Job title: Lead AI Technologist
Job type: Permanent
Emp type: Full-time
Industry: Cyber Security
Salary type: Annual
Salary from: GBP £75,000.00
Salary to: GBP £85,000.00
Location: Chelmsford, UK
Job published: 24/09/2025
Job ID: 158648

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Technologist – Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
Location:
Essex (Hybrid)
Salary: £85,000 pa + bonus

Introduction:
A global defence & security contractor are expanding their AI research team and are looking for a Lead AI Technologist to help lead the team, researching and developing novel AI/ML technologies. You’ll lead projects spanning reinforcement learning, NLP, computer vision, and signal processing, while mentoring teams and shaping partnerships with academic and industry leaders.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead delivery of large-scale AI/ML projects and ensure high technical standards
  • Provide technical assurance for proposals, reports, and project outputs
  • Identify and direct research opportunities, including collaboration with universities and industry partners
  • Present research findings to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Mentor and guide junior engineers and researchers

Key Skills/Experience:
Required:

  • PhD in a relevant discipline
  • ~10+ years in AI/ML (industry or academia)
  • Proven team leadership experience
  • Strong background in engineering assurance and technical review
  • Proposal writing experience
  • Strong communication and mentoring skills

Beneficial:

  • Expertise in one or more of:
    • AI/ML for imagery and remote sensing
    • Reinforcement learning
    • Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models
    • Knowledge graphs and graph neural networks
    • AI for RF, EW, radar, sonar, or acoustics
    • Autonomy applications

Benefits:

  • 25 Days Holiday + bank holidays
  • Various insurances (Dental, medical etc.)
  • Competitive Pension
  • Bonus Scheme (Up to 10%)
  • Relocation packages

If you are interested and think you have the skills required as a Lead AI Technologist, please don’t hesitate to apply.