Lead AI Research Engineer

Calleo; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12-month contract

AI research leadership

Exposure to CV/NLP technologies

Autonomy across AI lifecycle

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Calleo is seeking an experienced Lead AI Research Engineer to spearhead design, development and operational evaluation of secure AI systems for sensitive operations in Australia. You will work with researchers and stakeholders to translate complex requirements into deployable AI solutions, ensuring governance and responsible AI practices throughout the lifecycle.

You will lead technical delivery, mentor teams and drive innovations in computer vision, NLP and multimodal AI while operating within

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering AI/ML solutions beyond PoC into operational environments.
• PhD or equivalent is highly desirable for advanced research.
• Experience in high-trust, secure environments is required or strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of AI and ML solutions for operational needs.
• Develop multimodal AI capabilities using CV, NLP, audio and similarity techniques.
• Build secure, reproducible data processing, training and evaluation pipelines.
• Deliver deployable software components for restricted environments.
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions and milestones.
• Establish evaluation frameworks and testing methodologies for performance and usability.
• Conduct model assurance, adversarial testing and risk assessments.
• Ensure alignment with privacy, security, governance and Responsible AI principles.
• Prepare technical documentation, evaluation reports and deployment recommendations.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and guidance across teams.

Skills

AI/ML design

Computer vision

NLP

Multimodal AI

Similarity search

Python

PyTorch

Data pipelines

Model evaluation

Security clearance

Leadership

Education

PhD in AI/ML or related

Tools

Git

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Lead AI Research Engineer to join a high-impact research and technology program focused on developing advanced AI capabilities to support operational decision-making in a sensitive and highly regulated environment. This opportunity combines cutting-edge machine learning research with real-world deployment, offering the chance to design, build and evaluate AI solutions that address complex operational challenges.

About the Role

As the Lead AI Research Engineer, you will lead the design, development and operational evaluation of a secure human-in-the-loop AI system. Working closely with researchers, technical specialists and key stakeholders, you will translate complex operational requirements into practical and deployable AI solutions. The role combines technical leadership, applied research, software engineering and stakeholder engagement within a mission-critical environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and development of AI and machine learning solutions supporting complex operational requirements
• Develop and implement multimodal AI capabilities leveraging computer vision, natural language processing, audio analysis and similarity detection techniques
• Design, build and maintain secure, reproducible data processing, model training and evaluation pipelines
• Develop deployable software components suitable for secure and restricted environments
• Work closely with stakeholders to translate business and operational requirements into technical solutions and delivery outcomes
• Establish evaluation frameworks and testing methodologies to validate model performance, reliability and usability
• Conduct model assurance, adversarial testing and risk assessments
• Ensure solutions align with privacy, security, governance and responsible AI principles
• Prepare technical documentation, evaluation reports and deployment recommendations
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and guidance across project teams and stakeholders

We are seeking an experienced Lead AI Research Engineer to join a high-impact research and technology program focused on developing advanced AI capabilities to support operational decision-making in a sensitive and highly regulated environment. This opportunity combines cutting-edge machine learning research with real-world deployment, offering the chance to design, build and evaluate AI solutions that address complex operational challenges.

About the Role

As the Lead AI Research Engineer, you will lead the design, development and operational evaluation of a secure human-in-the-loop AI system. Working closely with researchers, technical specialists and key stakeholders, you will translate complex operational requirements into practical and deployable AI solutions. The role combines technical leadership, applied research, software engineering and stakeholder engagement within a mission-critical environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and development of AI and machine learning solutions supporting complex operational requirements
• Develop and implement multimodal AI capabilities leveraging computer vision, natural language processing, audio analysis and similarity detection techniques
• Design, build and maintain secure, reproducible data processing, model training and evaluation pipelines
• Develop deployable software components suitable for secure and restricted environments
• Work closely with stakeholders to translate business and operational requirements into technical solutions and delivery outcomes
• Establish evaluation frameworks and testing methodologies to validate model performance, reliability and usability
• Conduct model assurance, adversarial testing and risk assessments
• Ensure solutions align with privacy, security, governance and responsible AI principles
• Prepare technical documentation, evaluation reports and deployment recommendations
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and guidance across project teams and stakeholders

Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience designing, developing and delivering AI and machine learning solutions beyond proof-of-concept into operational environments
• Strong expertise in at least two of the following: computer vision, image/video classification, natural language processing, multimodal AI, similarity search, perceptual hashing or audio analysis
• Advanced Python development skills and hands‑on experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch
• Experience building reproducible data pipelines, model training workflows, evaluation frameworks and deployable software solutions
• Strong understanding of machine learning performance metrics, including precision, recall, calibration, uncertainty management and class imbalance challenges
• Experience developing AI solutions within sensitive, regulated or security‑conscious environments
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex operational requirements into scalable technical outcomes
• Strong knowledge of responsible AI, security, privacy, human oversight and governance frameworks
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication and technical leadership skills
• Proven ability to independently lead complex technical projects and deliver outcomes against agreed milestones
• Active NV1 (or higher) security clearance

Highly Desirable:

• PhD or equivalent research experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science or related disciplines
• Experience within law enforcement, defence, national security, digital forensics or other high‑trust operational environments
• Experience deploying AI solutions within on‑premises, isolated or restricted‑network environments
• Experience with human‑in‑the‑loop systems, decision‑support tools or safety‑critical AI applications
• Published research, technical papers, patents or significant AI product delivery experience

What's on Offer?

• 12-month contract with extension options
• Opportunity to work on innovative AI and machine learning initiatives with real-world impact
• Exposure to advanced computer vision, NLP and multimodal AI technologies
• Collaborative environment involving researchers, technical specialists and senior stakeholders
• Significant autonomy and ownership across the full AI solution lifecycle
• Opportunity to contribute to applied research, capability development and emerging technologies

Due to the nature of this role, this job is open to Australian Citizens only, you must hold a current NV1/NV2Security clearance.

Calleo is an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applications from all people including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Follow Calleo on LinkedIn and visit our website to keep up to date on all our current job vacancies:

www.linkedin.com/company/calleoresourcing
www.calleo.com.au