At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead groundbreaking AI hardware projects and drive technological advancements.
- Company: Join ARIA, a pioneering R&D agency transforming the future of science and technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy 27 days leave, hybrid work, and a supportive learning environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for travel and collaboration across the UK and beyond.
- Why this job: Make a real-world impact by catalysing technological breakthroughs that benefit society.
- Qualifications: PhD or deep technical experience in AI system design preferred.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 105000 £ per year.
Department: Programmes
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: London
Compensation: £70,000 - £105,000 / year
Description Salary Levels: £70,000, £90,000, £105,000 (offers will be calibrated on benchmarked experience levels and assessment against our selection criteria)
Location: Kings X, London; Tues - Thurs (3 days) at HQ, Monday + Friday, anywhere
ARIA is a new R&D funding agency built to unlock technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. We fund scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of the possible. From climate change to AI, society faces enormous challenges and opportunities that can be uniquely addressed by science and technology. ARIA was created to activate the UK's world-class R&D in new ways so we can meet these head on.
Role Summary
As an ARIA Science and Technology Lead, you will have the rare chance to catalyse breakthroughs that could change the world. You'll sit alongside Programme Director Suraj Bramhavar and their Programme Specialist on ARIA's Scaling Compute programme (including the newly announced Scaling Inference Lab). You'll be exposed to every aspect of the programme's technical management from design through approval, project selection, and delivery.
Your impact will extend beyond a single programme; you will play a key role in strengthening the wider Nature Computes Better opportunity space, with a deep, evolving understanding of programmes and projects over time. As Programme Directors join the opportunity space and new programmes are launched, you will surface insights that build on existing ARIA-funded technologies, accelerate discovery, and turn past lessons into future breakthroughs, maximising impact across the portfolio.
We're looking for an adaptable technical professional who's strongly motivated by the opportunity to catalyse a technological step change. You'll be working in a bold, talented & agile team, funding projects ('Creators') across the entire R&D ecosystem, from startups and universities, in the pursuit of groundbreaking advancements that will shape the future of science & technology.
What you'll do
- Technical Programme Advisory and Support: Act as the technical lead, with the Programme Director and their Programme Specialist, to shape and deliver a bold programme of research aimed at reducing the cost of AI hardware by 1000x. You will serve as the 'first user' of the technologies being developed within the programme. Review project proposals, grant applications, assess technical milestones, and stay close to the ground on what's being built and tested by creator teams. Plan, lead, and contribute to technical discussions in project meetings, workshops, and formal reviews, bringing depth, challenge, and direction to every interaction. Provide evidence‑based technical insight to the Programme Director and the ARIA team to support high‑quality decisions and sharpen the programme's strategic direction. Confidently communicate complex scientific ideas surrounding the programme to stakeholders, from government and funders to key players across the ecosystem. Contribute your technical prowess in application areas for robot locomotion (e.g., inspection & maintenance, construction, etc.) and other cutting‑edge capabilities within the program, amplifying its overall effectiveness. Identify emerging trends and surface the most promising technologies, people, and ideas across the programme and its surrounding opportunity space. Co‑author white papers, open calls, and technical reviews that articulate the ambition of the programme and set a clear, compelling vision for external communities. Work closely with the Programme Specialist and creator teams to drive project delivery, tracking against ambitious technical milestones, benchmarking progress against the state of the art, and spotting opportunities for research cross‑pollination to sustain momentum. Provide continuity to the opportunity space, and maintain a deep understanding of past and present programmes, and creator projects, to help new Programme Directors build on what has worked, avoid what hasn't, and leverage existing technologies and insights.
- Connecting the Programme to the Ecosystem: Represent the programme, often on behalf of the Programme Director, at events, workshops and talks. Support the broader opportunity space by identifying and developing innovative ways to expand it, bringing in new ideas, talent, and opportunities that deliver long‑term value beyond the immediate needs of one programme. Build trusted relationships with world‑class researchers, labs, and founders working at the forefront of the programme's focus area, as well as the broader opportunity space. Work closely with ARIA's Activation Partners to ensure creator teams can access the right tools, platforms, and networks to accelerate translation and achieve impact beyond ARIA's direct reach.
- Define and Cultivate ARIA's Technical Culture: Collaborate across ARIA on funding models, budgets, tooling, and operational mechanisms to support effective, flexible funding and programme delivery. Contribute as a member of ARIA's team of Science and Technology Leads, sharing best practices and learnings between programmes to strengthen ARIA's overall portfolio of work. Identify opportunities to expand the opportunity space and build the connective tissue between adjacent spaces. Help build and sustain ARIA's scientific and operational culture.
Who you are
You have first‑hand exposure to building/running modern AI models or building systems using those models. You have proven adept at learning new ideas/technologies extremely quickly, assessing their risks, and understanding how they may fit into or shift existing industries. You are familiar with a variety of programming languages/frameworks and have demonstrated proficiency with at least one. You have built something tangible yourself from start to finish in any engineering capacity that was used by someone other than yourself. You can uncover non‑obvious opportunities and risks, connecting teams, ideas, and research threads in novel ways that drive adoption and translation. Highly adaptable, you are okay with uncertainty and a fast‑paced environment. You comprehend and articulate complex concepts clearly and with conviction, think and communicate with structure, and interrogate ideas effectively.
Desirable Criteria
You have hands‑on experience with the modern AI software stack (PyTorch/JAX/ CUDA/Triton/etc). You have a solid understanding of modern AI architectures (e.g., Transformers, Diffusion Models, etc.) and you can clearly articulate a view of existing system‑level performance limitations for each. You possess an understanding of the hardware technologies underpinning modern AI systems. You have a strong working knowledge of the UK R&D ecosystem.
Qualifications
You have a Scientific qualification, with a preference for PhD or other deeper technical experience in one of the listed areas of interest, or similar; AI System Design.
Benefits
- 27 days annual leave provision, with the option to buy/sell additional days
- Hybrid working arrangements; 60% in office / 40% at home
- Supportive environment for learning and development opportunities
- Enhanced family leave arrangements
- A free and confidential 24/7 employee assistance programme
- 2 days of paid volunteer days
- 5% defined contribution pension scheme with Smart Pension
- Cycle to Work scheme
- An excellent office location in Kings X, London
If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please notify us and we will make every effort to accommodate you. Disclosing any requests is intended to provide ARIA with the best opportunity to support candidates and will have no negative impact on your recruitment process. Please note: You will be required, as and when necessary, to travel to different locations around the UK and internationally to support projects, depending on the Programme you are designated to. ARIA adopts a highly considered approach to ethical and social responsibility.
Science and Technology Lead - Next-Generation Compute Architectures employer: Advanced Research & Invention Agency
ARIA is an exceptional employer that fosters a supportive and innovative work culture, ideal for those passionate about the intersection of law, science, and technology. With a commitment to employee growth, ARIA offers extensive learning opportunities, hybrid working arrangements, and a generous benefits package, including enhanced family leave and a defined contribution pension scheme. Located in the vibrant Kings Cross area of London, employees enjoy a dynamic environment that encourages collaboration and creativity while making a meaningful impact on society's future.
Contact Details:
Advanced Research & Invention Agency Recruitment Team
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