How To Do Machine Learning Research Without A PhD

Summary

The video script discusses the roles and requirements in AI research labs like Google Brain, DeepMind, and OpenAI. It clarifies that while a PhD in machine learning is often expected for research scientists aiming for top-tier publications, it's not mandatory for software engineers who build infrastructure. Research engineers fall in between, contributing to research papers and requiring less specialized ML knowledge. The speaker encourages those interested in AI research to consider applying for roles even without a PhD, emphasizing on-the-job learning and familiarity with ML jargon.

Takeaways

• 🧑‍💻 There are three common roles in research labs: software engineer, research scientist, and research engineer, each with different requirements for machine learning knowledge.
• 🔧 Software engineers primarily build infrastructure for research teams and typically require less machine learning knowledge, often not needing a PhD in ML.
• 💼 Software engineers might specialize in low-level systems or distributed systems, focusing on performance and scalability across data centers.
• 📈 Research scientists are expected to publish in top-tier conferences and usually have a PhD, as their main output is research papers.
• 🔬 Research engineers sit between software engineers and researchers, contributing to research papers and often implementing novel techniques from academic papers.
• 🤝 Research engineers may work closely with software engineers and researchers on ambitious projects, utilizing more resources to tackle complex problems.
• 📚 Not all research labs have a research engineer role; for example, Google does not, while DeepMind and OpenAI do.
• 🎓 Having a PhD is not a prerequisite for all roles, and even software engineers can publish papers in top-tier venues.
• 📘 The speaker advises against pursuing a PhD solely for the purpose of working in a research lab, suggesting there are many other options available.
• 📚 It's recommended to take introductory courses in machine learning to familiarize oneself with the field and the specific research focus of the lab of interest.
• 💼 For those interested in AI research, applying directly to labs as a software engineer or research engineer without a PhD is encouraged, as skills can be learned on the job.
• 🔍 The transcript emphasizes that a PhD is not always necessary for cutting-edge work in machine learning and AI research labs.

Q & A

What are the common roles found in research labs like Google Brain, DeepMind, OpenAI, and Facebook AI Research?

The three common roles are software engineer, research scientist, and research engineer. Each role has different responsibilities and requirements for machine learning knowledge.

What is the primary responsibility of a software engineer in a research lab?

A software engineer is mainly responsible for building infrastructure for the research team, which could be specific to a single research experiment or used by multiple teams for various research papers.

Do software engineers in research labs need to have a deep understanding of machine learning?

Typically, the required knowledge of machine learning for software engineers is at the lower end, and they are less likely to solve complex machine learning problems during interviews.

Is a PhD in machine learning necessary for the role of a software engineer in a research lab?

No, a PhD in machine learning is not typically required for software engineers in research labs.

What are the expectations for a research scientist in terms of academic contributions?

A research scientist is expected to publish papers in top-tier conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, or other specialized venues related to their subfield.

How common is it for research scientists to have a PhD?

About 99% of research scientists have a PhD in their chosen field or a closely related field to machine learning.

What is the role of a research engineer in a research lab?

A research engineer sits between a software engineer and a researcher, helping with research papers, running experiments, and contributing to specific papers with novel techniques or ideas.

Do all companies have a research engineer role?

No, some companies like Google do not have a research engineer role, while others like DeepMind or OpenAI do.

Can software engineers also act as research scientists and publish papers?

Yes, many software engineers also engage in research activities and publish papers in top-tier venues.

What advice does the speaker give regarding pursuing a PhD solely to work in a research lab?

The speaker advises against spending five years pursuing a PhD with the sole purpose of working in a research lab, as there are many other options available.

What should someone interested in working in a research lab do to prepare?

The speaker recommends taking introductory courses in machine learning to familiarize oneself with the jargon and research topics of the lab they are interested in.