Beginning on August 20, 2019, Facebook ($FB) began listing job openings for a new "Research" job category at the company that appears to be hiring scientists to research everything from blockchain in user experience, to augmented reality, to the way that humans think about artificial intelligence. So far, the company has listed more than 100 positions for the group, with the apex of hiring in September.

The openings are spread throughout the Facebook organization, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence. Of the 70 job titles, 22 are focused on AI, 17 on UX (user experience), and three on AR/VR.

A "Visiting Scientist - Trust in AI" listing mentions a "Trust-in-AI-Research" team that is looking for a Ph.D. in machine learning and AI to "contribute research that can be applied to Facebook product development". Other AI positions are listed in the table below.

Title

Category

Chercheur en Intelligence Artificielle (Diplômé de l'université)

Research

Chercheur Invité, Intelligence Artificielle (Diplômé de l'université)

Research

Ingénieur de Recherche, Intelligence Artificielle (Diplômé de l'université)

Research

Postdoctoral Researcher, Artificial Intelligence (PhD)

Research

Program Manager, AI Programs

Research

Research Engineer, Artificial Intelligence (University Grad)

Research

Research Scientist, (Conversational AI Group)

Research

Research Scientist, AI

Research

Research Scientist, AI (EMEA)

Research

Research Scientist, AI (Montreal)

Research

Research Scientist, AI Research

Research

Visiting Researcher, Artificial Intelligence (PhD)

Research

Visiting Scientist - AI-Infra (US)

Research

Visiting Scientist - Facebook AI Applied Research (EMEA)

Research

Visiting Scientist - Facebook AI Applied Research (US)

Research

Visiting Scientist - Facebook AI Research (EMEA)

Research

Visiting Scientist - Facebook AI Research (Montreal)

Research

Visiting Scientist - Facebook AI Research (US)

Research

Visiting Scientist - Trust in AI (US)

Research

Visiting Scientist, AI

Research

Visiting Scientist, AI (EMEA)

Research

Visiting Scientist, AI (Montreal)

Research

Another curious hire is for an "Epitaxy Engineering Manager" for the new group's Augmented / Virtual Reality (AR/VR) team. Epitaxy involves the growth of crystals on the substrate, and this listing makes mention of advancing LED Expitaxy Materials Systems for AR Displays, an indication that Facebook and its Oculus group are creating new display technology.

Hiring for the new Research group appears spread across several Facebook offices, including its Menlo Park Headquarters, New York, Montreal, Redmond, Pittsburg, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Cork, and London.

Facebook's interest in the future of AI isn't surprising, and it already has a deep foothold in Virtual Reality. Understanding how humans perceive — and interact with — these technologies appears to be the first step in approaching how the company will handle product releases that will use the technology.

About the Data: 

Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales. 

Further Reading: 

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