Grade UE07: £41,064 – £48,822 per annum
School of Informatics – University of Edinburgh
Full‑time: 35 hours per week | Fixed‑term: 24 months
The Opportunity
We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in machine learning based in the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh. The postholder will be formally affiliated with the EPSRC‑funded Hub in Generative AI and work with Drs Siddharth N. and Michael Gutmann as part of the Hub. This is an outstanding opportunity to conduct methodological research at the frontier of machine learning and to collaborate across a vibrant national network of leading universities and industry partners.
Scope of the Project
* Mutual information estimation and maximisation for continuous and discrete variables, with application to cross‑modal data analysis or experimental design and active learning. This work stream will build on papers [1, 2].
* Probabilistic latent variable modelling with hierarchically structured continuous and discrete variables for more efficient and effective generative modelling [3,4] and uncertainty quantification, with application to diffusion models [5].
* Support the overarching goal of advancing methodology and exploring its use in real‑world problems in collaboration with Hub partners.
Essential Qualifications and Skills
* PhD (or near completion) in Machine Learning, AI, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
* Research experience in at least one of: probabilistic machine learning, diffusion/flow‑based models.
* Proficiency in modern ML toolchains (e.g., PyTorch, JAX) and reproducible research practices.
* A track record of high‑quality publications, e.g. at ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR, AISTATS, ACL, EMNLP, CVPR, JMLR, Machine Learning, and computational statistics journals.
* Excellent communication skills and a collaborative mindset.
Desirable Qualifications and Skills
* Research experience in mutual information estimation and/or experimental design.
* Research experience in energy‑based models and/or hierarchical generative models.
* Strong cross‑disciplinary experience and expertise.
* Strong software engineering practices (testing, benchmarking, packaging, CI).
How to Apply
* CV, including publication lists and links to relevant software packages
* A 2‑3 page research statement describing (a) your relevant research experience and publications, (b) your proposed research and how it connects to the topics above. The page limit includes references and figures.
If shortlisted, you will be asked to provide reference letters.
About the EPSRC Hub in Generative AI
* Engage with a broad community of researchers and practitioners in generative AI, statistics, and machine learning.
* Access opportunities for cross‑site collaboration, research visits, and industry engagement.
* Contribute to shared Hub activities (seminars, workshops, etc.).
Contact Details
Dr Siddharth N.: N.Siddharth@ed.ac.uk – Siddharth – Home
Dr Michael Gutmann: michael.gutmann@ed.ac.uk – Michael U. Gutmann
Further Details
The position includes funding for international travel (e.g., conferences, research collaborator visits, and dissemination of findings), access to the School of Informatics compute infrastructure, and a competitive salary.
Championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality. We welcome qualified candidates from all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from under‑represented groups in the field.
Right to Work
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right‑to‑work webpages. The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role, depending on specific factors.
Closing Date
Applications must be received by 17 April 2026, 11:59 pm UK time.
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