Senior Research Engineer - On-Device AI - 6 Month Contract

SAMSUNG; Staines-upon-Thames; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading technology company is seeking a Senior Research Engineer to join its AI team in Staines-upon-Thames. This role involves profiling AI model performance and integrating research with real-world applications. Candidates should have advanced proficiency in Python and a solid understanding of machine learning fundamentals. The position is a 6-month contract with a hybrid work policy, requiring 3 days onsite and 2 days remote weekly. This is a unique opportunity to impact the next generation of mobile experiences.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in OS fundamentals including memory management and multithreading.
• Proficiency in machine learning and deep learning concepts.
• Ability to design and conduct rigorous experimental analysis.

Responsibilities

• Profile and debug performance bottlenecks in AI models.
• Integrate research findings into Samsung's products.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to enhance product features.

Skills

System level performance analysis and strong OS fundamentals

Expert proficiency in Python

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Excellent communication and teamwork skills

Tools

ARM CPU architectures

Rust programming

Job description

Position Summary

Samsung Research UK (SRUK) is seeking exceptional and highly motivated Senior 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 join a dynamic team that is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with on‑device AI, bringing advanced deep learning, LLMs, and VLMs onto real mobile and edge platforms. You will see your work shipped in production and running in the hands of real users. We welcome applications from individuals with strong experience in building and deploying complex machine learning systems, and offer the opportunity to deepen your expertise in a technically challenging and rewarding environment.

Role and Responsibilities

• Profile and debug performance bottlenecks at the OS, runtime, and model levels.
• Work across the stack: from model conversion, quantization, and optimization through to runtime integration of AI models on‑device.
• Evaluate and compare different deployment toolchains and runtimes for latency, memory, and accuracy trade‑offs.
• Contribute an open‑source library by adding new features and improving its capabilities.
• Evaluate the performance of algorithms and systems through rigorous experimentation and statistical analysis.
• Lead the development of software prototypes and experimental systems, ensuring high code quality and maintainability.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of researchers and engineers to integrate research findings into Samsung products and services.

Skills and Qualifications

Required Skills

• System level performance analysis and strong OS fundamentals (memory management, multithreading / synchronisation, user / kernel mode interaction) and Virtual Machines.
• Understanding of ARM CPU architectures.
• Expert proficiency in Python and Rust programming languages.
• Solid understanding of machine learning and deep learning fundamentals, including various architectures, and evaluation metrics.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to design and conduct rigorous experiments.
• Excellent communication and team work skills, with a results‑orientated attitude
• Proficiency in problem solving and debugging.

Desirable Skills

• Expert proficiency in C and C++ programming languages
• Experience working with ARM 64‑bit architecture.
• Familiarity with CPU hardware architectures.
• Experience with trusted execution environments, specifically confidential computing.
• Previous hands‑on experience with deep learning model optimisation: quantisation, pruning, distillation, or operator‑level optimisations.
• Experience with deploying AI models on‑device (mobile, embedded, XR, edge accelerators, etc.).
• Familiarity with on‑device / lightweight inference runtimes such as: ExecuTorch, llama.cpp, or Candle (or similar libraries).

Contract Type

6 Month outsourced contract inside IR35, working on an hourly rate via one of our preferred recruitment agencies

Location

Samsung R&D Centre in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, UK

Hybrid Policy

3 Days working onsite (minimum) 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.