Senior AI Engineer: Mathematicians Transitioning to AI

What the hiring manager says

“This position is ideally suited to someone wishing to transition from a post-doctorate career in academia to applied research and software development. You are not expected to be an AI expert, but have a strong interest in applied mathematics with at least basic programming competency.

You will be working for a world-class team working on Applied Semantics. This is a relatively new team with the opportunity to play a foundational role. We are moving from a successful proof-of-concept to internal tools phase, with a view to building SaaS systems over the longer term.”

Dr G.A.McHale, Technical Director, AI & Data Science

About the Team

We have a diverse team of researchers, PhDs in hybrid Large Language Models (LLMs), formal verification, high-performance computing and quantum physics. The team leader has 25 years of experience in AI.

About the Role

How can agencies involved in the drafting and processing of technical specifications integrate modern AI into working practices? LLMs have a remarkable capacity for probabilistic inference. However, logical inference is only supported to the extent that it is implicit in training data. Our work is focused on hybrid complementary systems which address this shortcoming. There are two aspects to this work: (a) novel algorithms that address LLM shortcomings, and (b) optimisation for on-premises hardware processing, with a key focus on cost reduction.
You will develop novel mathematical models and algorithms in support of this. You will use AI tools in your applied research. You will be expected to independently corroborate and validate these results. The employed mathematics is highly eclectic and requires an acumen for synthesis and rapid familiarization. You will be expected to create (with the aid of AI) software programs that demonstrate novel theories and demonstrate results that validate hypotheses.

About You

We are interested in candidates with a strong academic background in mathematics, with some evidence of basic programming capability. You will have expertise in either of the two fields:

(a) Differential geometry, Riemannian geometry, geometric group theory, metric geometry and hyperbolic embedding theory, graph theory and network geometry. This work is related to the high-dimensional representation of semantic information.
(b) Mathematical biology relating to neuronal synchrony, with exposure to the Izhikevich neuron model and Kuramoto models, for example. You will have insight into the process by which individual neurons synchronise to create coherent network oscillations. You will have knowledge of how brain areas synchronise their activity to communicate and exchange information.

This is not an exhaustive list, and if you feel that you have mathematical expertise that may well be of relevance to these topics, please feel free to apply. If you have novel suggestions for addressing the core challenges expressed earlier (outside of these fields), then your application is welcome.

Candidates who have followed a non-conventional career path are encouraged to apply; however, high numeracy skills and demonstrable programming experience are mandatory. Ideally, you will have (at a minimum) a Master’s degree or doctorate qualification from a top university.

About your skills

Key skills for this role would include Teamwork, Commercial Awareness, Innovation, Research and Analysis, along with some key technical skills encompassing Mathematical fluency, Programming and Engineering.