Head of Machine Learning

DNEG; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading visual effects company in Greater London seeks a Head of Machine Learning to lead R&D in generative models, focusing on video, audio, and language. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background, proven leadership skills, and experience in developing ML architectures. This role involves teamwork across product, engineering, and creative domains to ensure the successful implementation of innovative ML solutions. The company is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Benefits

Diverse and inclusive work environment

Career development opportunities

Support during the application process

Qualifications

• Exceptional leadership, mentorship, and communication skills.
• Proven track record in leading machine learning R&D teams or projects.
• Extensive experience with deep learning frameworks and programming languages.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the strategic roadmap for generative ML research.
• Lead research initiatives in multimodal generative models.
• Build and mentor a highly skilled ML team.

Skills

Leadership

Machine Learning

Communication

Strategic Thinking

Education

Advanced degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or a related field

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Python

Job description

Description

Position at DNEG At Brahma, we are building the future of AI-powered creative experiences. Our team of engineers, researchers and creative technologists is building the operating system for the future of ethical digital storytelling. We combine award-winning visual effects expertise with cutting-edge generative AI to create tools that empower enterprises and creators to produce high-quality content at scale.

Job Description / Key Purpose of the Job: The Head of Machine Learning will lead our research and development efforts in generative models with a main focus on multimodal generation, primarily video generation but also audio and language-based models. This strategic leadership position sits at the intersection of technical expertise and organizational vision, requiring both hands‑on experience with generative models and the ability to guide teams toward breakthrough results. You will be responsible for designing ML architectures and training pipelines, building and managing a skilled technical team, and ensuring research innovations can be successfully implemented in production environments, audio integration, and language model applications. This includes building systems that coordinate multimodal inputs—visual, auditory, and textual—to enable rich, realistic, and controllable outputs for creative and production workflows.

Key Responsibilities / Job Duties

• Research & Development Leadership
  • Define and execute the strategic roadmap for generative ML research aligned with company objectives.
  • Lead research initiatives in multimodal generative models (video, audio, language), temporal consistency techniques, and multimodal generation with a primary focus on video generation.
  • Design and optimize large-scale training and fine-tuning pipelines for generative models.
  • Drive innovation in ML architecture, evaluation methodologies, and performance optimization.
  • Balance scientific experimentation with practical business outcomes.
• Team Building & Development
  • Build, lead, and mentor a diverse, high‑performing ML team.
  • Establish clear performance metrics, career development paths, and growth opportunities for team members.
  • Foster a collaborative culture that encourages knowledge sharing, creative problem‑solving, and continuous learning.
  • Recruit and retain top ML talent through effective leadership and compelling technical challenges.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with product, engineering, and creative teams to integrate ML innovations into production systems.
  • Translate complex ML concepts into accessible terms for non‑technical stakeholders.
  • Balance research ambitions with practical business needs and timeline constraints.
• Technical Strategy & Vision
  • Contribute to the company's overall technical and product strategy.
  • Evaluate emerging technologies and methodologies for potential adoption.
  • Establish technical standards and best practices for ML development.
  • Engage with the external research community through publications, conferences, and collaboration.

Job Requirements / Must Haves

• Exceptional leadership, mentorship, and communication skills.
• Proven track record in leading machine learning R&D teams or projects.
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or a related field.
• Extensive experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and programming languages (e.g., Python).
• Deep understanding of AI ethics, fairness, and interpretability.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to define and communicate a compelling vision.

Additional Skills / Nice to Have

• PhD and/or strong portfolio of published research and patents in top AI conferences and journals.
• Experience deploying large‑scale machine learning models in production.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms and MLOps best practices.
• Proficiency in languages beyond Python, such as C++.
• Able to knit together a high‑performing distributed team and communicate a consistent vision.

About You

• Visionary thinker with a passion for advancing the state‑of‑the‑art in AI.
• Collaborative and team‑oriented.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast‑paced environment.
• High level of curiosity and commitment to continuous learning.

About Us

We are DNEG, one of the world’s leading visual effects and animation companies for the creation of award‑winning feature film, television, and multiplatform content. We employ more than 9,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London), Asia (Bangalore, Mohali, Chennai, Mumbai) and Australia (Sydney). At DNEG, we fundamentally believe that embracing our differences is a vital component of our collective success. We are committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment for our global teams, where everyone feels they matter and belong. We welcome and encourage applications from all, regardless of background, experience or disability. Please let us know if you need any adjustments or support during the application process, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. We look forward to meeting you!