Chess Dynamics is an established leading design and manufacturing business with several sites across the UK. Our product range is cutting edge and services the defence industries with products that aid specific client requirements - driving innovation is at the heart of everything we do.
We are looking for an innovative algorithms engineer to join our team, developing next-generation intelligent sensing and computer vision capabilities for challenging defence applications including electro-optic gun fire control systems, ground-based air defence, counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), multi-domain surveillance, and autonomous platforms.
The role involves solving complex real-world perception problems by combining machine learning, computer vision, signal processing, and statistical techniques to improve the ability of systems to detect, classify, track, and understand objects in challenging environments.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to take technical ownership of key capability areas, helping shape future development activities while mentoring others and sharing expertise across the engineering team.
Key Responsibilities:
- Research, develop, and evaluate computer vision algorithms for image classification, fine-grained recognition, object detection, and computer vision applications
- Investigate challenging technical problems where the solution is not immediately known, developing structured experiments and evidence-based approaches
- Design and improve datasets, evaluation methodologies, and automated pipelines to accelerate machine learning development
- Analyse model performance, identify failure modes, and develop innovative solutions to improve real-world capability
- Develop tools and processes to improve automation, repeatability, and efficiency across the machine learning lifecycle
- Provide technical guidance and mentoring to other engineers, supporting knowledge sharing and development of computer vision and machine learning capability within the team
- Keep up to date with advances in computer vision, AI, and machine learning, identifying opportunities to apply emerging technologies
- Communicate complex technical concepts, experimental results, and recommendations clearly to engineering teams, stakeholders, and customers
- Support integration, testing, and deployment of algorithms into real-time video processing systems
- Produce technical documentation, reports, and presentations to support engineering decisions
The Successful Applicant will:
Essential:
- Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant technical discipline such as Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics
- Practical experience developing and deploying machine learning or computer vision algorithms in production or near-production systems.
- Experience with modern computer vision architectures, including object detection, image classification, and transformers.
- Ability to analyse image datasets using image processing techniques to inform machine learning model development and debugging.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to break down complex, uncertain problems into achievable steps
- Ability to take ownership of technical challenges from investigation through to delivery
- Have excellent communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly
- Able to evaluate technical trade-offs and select appropriate approaches.
- Strong programming skills in Python, with experience in C++ for production or performance-critical systems
Desirable skills:
Experience or familiarity with:
- Applying statistical modelling techniques, Bayesian inference, uncertainty estimation, probabilistic modelling, or state estimation methods to real-world engineering problems.
- Custom loss functions
- Action recognition
- Synthetic data
- Multi-modal neural networks
- ML development tools including experiment tracking, dataset management, model evaluation, or CI/CD pipelines
- Automation of data processing, testing, training, or deployment workflows
- Experience using build systems such as CMake for cross-platform C++ development
Person Attributes:
- Is motivated by solving difficult technical challenges and delivering meaningful real-world impact
- Takes ownership and creates structure, clarity, and momentum in ambiguous situations
- Has a methodical approach to experimentation, problem solving, and engineering delivery
- Works collaboratively while being capable of driving work independently
- Continuously looks for opportunities to improve tools, processes, and ways of working
- Naturally curious with a broad engineering mindset, able to explore different approaches and technologies to solve challenging problems
Work life balance:
- 37.5 hour working week
- Lunchtime finishes on a Friday
- Hybrid / flexible working arrangements
- 28 days annual leave
- Christmas closure
- Holiday purchasing scheme
Benefits:
- Group pension plan – matched contributions up to 5%
- Income protection scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme gives you and your family access to 4 key services including remote GP service, second opinion, mental health pathway service and physiotherapy consultations
- Life assurance policy, including bereavement counselling and probate helpline
- Company shares incentive plan and save as you earn scheme
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- Wellbeing initiatives, including access to wellbeing app and the addition of mental health support for all employees. Plus, regular activities across our sites to support and promote wellbeing
- Regular sports and social activities
- Gym membership discounts
- Reward platform (high street discounts, employee benefits, health, and wellbeing offerings).
- Recruitment referral bonus scheme
- Excellent learning & development opportunities
- Great working environment with free, onsite car parking across all our locations
Security Clearance Requirements:
Due to the nature of our business, our staff need to be able to obtain UK Security Clearance as a mandated requirement. Therefore, if successful, you will need to provide proof of identity, employment history and right to work in the UK, along with proof of UK residency for at least five years.
Senior Algorithms Engineer in Wokingham employer: Chess Dynamics
Chess Dynamics is an exceptional employer located in Horsham, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration in the defence technology sector. Employees benefit from continuous professional development opportunities and are encouraged to contribute to cutting-edge projects that have a global impact. Join us to be part of a team that values engineering excellence and teamwork, making a meaningful difference in critical systems worldwide.
