About Secondmind Secondmind exists to help automotive innovators design better cars faster and achieve greater sustainability through machine learning. We are driven by a desire to achieve sustainability in our operations and through the products we develop for our customers. Our positive working culture is founded on a collaborative environment that encourages teamwork and innovation. We foster open communication and cross-functional collaboration, enabling diverse teams to work together to solve complex challenges. Our flexible workplace plan ensures a healthy work-life balance, accommodating various working styles and personal needs, whether through remote work options or adaptable schedules. Founded in 2016 and supported by investors such as Mazda, Amadeus Capital, Atlantic Bridge and Cambridge Innovation Capital, Secondmind was recently recognized with the Automotive Testing Technology International 'Alternative Powertrain Test Innovation of the Year Award 2024'; selected for the Tech Nation Future Fifty scale-up program, and named by Bloomberg as one of the UK’s 25 Startups to Watch 2024. About the role Secondmind is home to a world-class, cross-disciplinary team of researchers and engineers. Led by Professor Carl Rasmussen and Dr Victor Picheny, the team publishes findings at top ML venues including NeurIPS, ICML, JMLR and ICLR (Click here to learn more). We have an outstanding track record publishing influential papers and we have received the best paper awards at ICML 2019, AISTAT 2020 and AISTATS 2021. This is an exciting opportunity to join us as a research intern and immerse yourself in a dynamic environment where pioneering machine learning meets real-world challenges. Our researchers are central to our product innovation, employing frontier ML techniques to make impactful advancements. In 2025, we offer three research placements in probabilistic modeling and Bayesian optimization, where you can collaborate with our outstanding team and contribute to advancing the state of the art in machine learning. Candidates may either choose to work on one of the topics we suggest ("Specific topics of interest") or work on a proposal they make that fits more general themes ("General topics of interest"): see here for our detailed list of topics. Feel free to contact us if you have an interesting idea but are not sure how to formulate it as a full project proposal. We are more than happy to help scope out projects and pair candidates up with the most relevant member of our team. General Topics of Interest Bayesian optimization & Active learning for complex applications Uncertainty aware neural networks Modelling dynamical systems Specific Projects of Interest Bayesian optimisation of shapes Exploring Likelihood-Free Bayesian Optimization Neural Diffusion Processes for BO Boltzmann Exploration in Batch BO What will you be responsible for? You will conduct a four month research placement as part of our research team. You will produce research code that may become part of Secondmind's ML internal tools, or part of an open source project (such as GPflow, GPflux or Trieste). You will write a short report on your research, typically with a view to submit it at an ML conference. You will participate in and engage with research activities within the company including seminars, research meetings and discussions. What skills, experience and qualifications are we looking for? You are currently part of a PhD program in a scientific discipline. Programming skills in python/tensorflow Good scientific communication skills, e.g. through publication at a scientific conference. To apply, please provide: A copy of your CV that shows evidence of your research experience (e.g. publications or links to submitted work) A cover letter that specifies which project(s) described in the link above you’d like to work on, or if you would like to put forward a topic of your own. If relevant, a one-page project proposal outlining your intended research and how it fits with the work at Secondmind. Contract and Location Successful applicants will be offered a four month fixed term working position. Applicants need to be present physically in Cambridge during the placement duration. Applicants are thus expected to be able to fulfil the requirements associated with right to work in the UK. Intellectual Property Rights We will require a signed agreement from your University assigning the ownership of any IP generated during the course of your placement to Secondmind. It is recommended that you make contact with an authorised signatory at your University early in the application process to minimise any delays. Our culture Our culture is underpinned by our values; they are what we stand for, part of our DNA. They help us to attract and retain the right talent and customers, help us make the right decisions and clarify how we should all behave and treat one another, they are: Delight every customer (Customers) No bar too high (Excellence) Give more than take (Sustainability) Make the impossible, possible (Innovation) Celebrate differences, act as one (Inclusion) We are an equal opportunities employer, and aim to ensure all candidates are treated equally and fairly through the application process and beyond. We actively encourage applicants from under-represented backgrounds, and encourage our people to bring their authentic, original, and best selves to work. If you require assistance or an accommodation through the interview process due to a disability, to apply for one of our roles, please contact hr@secondmind.ai .