OS Research Team Information & Expectations

The Manifold Research Group operates in a different way, trying to combine elements of both traditional, focused research labs and larger, distributed research communities.

The Research Scientists and Engineers on the OS Research Team literally form the “core” of the research group, and function more like a traditional, focused research lab. We are responsible for driving and leading the various projects. Our work spans roadmapping, driving key implementations, coordinating the various contributors who may interact with our work, writing papers, and more.

We’re learning as we go along, but some basic expectations & values for core team members are as follows:

• Contributing ~10 hrs/week

• We are targeting hyper impactful work, and that has both a time and focus cost. In our experience, contributing below 10 hrs a week for an extended period doesn’t allow anyone to really sink into the project, learn in a significant way, and push progress. Of course, week to week there may be less objective work based on a project’s status, and life stuff always comes up! That’s why we stay proactive (see below).

• English Language Proficiency

• Our group is based out of the US, and our working language is English. We need to be able to communicate technical concepts with each other without confusion or misunderstanding, therefore the English proficiency level required is high.

• Being super proactive

• In everything we do, being proactive is key. We work in a largely asynchronous format, so communicating and collaborating early and proactively is necessary to make sure everyone is doing great, fulfilling work and gives us the best shot at building something seriously awesome.
• This also applies to times where you can’t contribute meaningfully - life comes in the way, and that is totally okay! Do your best to let the team know any issues/blockers you’re running into, so we can all shift to help/take over. We’re here because we want to work together to build the future!

• Show up on time to project meetings

• Different Project teams may have different cadences, and some may not meet at all! But if they do, it’s important to respect each other and the formidable work we’re all doing together.
• In case of an emergency or conflict, please inform the team
• Please also send an async update so the team can move forward.

• Stay on top of async updates

• Dropping these can quickly become a nasty habit

• Commit to what you’re confident you can do

• That way resources can be allocated accordingly

• Conversely, only do what you’ve committed to

• No need to burn out, good research is a marathon!

• Seek out resources and information on your own first

• This is first and foremost a research environment, not one for beginners in the required skillsets. Definitely reach out if you’re having trouble, but being proactive about solving your blockers makes a huge difference in our collective ability to ship research projects.

Apply Here! 

Overview of the Application Process:

1. We receive your application and review your information
2. We’ll reach out to you to set up a call within 2 weeks. During this call, typically ~30 minutes, we’ll talk about:

1. What the OS Research Team is like
2. The current state of project work
3. Your experiences and background
4. Where there may be a potential fit

3. Following our call, we’ll review our notes to assess alignment. If we find a good fit, we’ll reach out to arrange a second, more technical conversation. This follow-up will also be about 30 minutes and typically includes a project lead and our head of research. In this discussion, we’ll delve further into your experiences and background to gain a focused understanding of your skillset.
4. After this, the team will do a final review. This can take up to 2 weeks.
5. If we mutually believe there is a good fit, we will proceed with the onboarding process and get you set up to start attending team meetings!
6. There’s no need to prepare or study anything prior to attending your first meeting.

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to team@manifoldrg.com or join our Discord Server.