Senior Data Scientist, EME

Company Description

Named in honour of Alan Turing, the Institute is a place for inspiring, exciting work and we need passionate, sharp, and innovative people who want to use their skills to contribute to our mission to make great leaps in data science and AI research to change the world for the better.

Please find more information about us here.

Position

The Defence & Security programme at the Turing is looking to expand a newly formed team of data scientists working on real-world problems in the radio frequency domain aligned with defending and securing the UK. As a team, we bring together cutting-edge research and motivating mission challenges, using our data science, software engineering and stakeholder management skills to create next generation capabilities for our partners. This is a senior technical research post to work in the defence and security programme at the [Employer hidden] in London. Day to day we collaborate with technical and subject matter experts from our partner organisations as well as academics, software engineers, and data scientists from across the Turing’s research community.

ROLE PURPOSE

This Senior technical role sits within the Electromagnetic Environment (EME) team (part of DARe) which is aiming to become a world-class group focused on delivering the science needed to improve our understanding, management, and exploitation of the electromagnetic environment through the application of AI technologies. This involves both the application of existing AI algorithms and techniques as well as fundamentally advancing the state of the art of AI.

The technical scope of the role includes:

• The application of modern AI techniques to the RF domain e.g. GNNs, transformers, autoencoders, reinforcement learning.
• Developing novel multi-modal AI approaches to the fusion of data from multiple sensors
• Developing new techniques for the detection, recognition, identification, localisation, and exploitation (DRILE) of radio frequency signals.
• Understanding of electronic protection measures (EPM), electronic support measures (ESM) and electronic attack (EA).
• Understanding of RF transmitter and receiver concepts, modelling, and wave propagation, including waveforms, channel effects, multipath, transmitter idiosyncrasies e.g. amplifier effects, oscillator offset and drift on signals, and network topologies.
• Performing technical electromagnetic assessments and trials.
• Contribution to and involvement in the team running of the Turing’s AI for RF special interest group.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

• Engage with scientists from the EME’s Defence and Security partners to learn their aims and requirements and understand and identify problems they face.
• Apply state-of-the-art Machine Learning, Data Science, and radio frequency techniques emerging from the Institute, broader academia and industry to problems faced by EME partners, both as part of unclassified EME projects and on partner systems.
• Perform rigorous investigations into new algorithms and applications, providing consultancy to inform our Partners’ decisions and developing high-quality proof-of-concept outputs which can be deployed in real-world situations.
• Design and carry out rigorous experimentation and development with some guidance from Principal staff, both alone and in small teams, coaching junior team members and guiding collaborations to success.
• Present, disseminate and explain our work via presentations, reports and workshops.
• Provide technical project management and leadership for research projects, ensuring successful outcomes; Liaise with clients and colleagues to understand and prioritise project goals, balancing client value with research outputs.
• Take ownership of a particular domain challenge area or methodology for the group.
• Develop new projects in conjunction with colleagues, authoring research proposals and agreeing involvement for the group in activities across the institute.

Requirements

Experience in a field with significant use of physics, engineering, advanced statistical or numerical methods, data science or computer programming evidenced by:

• a PhD degree; or
• equivalent professional experience.

Practical experience applying Machine Learning to real world problems or strong theoretical knowledge and academic experience with Machine Learning and adjacent topics or demonstrated experience developing algorithms for transmitting, processing and analysing radio frequency signals.

Demonstrable recent experience developing novel algorithms for transmitting, processing and analysing radio frequency signals or AI for physics/maths/engineering/communications and networks/radar problem sets.

Fluency in one or more modern programming languages used in research in data science and artificial intelligence, we primarily work in Python.

An understanding of the importance of good practices for producing reliable software and reproducible analyses.

Experience working with customers to identify, understand and refine problems, scoping data science work to solve them.

Experience leading a research project with a focus on AI or Radar or Communications and Networks.

Experience conducting and publishing research to the standard required by top-tier reviewed journals (e.g. a recent RF publication in a peer-reviewed journal).

Direct experience developing and deploying technologies in support of Defence and National Security organisations.

Please see the job description for a full break down of the role.

Other information

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please email [contact hidden].

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: THURSDAY 30 APRIL 2026 AT 23:59 (LONDON, UK BST)

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early or to interview suitable candidates before the closing date if enough applications are received.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a fixed term basis for 3 years. The annual salary is £54,612 - £62,381 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, Employee-only benefits guide | The Alan Turing.

Eligibility criteria and further information on the process can be found on the UK Government security vetting website. Applicants should check whether they are eligible to apply for SC clearance before applying to this role. Successful applicants will be subject to a Dstl research workers check at offer stage.

The [Employer hidden] is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter. We expect staff to come to our office at least 4 days per month. Some roles may require more days in the office; the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

We value diversity of background, experience, and perspective, and are proud to be an inclusive employer. We warmly encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from groups currently under-represented in our sector. If you feel passionate about this role but don’t meet every single requirement, please apply — we recognise that great candidates may bring strengths beyond the criteria listed.

We are committed to making sure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive. This includes making reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability or long-term condition. Please contact us at [contact hidden] to find out how we can assist you.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to obtaining and retaining the right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check. Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [contact hidden].