Lead Technologist - AI & Machine Learning £85,000 GBP Bonus Onsite WORKING Location: United Kingdom (East of England) Type: Permanent Job Title: Lead Technologist - AI & Machine Learning Chelmsford (Hybrid) Up tp £85k Bonus We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Lead Technologist to join a growing Data and Decision Support capability, working on cutting-edge AI and ML applications across a diverse range of sectors, including defence, security, space, and commercial domains. This role offers a blend of technical leadership, research direction, and hands-on assurance responsibilities, with opportunities to shape innovation in areas such as NLP, reinforcement learning, computer vision, graph neural networks, and sensor-based AI systems. Key Responsibilities: Lead the technical delivery of complex AI/ML projects, overseeing the preparation and review of technical reports, proposals, and supporting documentation. Identify opportunities for novel research and potential academic or industrial partnerships; direct research activities in strategic focus areas. Present technical content clearly and persuasively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Mentor junior team members and provide guidance on research best practices and delivery standards. Conduct engineering assurance reviews on bids, publications, and project deliverables to ensure high-quality outputs. Essential Skills and Experience: PhD in a relevant discipline with approximately 10 years of experience in AI/ML, either in industry or academia. Demonstrated leadership in R&D settings, including line or technical management of teams of 5 engineers or researchers. Strong experience in engineering assurance activities, including proposal and technical document review. Experience writing research or funding proposals (e.g., for government agencies, public sector innovation bodies, or academic institutions). Deep expertise in at least one of the following, with working knowledge across multiple areas: AI/ML for imagery (including remote sensing) Reinforcement learning Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models Knowledge graphs and graph-based neural networks AI/ML applied to RF, EW, radar, sonar, or acoustic signal processing Autonomous systems Desirable: A track record of peer-reviewed publications in relevant AI/ML journals or conferences. Strong connections with academic communities and an interest in growing technical research areas aligned to organisational priorities. This is a fantastic opportunity for a senior-level AI professional looking to combine technical depth with strategic influence in an organisation focused on innovation, security, and applied AI research. Reference: SCU/BDI/LT/270625 Postcode: CM1 secu