At a Glance
- Tasks: Join a cutting-edge research team to develop deep learning algorithms for computer vision.
- Company: Durham University, a top-ranked institution with a commitment to equality and excellence.
- Benefits: Gain valuable research experience, work with advanced technology, and collaborate with industry leaders.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in AI-driven research while building your academic career.
- Qualifications: Experience in machine learning and a passion for innovative research.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
The successful candidate will be based in the Department of Computer Science, Durham University - ranked in the top 10 for Computer Science, Complete University Guide 2025. The Department holds an Athena Swan Silver award, highlighting its commitment to promoting equality across Science, Engineering and Technology. In the UK REF 2021 research assessment exercise, 97% of our research outputs were classified world-leading or internationally excellent.
The Department of Computer Science hosts well-equipped labs with on-site capabilities comprising vehicle-mounted sensors, drone operations, on/off-road robotics, high-precision geo-localisation, bio-signal data collection, X-ray security scanning, virtual reality and on-demand wide-area surveillance video feeds. In addition, Durham University hosts the UK regional supercomputer Bede (128 NVIDIA V100 + 3 NVIDIA Hopper GPUs) in addition to the pan-university Hamilton GPU resource (8 NVIDIA H200 NVL) which both complement our departmental NVIDIA CUDA Compute Cluster (80+ GPUs up to NVIDIA A100) to cater for the increasing GPU compute demands of modern AI-driven research projects.
Applications are invited for a full-time Research Assistant in Computer Vision and Machine Learning (Visual-AI) with a particular emphasis on deep learning for anomaly and out of distribution detection. The post-holder will join Prof. Toby Breckon's research team at Durham University, for an initial fixed-term period of 24 months, funded by an ongoing portfolio of research work primarily spanning aspects of open-world object detection and anomaly/outlier detection for use in both wide-area visual surveillance, aviation security and sensing for future autonomous vehicle/robot sensing.
The successful applicant will be expected to work on common themes of deep machine learning research with applications across several active research streams within the group. They will consider the use of cutting-edge deep learning algorithms for object detection and tracking, anomaly detection and other generalized data understanding tasks (e.g. behaviour understanding and/or materials discrimination) across a range of imaging modalities. Specifically, they will investigate novel aspects of these tasks, develop software algorithms, and manage their own academic research in addition to collaboration with a range of external industrial and government collaborators.
The post offers an outstanding opportunity to gain a strong research track record in an exciting and fast-moving area of applied computer vision and machine learning whilst working in an environment with high levels of external collaboration and industrial research impact.
Research Assistant - Computer Vision and Machine Learning (Visual-AI) in Bath employer: Durham University
Durham University is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that prioritises equality and collaboration within the Department of Computer Science. With access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources, including the UK regional supercomputer Bede, employees are empowered to engage in groundbreaking research while benefiting from professional growth opportunities and a supportive environment that values innovation and diversity.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Assistant - Computer Vision and Machine Learning (Visual-AI) in Bath
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We think you need these skills to ace Research Assistant - Computer Vision and Machine Learning (Visual-AI) in Bath
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at Durham University, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at Durham University. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at Durham University
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
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Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at Durham University!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.