AI Engineer

GKN; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in the United Kingdom is seeking a Research Engineer to lead innovative research in AI evaluation methodologies and alignment techniques. You will design evaluation frameworks and contribute to academic publications that advance the field. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of AI/ML engineering experience and a strong background in research. This role is an opportunity to impact how AI systems are evaluated and optimized, translating research insights into practical applications.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering experience with a focus on AI/ML.
• Demonstrated research experience through publications or impactful projects.
• Deep knowledge of LLM evaluation methodologies and model optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead independent research projects in AI evaluation methodologies and alignment techniques.
• Design and implement novel evaluation frameworks for LLMs.
• Contribute to the AI community through publications and open-source contributions.

Skills

Engineering experience with AI/ML

Research experience

Strong engineering fundamentals

Knowledge of LLM evaluation methodologies

Experience with model fine-tuning

Job description

We're seeking a Research Engineer to conduct innovative research in key AI areas including evaluation methodologies (particularly those grounded in human data), alignment techniques, and synthetic data generation. You'll bridge the gap between cutting‑edge AI research and practical applications, helping to translate research insights into valuable products and services. As part of our commitment to contribute to the wider AI community, you'll be involved in writing papers that advance the field. Your work will directly impact how we understand, evaluate, and improve AI systems through high-quality human data.

Responsibilities

• Lead independent research projects in AI evaluation methodologies, alignment techniques, and synthetic data generation
• Design and implement novel evaluation frameworks for LLMs and agent systems that are grounded in human data
• Contribute to the academic AI community through publications and open‑source contributions
• Stay at the forefront of AI research and pioneer innovative approaches to tackle pressing open challenges in the field
• Design and conduct rigorous experiments to study AI models and systems with sound methodological approaches
• Develop scalable frameworks for systematic evaluation of model behaviours and capabilities
• Create tools and frameworks that transform research insights into practical applications
• Build infrastructure to support large‑scale research experiments when needed
• Apply knowledge of model fine‑tuning, optimization techniques, distillation, and other ML engineering practices to support research goals
• Work closely with ML engineers, data scientists, and product teams to translate research insights into practical applications
• Mentor team members on advanced AI concepts and emerging research directions
• Communicate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering experience with significant AI/ML focus
• Demonstrated research experience through publications, open‑source contributions, or impactful projects
• Strong engineering fundamentals and experience implementing AI systems in production environments
• Deep knowledge of LLM evaluation methodologies, alignment techniques, and model optimization approaches
• Experience with model fine‑tuning, adapters, quantization, and distillation frameworks
• Self‑motivation and ability to define and pursue research directions independently
• Excellent understanding of current challenges in AI safety, reliability, and alignment
• Strong communication skills and ability to explain complex research concepts clearly
• Passion for staying current with the rapidly evolving AI research landscape