ML/AI Engineer / NLP Expert - Custom LLM Development (x/f/m)

Join us to create the world’s best AI Therapist that will make conversational mental health care universally accessible, affordable and effective to anyone with internet access.

HelloBetter is a leading company in the emerging field of digital therapeutics (DTx) for mental health conditions. We are also a global pioneer in digital mental health research. Our scientifically validated DTx treatments cover a broad range of mental health disorders, including depression, panic, stress and burnout, insomnia, vaginismus, chronic pain and diabetes, alcohol addiction as well as two prevention programmes.

• Founded in 2015 by Psychologists & global pioneers in digital mental health
• +€25M total funding
• +15 years of research history
• €10M in research grants
• +100k patients treated
• +130 team from +19 countries

For more information, check our HelloBetter Handbook.

We recently entered a new era of technology, marked by the introduction of advanced AI systems using transformer architectures, alongside a rapid growth in computational capacities, potentially having an impact that could exceed that of the internet’s invention three decades ago.

With the growth in the number of patients using our products, HelloBetter has gained invaluable insights into how patients benefit from digital mental health programmes. Now, we deploy AI in order to leverage the insights we gained in +15 years of research, having treated +100k treated patients.

From the beginning we defined our vision as making safe, evidence-based, high-quality digital mental health care accessible to whoever might benefit from it. LLMs as a technology allow us to deliver on this vision by offering AI talk therapy at unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalisation and scale.

Envision an app that provides real talk therapy via chat, voice or video interaction, available 24/7 worldwide, empowering millions of people, especially in low- to middle-income countries with underdeveloped healthcare to improve their mental wellbeing in a self-determined way.

Ultimately, we aim to deliver on the promise that mental health is human right: Do you want to be part of that mission?

YOUR OBJECTIVES

As the leading expert, you and our team of Machine Learning, LLM, and NLP experts, as well as world renowned psychologists and researchers will pioneer the development of our domain-specific Large Language Model (LLM) for mental health care:

• Design and architect an AI system with multiple large language models, including a main conversational agent and supplementary models for contextual support.
• Steer the fine-tuning of language models on specific healthcare domains to ensure high relevance and accuracy in model responses.
• Implement a RAG system to augment the conversational agent with relevant external knowledge and context.
• Develop and manage datasets, ensuring data quality and compliance with data privacy regulations.
• Establish performance metrics to evaluate model effectiveness and system efficiency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, data engineers, software developers, and product managers, to integrate AI models into existing platforms.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in AI, machine learning, and related technologies, applying this knowledge to improve system capabilities.

YOUR PROFILE

Must-Haves:

• Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related field.
• 2+ years experience building and maintaining NLP/Large Language Models on scale
• Strong experience in developing and deploying large language models and NLP applications.
• Strong experience in fine-tuning LLMs
• Proficiency in machine learning frameworks (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Experience with retrieval-augmented techniques and knowledge-intensive NLP tasks.
• Excellent programming skills in Python and familiarity with software development best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement complex AI systems.
• Excellent communication skills.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Experience with cloud services (AWS, Azure) and managing scalable AI solutions.
• Knowledge of data privacy laws and ethical AI use especially in the healthcare domain.
• Publication record in AI/ML fields or active participation in relevant professional communities.

WHY US?

Meaningfulness

• Mental health is a human right: we help thousands of people each month who struggle with depression, stress, insomnia, burnout, and other mental health issues

Research & Evidence

• We have a unique product and are at the forefront of research in digital health applications
• The effectiveness of our product is continuously evaluated and efficacy studies have been published in international and high-impact journals since 2014
• Data is of great importance to us and we are transparent about our strategy, goals and results.

Growth

• As pioneers in the development of applications for various mental health conditions, we are at the forefront of innovation
• We operate in an extremely exciting and emerging market
• Annual training budget of 1,000 euros - we place great emphasis on the personal growth of our employees and actively support their development

Remote-First

• Remote-first culture - we hire globally, considering a time window of +/- 4.5 hours CET (This position is part of a research project supported by the state of Brandenburg. Residency around Brandenburg/Berlin is therefore necessary.)
• Use of our offices in Berlin and Hamburg if you prefer to work on-site
• Relocation option and support

Diversity & Inclusion

• Fair and equal treatment are the standards of our Anti-Harassment Policy
• Flexible working hours - shape your own day
• Company language English, with a strong emphasis on inclusive language
• Transparent salary bands
• Additional 10 paid leave days for non-birth parents after the birth or adoption of a child

Other Benefits

• 28 vacation days + additional holidays for public holidays that fall on weekends
• Tenure based paid time off - up to three additional days
• Permanent employment contract
• Attractive VSOP (Virtual Stock Option Plan) for all employees
• Tax-deductible pension plan with an above-average employer contribution
• Free or subsidized fitness memberships
• Regular team events

HelloBetter is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants of any national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religious background, gender identity, and people with disabilities to apply.

Privacy Policy for Applicants

INTERVIEW PROCESS

• Introduction Chat (45 mins)
  • Participants: Florian (Talent Partner)
  • Objective: Introduce HelloBetter, discuss the mission and team, share your experience, understand the company’s vision, and address any questions about the role and organization.
• Technical Interview (60 mins)
  • Participants: Vincent (Lead Machine Learning Engineer), Amit (CTO)
  • Objective: Assess your technical knowledge and experience relevant to LLMs, NLP, and AI. Dive into your technical experience with AI/ML, understanding of AI technologies, and problem-solving capabilities in an AI context.
• Technical Challenge (3 hours)
  • Objective: Demonstrate your technical skills and how you would lead development. Solve a given problem, develop a strategy, and present a solution including defining the scope, integrating AI technologies, and addressing challenges.
• Technical Challenge Q&A (60 mins)
  • Participants: Vincent (Lead Machine Learning Engineer), Amit (CTO)
  • Objective: Present your technical challenge solution, receive feedback, discuss your decision-making process, and delve into deeper technical and strategic discussions.
• Hiring Manager Interview (60 mins)
  • Participants: Amit (CTO and future manager)
  • Objective: Discuss your motivation, career aspirations, company culture, and strategy. Understand your strategic vision for the AI Therapist project, align with HelloBetter’s goals, and explore your leadership and team collaboration skills.
• Offer Talk
  • Participants: Amit (CTO and future manager)
  • Objective: Present our offer proposal, discuss your start date, relocation, onboarding, and your first 90 days.

ABOUT US

HelloBetter was founded under the name GET.ON Institut für Online Gesundheitstrainings GmbH by internationally recognized researchers and psychologists in 2015. In more than 30 randomized-controlled studies, HelloBetter has developed and evaluated 10 online programs from eight specific problem areas in cooperation with Leuphana University, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, the Free University of Amsterdam, Harvard University and other partners. These programs serve both the prevention and treatment of classic mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety or panic disorders, but also cover topics such as vaginismus or chronic pain. This gives HelloBetter the broadest study base of all providers. 

In the meantime, six therapy programs from HelloBetter have been approved by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) as digital health applications and are available free of charge on prescription for all adults with health insurance in Germany. The work of the expert team has been published in international journals (including The Journal of the American Medical Association) and recognized with various awards (including, Wilhelm Exner Award in Psychology 2016, EFPA Comenius Award 2017, Digital Health Award 2018, EU Compass Good Practice 2018 in Mental Health). 

The company is based in Berlin and Hamburg and employs more than 130 people.

For more information, check our HelloBetter Handbook.