Senior Machine Learning Scientist

Zendesk; Shefford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software company is seeking a Staff Machine Learning Scientist to innovate in the field of AI agents. This role involves owning a designated product area and leads exciting ML projects that shape user experiences. The ideal candidate will design, implement, and test novel AI solutions, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and utilize a degree in a related field. Candidates should have expertise in Machine Learning and NLP, along with strong communication skills and a proactive attitude.

Benefits

Hybrid work model

Flexible working hours

Diversity and inclusion programs

Qualifications

• Degree in relevant field is required.
• Proven experience in Machine Learning or NLP.
• Ability to implement research ideas.
• Experience with deep learning architectures.

Responsibilities

• Design and test AI solutions for business problems.
• Own research projects from start to finish.
• Collaborate with engineers to implement designs.
• Stay updated with NLP and ML fields.

Skills

Machine Learning

Natural Language Processing

Deep Learning

Team Collaboration

Communication Skills

Education

Degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or related field

Tools

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

Job Description

The Agentic Tribe is revolutionizing the chatbot and voice assistance landscape with Gen3, a cutting‑edge AI Agent system that’s pushing the boundaries of conversational AI. Gen3 is not your typical chatbot; it’s a goal‑oriented, dynamic, and truly conversational system capable of reasoning, planning, and adapting to user needs in real‑time. By leveraging a multi‑agent architecture and advanced language models, Gen3 delivers personalized and engaging user experiences, moving beyond scripted interactions to handle complex tasks and “off‑script” inquiries with ease.

We are delighted to be hiring a Staff Machine Learning Scientist for the AI Agent product at Zendesk. You will own a designated product area and revolutionize how our customers experience our products. This is an exciting opportunity to bridge the gap between cutting‑edge ML research and real‑world impact. You’ll have the freedom to shape the product roadmap, discover innovative ML applications, and collaborate with a talented cross‑functional team.

Responsibilities

• You’ll be part of a team responsible for designing and testing novel AI solutions for real business problems

• You’ll own the full research projects end‑to‑end from understanding business requirements to design, implementation, experimentation and reporting

• You’ll discuss your and others ideas in the research team regularly and provide peer review for your colleagues work

• You’ll keep up with the NLP and ML fields and literature and introduce new concepts discovered as potential solutions to our business problems

• You’ll work closely with AIengineers helping them implement your designs into our production system

• You’ll use suitable tools and technologies for rapid implementation and quickly testing your hypotheses while keeping in mind the requirements of future production implementation

• You’ll collaborate with Product managers and other non technical stakeholders to discover product roadmap.

Who you are

• Degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Engineering, Mathematics, etc.

• Proven record of Machine Learning or NLP research, ideally in industry.

• Knowledge of building deep learning neural network architectures, ideally with focus on NLP.

• Ability to implement ideas from research literature into proof‑of‑concept models.

• Practical approach for researching machine learning solutions to business problems.

• Huge bonus if you have experience with LLMs, Prompt Engineering and AI Agent Context Management.

• Ideally have experience with conversational AI and voice technologies, including text‑to‑speech (TTS) and speech‑to‑speech (STS).

• A positive, pro‑active team player who is passionate about their craft, is keen to take part in product discussions and cares about helping the team deliver.

• Great communication skill and fluency in English.

How do we measure success

• How well your work aligns with the overall product roadmap and strategic goals.

• Effectiveness in collaborating with product managers, engineers, designers, and other stakeholders

• Discovery and Ideation - ability to identify new opportunities within the product area, as well as their ability to prioritize and champion these ideas.

The Interview Process

We are excited to learn more about you, so we want to be transparent about what you can expect from our interview process:

1. Initial Call with Talent Team - 15 mins

2. Interview with one member of the Hiring Team - 45 minutes

3. Take‑home technical/research challenge

4. A technical interview with two of our scientists to talk more in‑depth about your technical experience and answer any questions you might have - 1 hour

5. Final interview with 2 of the following: CTO or Engineering Manager/Director - 45 minutes

About Zendesk

Zendesk builds software for better customer relationships. It empowers organizations to improve customer engagement and better understand their customers. Zendesk products are easy to use and implement. They give organizations the flexibility to move quickly, focus on innovation, and scale with their growth.

More than 100,000 paid customer accounts in over 150 countries and territories use Zendesk products. Based in San Francisco, Zendesk has operations in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.

Interested in knowing what we do in the community? Check out the Zendesk Neighbor Foundation to learn more about how we engage with, and provide support to, our local communities.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre‑employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e‑mail to [e-mail] with your specific accommodation request.