AI & Digital Systems Engineer – KTP Associate (Tunnelling) in Birmingham

Department: Department of Architecture and the Built Environment

Location: Doncaster

Salary: £38,000 to £42,000 Per Annum

Post Type: Full Time

Release Date: 30 March 2026

Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Monday 27 April 2026

Reference: ABCE26013

Birmingham City University are looking to appoint a high calibre graduate as an AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate). This role presents an exciting opportunity to work in collaboration with leading academics at Birmingham City University, to apply knowledge and technical innovation, delivered on site at the company. This Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) is co-funded by a grant from Innovate UK and HB Tunnelling Limited.

The successful candidate will have full access to Birmingham City University’s resources such as offices, labs, and library to complete the KTP project. The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will be supervised and mentored by both a lead academic and academic supervisor within the School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering (ABCE) as well as a company supervisor located at HB Tunnelling Limited.

Main Duties And Responsibilities:

• Developing AI-driven tender intelligence capabilities, including automated document ingestion, project screening, and opportunity scoring using large language model (LLM) tools.
• Building automated Bills of Quantities (BoQ) generation workflows that integrate tender specifications with historical project cost data and engineering calculations.
• Designing and implementing IoT data pipelines to ingest, process, and visualise real-time sensor data from wireless monitoring nodes deployed at tunnel sites.
• Creating a unified Digital Twin for Tunnelling (DT4T) platform that consolidates tender intelligence, estimating, and site monitoring functions into a single operational environment.
• Integrating the platform with HB Tunnelling’s existing data sources, commercial workflows, and project management systems.
• Conducting user testing and iterative refinement with engineering and commercial teams to ensure practical adoption across the business.
• Producing technical documentation, training materials, and knowledge transfer outputs to embed the platform sustainably within HB Tunnelling Limited.

The Role Requires The Successful Candidate To Develop:

• A deep understanding of HB Tunnelling’s operational workflows, including tendering, estimating and construction monitoring processes.
• Expertise in applying commercial AI and LLM tools to domain-specific construction and tunnelling document workflows.
• Competence in cloud-based platform architecture, data engineering, and IoT data management relevant to the built environment.
• Academic outputs including research contributions, reports, and presentations to support knowledge dissemination across both the University and Industry.

The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will be expected to interact with the senior management, suppliers and clients of the company as well as BCU academics. The candidate must also be adept at applying their knowledge to commercial projects, driving value and making an impact where possible, with an ability to solve problems and create innovative solutions.

Skills And Experience:

• The AI and Digital Systems Engineer (KTP Associate) will hold a relevant degree, preferably a first degree (equivalent to a first class or 2:1 honours) in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Essential: A minimum 2:1 undergraduate qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Civil Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Proficiency in Python for data processing, automation, and API integration.
• Demonstrable experience working with AI tools and large language models (LLMs) for document analysis or natural language processing.
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or equivalent) for application hosting and data management.
• Strong understanding of database design and structured/unstructured data management.
• Excellent communication skills to express ideas effectively, orally, graphically and in writing.
• An ability to work to tight deadlines with diligence, attention to detail, and maintain high standards of work.
• An ability and aptitude to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team, and self-management and planning skills to make optimum use of time.
• Strong leadership skills in successfully implementing and embedding new innovations within a company or organisation.

Desirable:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Construction Informatics, Digital Built Environment, or a related subject.
• Familiarity with IoT data protocols and time-series data handling (e.g. MQTT, LoRaWAN, or similar sensor network technologies).
• Exposure to digital twin concepts, Building Information Modelling (BIM), or asset lifecycle management.
• Experience with data visualisation and dashboard development tools (e.g. Power BI, Grafana, or similar).
• Knowledge of or interest in the construction, civil engineering, or tunnelling sector.
• Understanding of construction industry workflows including Bills of Quantities, tendering processes, or ground monitoring.
• A driving licence and a willingness to travel to utility contracts throughout the UK.
• Practical experience of working in the construction or infrastructure industry.

For further information please contact Dr Saeed Talebi at saeed.talebi@bcu.ac.uk or Dr Waldo Cervantes at waldo.cervantes@bcu.ac.uk.

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