AI and Digital Systems Engineer -KTP Associate (28 Months Fixed Term)

This role presents an exciting opportunity to work in collaboration with leading academics at Birmingham City University, to apply knowledge and technical innovation, delivered on site at the company.

This Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) is co-funded by a grant from Innovate UK and HB Tunnelling Limited. It is therefore essential you understand the fundamentals of the KTP collaboration between a UK business and a University works to deliver benefits for each (the company, the university, and the graduate) For more information please go to https://iuk-ktp.org.uk/

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will have access to a wider range of benefits including a personal development budget of £4,667 to upskill during the project.

Location and Reporting:

The successful candidate will be employed by Birmingham City University and seconded to work full-time onsite at HB Tunnelling Limited, Unit 1 High Premier Industrial Estate, Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will deliver the 28-month KTP project in partnership Birmingham City University and HB Tunnelling Limited.

HB Tunnelling Limited:

HB Tunnelling Limited (HBT) is a specialist contractor operating in the UK trenchless tunnelling and stormwater infrastructure sectors. HBT delivers micro-tunnelling, pipe jacking, and below-ground stormwater management projects for clients across the UK, working within a combined addressable market valued at approximately £1.2 billion annually. With a turnover of £37.68 million and a strong track record of delivering technically complex underground construction projects, HBT is now investing in digital innovation to strengthen its competitive position. For further information please see www.hbtunnelling.co.uk

The successful candidate will have full access to Birmingham City University’s resources such as offices, labs, and library to complete the KTP project (a project workplan written with KPIs and outcome deliverables has been written).

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will be supervised and mentored by both a lead academic and academic supervisor academics within the School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering (ABCE) as well as a company supervisor located at HB Tunnelling Limited whose aim is to assist the AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) to deliver the knowledge into HB Tunnelling Limited and successfully deliver the 28-month KTP project on behalf of HB Tunnelling Limited and Birmingham City University.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer KTP Associate will work on:

• Developing AI-driven tender intelligence capabilities, including automated document ingestion, project screening, and opportunity scoring using large language model (LLM) tools
• Building automated Bills of Quantities (BoQ) generation workflows that integrate tender specifications with historical project cost data and engineering calculations.
• Designing and implementing IoT data pipelines to ingest, process, and visualise real-time sensor data from wireless monitoring nodes deployed at tunnel sites.
• Creating a unified Digital Twin for Tunnelling (DT4T) platform that consolidates tender intelligence, estimating, and site monitoring functions into a single operational environment.
• Integrating the platform with HB Tunnelling’s existing data sources, commercial workflows, and project management systems.
• Conducting user testing and iterative refinement with engineering and commercial teams to ensure practical adoption across the business.
• Producing technical documentation, training materials, and knowledge transfer outputs to embed the platform sustainable within HB Tunnelling Limited.

The role requires the successful candidate to develop:

• A deep understanding of HB Tunnelling’s operational workflows, including tendering, estimating and construction monitoring processes.
• Expertise in applying commercial AI and LLM tools to domain-specific construction and tunnelling document workflows.
• Competence in cloud-based platform architecture, data engineering, and IoT data management relevant to the built environment.
• Academic outputs including research contributions, reports, and presentations to support knowledge dissemination across both the University and Industry.

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will be expected to interact with the senior management, suppliers and clients of the company as well as BCU academics.

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) must also be adept at applying their knowledge to commercial projects, driving value and making an impact where possible, with an ability to solve problems and create innovative solutions.

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) must have the following key attributes to ensure the project’s successful completion.

Skills and Experience:

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will hold a relevant degree. This might be a first degree (equivalent to a first class or 2:1 honours) in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related discipline. A master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Construction Informatics, or a similar discipline is acceptable.

Essential:

• A minimum 2:1 undergraduate qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Civil Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Proficiency in Python for data processing, automation, and API integration.
• Demonstrable experience working with AI tools and large language models (LLMs) for document analysis or natural language processing.
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or equivalent) for application hosting and data management.
• Strong understanding of database design and structured/unstructured data management.
• Excellent communication skills to express ideas effectively, orally, graphically and in writing to articulate complicated matters between the academics and the company project team members.
• An ability to work to tight deadlines with diligence, attention to detail, and maintain high standards of work.
• An ability and aptitude to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team, and self-management and planning skills to make optimum use of time.
• Strong leadership skills in successfully implementing and embedding new innovations within a company or organisation.

Desirable:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Construction Informatics, Digital Built Environment, or a related subject.
• Familiarity with IoT data protocols and time-series data handling (e.g. MQTT, LoRaWAN, or similar sensor network technologies).
• Exposure to digital twin concepts, Building Information Modelling (BIM), or asset lifecycle management.
• Experience with data visualisation and dashboard development tools (e.g. Power BI, Grafana, or similar).
• Knowledge of or interest in the construction, civil engineering, or tunnelling sector.
• Understanding of construction industry workflows including Bills of Quantities, tendering processes, or ground monitoring.
• Academic acumen to enable successful reporting through research publications in academic journals and marketing/training materials.
• A driving licence and a willingness to travel to utility contracts throughout the UK.
• Practical experience of working in the construction or infrastructure industry.

For further information please contact Dr Saeed Talebi at saeed.talebi@bcu.ac.uk or Dr Waldo Cervantes at waldo.cervantes@bcu.ac.uk

Further Details:

Job Description