At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop hardware architectures for secure AI systems and turn high-level goals into engineering plans.
- Company: Amodo, a cutting-edge hardware engineering company focused on AI security.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development support, and weekly maker evenings with tools and pizza.
- Other info: Opportunity for growth, mentoring, and involvement in groundbreaking projects.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in AI security while working with a talented team.
- Qualifications: Strong background in electronic engineering and experience in hardware system design.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Amodo is a hardware engineering company building the 21st century’s most important technologies. Our team of mechanical, electronic, firmware, and software engineers works with world-leading startups, universities, governments, and philanthropists to solve pressing technical challenges. We believe in differential technology development: deliberately accelerating safety-enhancing technologies to ensure human flourishing.
We’re looking for a Technical Lead to join our AI Security hardware workstream. You’ll work on developing hardware architectures that help verify and secure advanced AI systems. This is an impactful role at the intersection of hardware engineering and AI security. You will be a part of building a world‑class team and helping to shape a critical area of the company’s work.
What you’ll do
- Your mission: Help build the hardware foundations for AI systems we can actually trust.
- In your first weeks you’ll follow this framework for turning high-level AI goals into engineering work plans under guidance from senior leadership:
- Enumerate scenarios for how AI could go.
- Identify intervention points in bad scenarios and write a scenario with a desirable end state.
- Turn the intervention point into a set of claims about the AI systems’ development or deployment.
- Turn the claim into an engineering problem statement.
- Create a deployment sketch (assess how the engineered solution goes from idea to real‑world impact).
- Create a specification.
- Combine the deployment sketch and the specification into a work plan.
- Build. Depending on the deployment sketch, build a prototype, write a whitepaper, launch a startup, etc.
- Build the network. Help us become the team AI labs, policymakers, and governance researchers call when they want to talk about hardware for AI verification.
- Scope and shape projects. Join conversations with AI safety researchers, labs, and funders. Understand their technical challenges around verification and security. Turn these into engineering work plans that Amodo can deliver.
- Lead delivery. Work alongside Amodo’s engineers to build systems that work. Support client communication, translating between AI security requirements and hardware implementation.
- Grow the team. As the workstream expands, you may have the opportunity to hire and mentor engineers.
About you
We value drive, culture fit, and a track record of excellence above all else, but the competencies, interests, and attributes below are highly desirable:
- Self‑motivated, with a track record of taking parts of projects from concept to completion without hand‑holding.
- Strong technical foundations in electronic engineering, physics, or a related discipline, with the ability to rapidly learn new domains from first principles.
- Able to communicate complex technical ideas clearly to both engineers and non‑technical stakeholders, including funders, policymakers, and clients.
- Experience designing and building hardware systems, ideally with exposure to secure hardware, cryptographic implementations, or trusted computing.
- Curious about AI and its implications, ideally with some exposure to AI safety, AI governance, or security research.
Alongside the above, the below competencies will strengthen an application:
- Experience with FPGAs, secure enclaves, TPMs, or hardware root‑of‑trust architectures.
- Familiarity with compute governance, verification approaches, or the AI safety policy landscape.
- A hacker mindset: you prototype quickly, red‑team effectively, and learn by doing. Ideally you have projects to share with us.
- Prior startup or early‑stage company experience.
- Published work, open‑source contributions, or side projects demonstrating technical depth.
- Experience managing or mentoring engineers.
This role is ideal for someone who wants to do meaningful technical work on one of the most important problems of the decade, with real autonomy and the opportunity to grow alongside a talented team.
We can pay your professional institution fees. Weekly maker evenings (tools, budget and pizza provided).
Field Specialist – AI hardware security and verification employer: Amododesign
Amodo is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, where employees are empowered to tackle significant technical challenges in AI hardware security. With a focus on professional growth, the company offers opportunities for mentorship, autonomy in project development, and engagement with leading experts in the field. Located in Sheffield or London, Amodo provides a dynamic environment that encourages creativity and supports meaningful contributions to technology that enhances safety and human flourishing.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Field Specialist – AI hardware security and verification
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the AI and hardware security space. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone in the industry. You never know who might have a lead on your dream job!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you've got projects or prototypes that demonstrate your expertise, don’t be shy about sharing them. Create a portfolio or a GitHub repo to showcase your work. This can really set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews! Research common questions related to AI hardware security and think about how your experience aligns with what Amodo is looking for. Practice explaining complex ideas in simple terms – it’s key to impress both technical and non-technical interviewers.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing applications come directly from passionate candidates. Tailor your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the role of Field Specialist – AI hardware security and verification. Let’s get you on board!
We think you need these skills to ace Field Specialist – AI hardware security and verification
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI Security:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI security shine through! We want to see how your interests align with our mission at Amodo. Share any relevant projects or experiences that highlight your passion and understanding of the field.
Be Clear and Concise:We appreciate straightforward communication, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use clear language to explain your technical skills and experiences. Avoid jargon unless it's necessary, and remember, we want to understand your journey without getting lost in complex terms!
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to the Field Specialist role. Highlight specific experiences that relate to hardware engineering and AI security, and show us why you’re the perfect fit for our team.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows us you’re keen to join our team at Amodo!
How to prepare for a job interview at Amododesign
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge, especially around electronic engineering and AI security. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how they relate to the role. This is your chance to show off your expertise!
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to talk about how you've tackled complex engineering problems in the past. Think of specific examples where you turned a high-level goal into a concrete engineering work plan. This will demonstrate your ability to think critically and creatively.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. You’ll need to communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, so being able to bridge that gap is crucial. Try explaining your ideas to a friend who isn’t in the field!
✨Be Curious and Engaged
Show your enthusiasm for AI and its implications. Research current trends in AI safety and governance, and be prepared to discuss them. This will not only show your interest but also your commitment to staying informed in this rapidly evolving field.