AI Researcher Warrington, North West England, England
Job description
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Salary: £31,931 - £34,709 to £39,748 - £44,166 per annum (dependent on skills and experience) *.
Hours: Full time (We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants)
Contract Type: 2 X Fixed Term (3 Years).
Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington
*This role is eligible for up to £1,500 Responsibility and Retention Allowance gross per annum
About the Hartree Centre
The Hartree Centre is within the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and part of UK Research and Innovation. We are funded by UK Government to support businesses and the public sector on their digital journey, so we can grow the economy, create skilled jobs and keep the UK at the forefront of digital innovation.
We help organisations with an appetite for change, who are ready to innovate and create useful solutions to explore and adopt advanced digital technologies, including high performance computing (HPC), data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). We are home to some of the most advanced computing, data and AI technologies in the UK and form an important part of the UK's research and innovation ecosystem alongside our global network of academic research communities and technology partners.
With the help of our experts and technologies, UK organisations can enhance products and processes more quickly that using conventional R&D methods, adopt new digital technologies, upskill their staff and expand into new markets.
Reasons our staff enjoy working for us:
- We’re based at Sci-Tech Daresbury - a lively and dynamic campus bringing together SMEs and leading industry-academic collaborations located in a picturesque semi-rural location with easy access to canal-side and woodland walking.
- We are less than two miles from the M56 motorway with public transport links and access to Warrington and Runcorn national rail stations. Advice on all aspects of travel to site including car sharing is available at: https://www.sci-techdaresbury.com/the-campus/travel-hub/.
- 30 days annual leave plus 10.5 public and privilege days.
- Options for flexible or hybrid working patterns are available.
- Defined benefit pension scheme (employer contribution – currently up to 26%).
- There are different active sport and social groups across campus with access to an on-site gym for staff.
- Personal development is key. You will work with your line manager to develop your own Learning and Development plan each year.
- We value collaborative working across STFC and with our external collaborators such as IBM Research, The University of Liverpool’s Virtual Engineering Centre, Atos, NVIDIA, Unilever and many more.
- Diversity and inclusion are important to us. UKRI has a corporate policy on Equality and Diversity which is supported by a Diversity Forum and implementation group.
- For more information on the rest of our employee benefits, take a look at: http://www.stfccareers.co.uk/why-join/rewards-and-benefits/.
The Role
Come and do the kind of science that made you want to become a scientist. Explore the unknown and get to grips with the biggest challenges in Big Science. And, alongside world class engineers and technologists, use everything you've learnt to find real-answers that shape society and improve lives.
Put simply, discover the kind of impact you can make when you work with some of the best facilities and brightest scientists in the world.
The Artificial Intelligence group at Hartree has a particular focus on deep learning, with projects including deep reinforcement learning, natural language processing and computer vision. We’re looking to expand the team with outstanding individuals who have strong backgrounds in scientific or mathematical research.
If you join the team, you’ll be taking part in cutting edge research across a wide range of application domains, using either deep learning or other AI disciplines where appropriate, and using some of the most powerful supercomputers in the UK. You don’t need deep knowledge of AI or programming, but you will be expected to learn on the job where you encounter new theory or practical methods.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Project planning: meet with clients and suggest AI solutions to their specific problems. Develop project plans to implement these solutions. Clients are typically academic research groups or commercial partners. The AI solutions are typically centred around deep neural networks, although other AI techniques are used on a case-by-case basis. Specific projects will sometimes be confidential in nature.
- Project implementation: implement the proposed AI solution. This often involves using our supercomputers to train deep neural networks.
- Continuing professional development: expand your knowledge of AI techniques, so that the team can collectively maintain its position on the cutting edge of theory and practice.
- Client visits: make site visits to commercial and academic partners.
- More experienced candidates: manage group members as needed; manage small-scale projects and help direct larger ones.
Person Specification
As this is split band D/E a candidate will have to demonstrate the indicated capabilities to be considered for an E banding over a D
(Please note the below criteria will be assessed at Shortlisting or Interview stage as indicated)
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to PhD or Masters level or equivalent in a mathematical, physics or other scientific discipline (S).
Desirable
- A PhD in a computer science, mathematical physics or other scientific discipline (S).
Experience/Attributes
Essential
- Solid background in applied mathematics, preferably in a field based on mathematical analysis (i.e. calculus) (S&I).
- Conveys enthusiasm for their chosen areas of specialization (I).
- Ability to demonstrate and clearly communicate expertise and insight in their areas of speciation (I).
- Team player. Can substantiate with examples of past teamwork experiences and in particular examples of putting team before self (i.e. managing conflicts of interest between the benefit of the team and individual advantage) (I).
- Enthusiastic about moving into AI and can expand reason for this in the interview (I).
- Self-starter. Good time management and ability to deliver against work plans (S&I).
- Able to work with a range of clients. (I)
- Strong leadership skills with previous experience and ability to lead, motivate and develop others. (S&I) [Required to qualify for band E/more experienced candidates].
Desirable
- A history of demonstrable excellence in research. E.g. strong publication record for academics or record of technically cutting-edge projects for industrial practitioners (S&I).
- Knowledge of AI technologies (S&I)
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills. (S&I)
- Experience managing small to medium sized projects (S&I) (Band E/more experienced candidates)
We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business-support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us.
What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible.
About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.
We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking. And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.
For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/
You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/
About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
