AI Security Research Engineer

The Alan Turing Institute

Named in honour of Alan Turing, the Institute is a place for inspiring, exciting work and we need passionate, sharp, and innovative people who want to use their skills to contribute to our mission to make great leaps in data science and AI research to change the world for the better.

Please find more information about us here.

BACKGROUND

As a LASR partner and as part of our Defence & National Security team, our AI Security work depends not just on new ideas, but on strong experimental practice, rigorous implementation, and high-quality prototyping.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

We’re looking for a research engineer with strong technical fundamentals, a deep interest in how modern AI systems behave, and a passion for solving real-world security challenges. Experience with deep learning training, evaluation, or interpretability - as well as exposure to AI red teaming or cybersecurity - is valuable but not essential. What matters most is a rigorous mindset, curiosity, and the ability to turn ideas into reliable, extensible technical artefacts. Eligibility for DV clearance required.

YOU’LL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE IF YOU

• Are naturally curious about how models behave and how things can go wrong under adversarial or high stress conditions.
• Enjoy collaborating with researchers to refine ideas and turn them into high-quality prototypes.
• Take pride in well-structured, well-tested code.
• Want your research and engineering expertise to have direct scientific impact.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Strong software engineering fundamentals: testing, version control, reproducibility, experiment tracking, clean design and collaborative practices
• Fluency in one or more modern programming languages used in data science. We predominantly work in Python, but demonstrable use of other scientific computing languages (e.g. modern C++/C#, Julia, R, Rust) together with a facility for learning new languages is valued
• Demonstrated experience structuring and analysing research data, managing computational experiments, or communicating research results effectively
• Eligibility for Developed Vetting (DV) clearance is a requirement for this role
• Professional experience and/or qualifications in a field with significant use of both advanced algorithmic, statistical, or numerical techniques and computer programming. A PhD is desirable but not essential.

Please see our portal for a full breakdown of the Job Description.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a permanent basis. The annual salary is £45,505-£51,241 including flexible working and family friendly policies Employee-only benefits guide | The Alan Turing Institute.

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter. We expect staff to come to our office at least 4 days per month. Some roles may require more days in the office; the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Please click on the ‘Apply’ button above for full details on how to apply and the interview process.

EQUALITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We are committed to making sure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive. This includes making reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability or long-term condition. Please contact us at adjustments@turing.ac.uk to find out how we can assist you.