Lead Applied Scientist, Document Understanding

Are you excited about working at the forefront of applied research in an industry setting? TR Labs is the AI Research & Development arm of Thomas Reuters. We are seeking scientists with a passion for solving problems using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and machine learning. What does Thomson Reuters Labs do? We experiment, we build, we deliver. Our core mission is to innovate industry-leading solutions for Legal, Tax & Accounting, Risk, and News Media professionals. We systematically explore and develop new technologies, particularly those in relevant areas of AI/ML, with an unwavering focus on customer problems and opportunities. About the Role As an Applied Scientist, you will develop and implement machine learning and AI solutions to address business problems across Thomson Reuters' legal, tax, and regulatory domains. Working with guidance from senior team members, you will design experiments, build models, and translate research into production-ready features. This role involves strong collaboration with product and engineering teams to deliver measurable impact for customers. You will learn from deep domain experts about a variety of complex and interesting real-world problems. About You You’re a fit for the role of Applied Scientist if your background includes: PhD or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related field 1-2 years of hands-on experience building systems using modern techniques in information retrieval, NLP, machine learning, or generative AI (examples include deep learning, transformer architectures, hybrid search, dense retrieval, vector databases, or agentic systems) Strong programming skills in Python and familiarity with a modern ML framework (PyTorch, JAX, DeepSpeed, or similar) Experience working with shared codebases and version control systems Familiarity with cloud development environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP) Strong communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions Experience implementing and evaluating solutions with large language models and LLM evaluation frameworks (e.g., OpenAI Evals, HELM, LM Harness, or custom tools) Experience with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), tool-using agents, and agentic frameworks Publications or preprints in relevant venues (NeurIPS, ACL, EMNLP, ICLR, SIGIR) Experience with production code and MLOps practices #LI-MW1 What’s in it For You? Hybrid Work Model: We’ve adopted a flexible hybrid working environment (2-3 days a week in the office depending on the role) for our office-based roles while delivering a seamless experience that is digitally and physically connected. Flexibility & Work-Life Balance: Flex My Way is a set of supportive workplace policies designed to help manage personal and professional responsibilities, whether caring for family, giving back to the community, or finding time to refresh and reset. This builds upon our flexible work arrangements, including work from anywhere for up to 8 weeks per year, empowering employees to achieve a better work-life balance. Career Development and Growth: By fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development, we prepare our talent to tackle tomorrow’s challenges and deliver real-world solutions. Our Grow My Way programming and skills-first approach ensures you have the tools and knowledge to grow, lead, and thrive in an AI-enabled future. Industry Competitive Benefits: We offer comprehensive benefit plans to include flexible vacation, two company-wide Mental Health Days off, access to the Headspace app, retirement savings, tuition reimbursement, employee incentive programs, and resources for mental, physical, and financial wellbeing. Culture: Globally recognized, award-winning reputation for inclusion and belonging, flexibility, work-life balance, and more. We live by our values: Obsess over our Customers, Compete to Win, Challenge (Y)our Thinking, Act Fast / Learn Fast, and Stronger Together. Social Impact: Make an impact in your community with our Social Impact Institute. We offer employees two paid volunteer days off annually and opportunities to get involved with pro-bono consulting projects and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. Making a Real-World Impact: We are one of the few companies globally that helps its customers pursue justice, truth, and transparency. Together, with the professionals and institutions we serve, we help uphold the rule of law, turn the wheels of commerce, catch bad actors, report the facts, and provide trusted, unbiased information to people all over the world. DISCLAIMER The above information in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. About Us Thomson Reuters informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. We serve professionals across legal, tax, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Our products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth, and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is a world leading provider of trusted journalism and news. We are powered by the talents of 26,000 employees across more than 70 countries, where everyone has a chance to contribute and grow professionally in flexible work environments. At a time when objectivity, accuracy, fairness, and transparency are under attack, we consider it our duty to pursue them. Sound exciting? Join us and help shape the industries that move society forward. As a global business, we rely on the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of all employees to deliver on our business goals. To ensure we can do that, we seek talented, qualified employees in all our operations around the world regardless of race, color, sex/gender, including pregnancy, gender identity and expression, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, citizen status, veteran status, or any other protected classification under applicable law. Thomson Reuters is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer providing a drug-free workplace. We also make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs in accordance with applicable law. More information on requesting an accommodation here. Learn more on how to protect yourself from fraudulent job postings here. More information about Thomson Reuters can be found on