Senior Machine Learning Research Engineer – Speech/Audio/Gen-AI

Samsung Electronics America; Staines-upon-Thames; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in Staines-upon-Thames is seeking a Senior ML Research Engineer to drive AI algorithm development focused on audio and speech processing. The ideal candidate holds an MSc/PhD and has strong experience in software development with Python. You will work collaboratively in a hybrid model, delivering scalable solutions. This role offers competitive benefits including salary bonuses and flexible working conditions.

Benefits

Highly competitive salary with performance bonus up to 21.5%

Employer pension contributions of 8.5%

25 days paid holiday

Flexible benefits scheme with £600 annually

Samsung product discounts

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of machine learning fundamentals.
• Proficiency with machine learning frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research ideas into practical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Drive the research, design, development of innovative AI algorithms.
• Lead development of scalable software solutions.
• Collaborate closely with a multi-disciplinary team.

Skills

Professional software development experience with Python

Strong experience in audio/speech processing

Excellent communication skills

Education

MSc/PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science/Engineering

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

Position Summary

Samsung Research UK (SRUK) is seeking an exceptional and highly motivated Senior ML Research Engineer to join our growing AI team in Staines‑upon‑Thames. We are at the forefront of developing innovative technologies for future Samsung devices and services, and this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the next generation of mobile experiences. You will be instrumental in translating cutting‑edge research into real‑world impact, working on challenges that demand both creative problem‑solving and robust engineering practices. This is a chance to contribute to a dynamic team, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AI for mobile, and to see your contributions deployed to millions of users worldwide. We encourage applications from individuals with a strong academic background and proven expertise in the development of complex audio and speech‑related applications. You will have the opportunity to expand your expertise within a challenging and rewarding environment. This role is available on a permanent basis but we are also open to hiring a contractor for an initial 6‑month period, working via agency. The role is inside IR35.

Role and Responsibilities

As a Senior Machine Learning Research Engineer in Speech/Audio/Gen‑AI, you will:

• Drive the research, design, development, and evaluation of innovative AI algorithms and models, with a primary focus on audio and speech processing.
• Lead the development of robust and scalable software solutions for deployment on flagship Samsung mobile devices.
• Independently own and deliver significant components of complex research projects, from initial concept to production readiness.
• Design, implement, and maintain high‑quality, well‑documented code, adhering to best software development practices.
• Collaborate closely with a multi‑disciplinary team of researchers and engineers, providing technical guidance and mentorship.
• Proactively identify and address technical challenges, proposing creative solutions and ensuring the successful delivery of projects.
• Contribute to the development of internal tools and infrastructure to support research and development efforts.

Skills and Qualifications

Required Skills

• MSc/PhD degree in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline.
• Professional software development experience with Python (experience with C++, Java, or Kotlin is a plus).
• Deep understanding of machine learning and deep learning fundamentals, including various architectures, training techniques, and evaluation metrics.
• Strong experience in audio/speech processing, including areas such as speech recognition, speech enhancement, audio analysis, text‑to‑speech synthesis, and natural language processing.
• Proficiency with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Solid understanding of software engineering principles, including version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and agile development methodologies.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research ideas into practical, production‑ready solutions.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with generative AI, particularly in the context of audio/speech technologies.
• A strong publication record in top‑tier machine learning, artificial intelligence, or signal processing conferences and journals (e.g., ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR, CVPR, SysML, INTERSPEECH, ICASSP, IEEE/ACM TASLP, IEEE TPAMI, JMLR).
• Experience with open‑source speech processing toolkits (e.g., Hugging Face Transformers, SpeechBrain, ESPnet, Kaldi, NeMo).
• Experience developing and deploying AI models on Android mobile platforms.
• Proven experience in building and maintaining large‑scale, distributed training pipelines.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).

Employee Benefits (applicable for permanent employees only)

• Highly competitive salary with performance bonus up to 21.5%.
• Employer pension contributions of 8.5%.
• 25 days paid holiday (increasing to 30 with time served).
• Life assurance, medical insurance, and income protection.
• Flexible benefits scheme with £600 annually to spend on benefits.
• Samsung product discounts, subsidised employee restaurant, and free parking.

Location and Hybrid Working

• The role is based at Samsung R&D Institute in Staines‑upon‑Thames, Surrey, UK.
• Samsung currently operates a hybrid working policy of 3 days onsite and 2 days working from home weekly.

Samsung has a strict policy on trade secrets. In applying to Samsung and progressing through the recruitment process, you must not disclose any trade secrets of a previous employer.