand how TN works for research scientists
Canadian and Mexican nationals can enter on TN status for qualifying scientific roles without an H-1B. Confirm the specific Research position at Basis Research Institute maps to a USMCA-listed TN category, typically scientists or technical professionals, before requesting TN documentation from the employer.
Ask the hiring team about petition filing timelines early
H-1B cap-subject petitions must be filed by April 1 for an October 1 start date. During interviews at Basis Research Institute, ask directly whether they file premium processing and how far in advance they begin petition preparation to avoid gaps in your work authorization.
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Find Research at Basis Research Institute JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does Basis Research Institute sponsor H-1B visas for Researchs?
Yes, Basis Research Institute sponsors H-1B visas for Research roles. The institute operates in the Science and Research sector, and research positions commonly meet USCIS specialty occupation criteria due to the degree requirements involved. If you're currently on OPT or another nonimmigrant status, confirm with the hiring team early that H-1B sponsorship is available for your specific role and level.
How do I apply for Research jobs at Basis Research Institute?
Search for open Research positions at Basis Research Institute directly through their careers page or through Migrate Mate, which filters roles by visa sponsorship type so you can confirm sponsorship availability before applying. Prepare a research-focused CV that highlights publications, methodologies, and any policy or applied research experience relevant to the institute's work before submitting your application.
Which visa types does Basis Research Institute use for Research roles?
Basis Research Institute sponsors multiple visa categories for Research positions, including H-1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 CPT, TN, and J-1. The right pathway depends on your nationality, degree status, and career stage. OPT and CPT are common entry points for students, while H-1B and TN are used for longer-term employment. J-1 is typically associated with exchange research programs.
What qualifications are expected for Research roles at Basis Research Institute?
Research positions at Basis Research Institute generally require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a directly related scientific or technical field, with many roles expecting a master's or doctoral degree. Hands-on research experience, familiarity with quantitative methods, and a publication record or policy research background strengthen your candidacy. The specific requirements vary by role level, so review each job description carefully.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for Research roles at Basis Research Institute?
Timeline depends on your visa category. H-1B petitions must be submitted to USCIS by April 1 for an October 1 start, and standard processing takes three to five months, though premium processing can reduce that to around 15 business days. TN status for Canadian nationals can often be processed at the border on the same day. Start conversations with Basis Research Institute's HR team well before your current authorization expires.
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