About the Company
Cultivarium is a Focused Research Organization (FRO) dedicated to accelerating the adoption of novel microorganisms in biotechnology. By developing advanced tools and infrastructure for cultivating non-model microorganisms, Cultivarium opens new possibilities across science, technology, medicine, and agriculture. The team consists of driven scientists and engineers united by a mission to solve “moonshot” challenges in the field of microbial cultivation, fostering innovation through collaboration and cutting-edge technology.
About the Role
Cultivarium is seeking a Machine Learning Intern to assist in building, fine-tuning, and evaluating Vision Language Models (VLMs) within a scientific research setting. This role sits at the crossroads of AI and experimental biology, offering hands-on experience in machine vision applications, lab automation, and scientific data management. The internship lasts for 3 months, with potential for extension based on performance and project needs.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and project managers to design, build, and annotate training datasets for experimental research applications.
- Fine-tune Vision Language Models (VLMs) and assess their performance using metrics like mAP50 and latency.
- Analyze model limitations and propose enhancements for improved accuracy and efficiency.
- Write clean, scalable, and maintainable code following best software development practices.
- Present project progress and outcomes to supervisors and cross-functional teams.
- Contribute to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment through respectful communication and collaboration.
Required Skills
- Hands-on experience with Vision Language Models (VLMs), Vision Language Action (VLA) models, object recognition, and large language models (LLMs).
- Proficiency in video dataset annotation using platforms like Roboflow or V7.
- Familiarity with fine-tuning VLMs such as ViTPose++, YOLO, or DETR, and evaluating them on performance benchmarks.
- Interest in biology with a willingness to learn about laboratory equipment and experimental techniques.
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
- Excellent teamwork and communication skills in a collaborative environment.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
Preferred Qualifications
- Currently pursuing or recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related field.
- Proven success in machine learning competitions (e.g., Kaggle).
- Undergraduate experience with laboratory protocols and experimental equipment in biology.
Benefits
- Hands-on experience at the intersection of AI and biology in a groundbreaking research organization.
- Opportunity to contribute to high-impact projects with real-world applications.
- Collaborative and inclusive team culture.
- Potential for internship extension based on project scope and performance.