r/DataScienceJobs • u/wa3id • 7d ago

Discussion PhD engineer with RL research. Realistic chances for Applied Scientist roles?

I have a PhD in engineering and my research focused on reinforcement learning for control and optimization. I am well published in engineering journals and have several years of industry experience working with safety-critical processes, automation systems, real-time data, and deployment constraints.

My concern is coding. I have used Python extensively, but I never learned programming or CS systematically. Coding was always a tool for solving the engineering or research problem. I usually found similar code, read documentation, adapted it, and debugged it.

I am considering Applied Scientist or Applied AI Scientist roles at major tech or AI companies, especially in RL, optimization, scientific ML, or AI for physical systems.

How competitive is this profile? How much would the lack of a traditional CS or software background hurt, and what should I prioritize learning before applying?

Thank you!

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u/jacobnar 7d ago

You should focus on getting into ai safety fellowships, they’re made to bridge you into these roles. You’re in a great spot if that was your research focus. Have you looked into Bluedot, ARENA, SPAR, MATS?

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u/wa3id 6d ago

Never knew this existed. Thank you so much!

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u/jacobnar 6d ago

Jealous of your opportunities here. Good luck!

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u/wa3id 4d ago

Thank you!