At a Glance
- Tasks: Build and deploy cutting-edge AI models for complex reasoning tasks.
- Company: Well-funded AI startup with a team of top-tier talent.
- Benefits: Up to £300k base salary, significant equity, and in-office collaboration.
- Why this job: Tackle genuine research problems and make an impact in AI production.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in AI/ML engineering, strong Python skills, and hands-on experience.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team in London and shape the future of AI.
Our client is a very well-funded AI startup solving some of the hardest problems in production large language models. They are building systems that reliably handle complex, multi-step reasoning tasks at massive scale.
Their team combines talent from top-tier quantitative trading firms, leading AI research labs, and Big Tech. Backed by tier-one venture capital, they ship fast, maintain exceptionally high technical standards, and operate as an in-office team in London.
They are hiring a Senior Research Engineer to build and deploy core AI models from conception through production. You will work on genuinely hard, unsolved problems: building LLMs that reason reliably across long contexts, maintain coherent state over extended interactions, and make sound decisions under uncertainty – all whilst serving millions of requests with strict latency requirements.
Hard Problems You Will Tackle
- Multi-turn reasoning and memory – Models that maintain coherent state across complex, extended interactions
- Production reliability at scale – Consistent, accurate behaviour serving millions of daily requests with sub-second latency
- Novel post-training methods – Training approaches optimised for real-world task completion, not benchmarks
- Real-time evaluation and orchestration – Systems that monitor quality and adaptively route between models in production
- Long-horizon task decomposition – AI systems that autonomously break down and execute multi-step problems
What You Will Bring
- 5+ years AI/ML engineering or research experience with production systems
- Hands-on post-training experience (RLHF, DPO, or similar) and deployed LLMs in production
- Strong Python and modern ML tooling (PyTorch/JAX, training infrastructure, evaluation pipelines)
- Track record shipping research from prototype to production impact
- Comfortable owning work end-to-end: architecture to data pipelines to production integration
Why Join
- Work on genuine research problems that ship to production within weeks
- Collaborate with exceptional engineers from elite quant firms, frontier AI labs, and top tech companies
- Own multi-quarter initiatives and shape the research roadmap
- Up to £300k base + significant equity
- In-office in London with some of Europe’s best AI talent
For more information, or a discreet chat regarding the market/similar roles, please get in touch: James@durlstonpartners.com
Senior Research Engineer in Slough employer: Durlston Partners
Contact Detail:
Durlston Partners Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Research Engineer in Slough
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the AI and ML space, especially those who work at startups. Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect and engage with them. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to production AI systems. This can be a game-changer during interviews, as it gives potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your Python and ML tools. Practice coding challenges and system design questions that are relevant to AI/ML. We want you to feel confident and ready to tackle those hard problems they’re facing!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to reach out directly. Let’s get you that Senior Research Engineer role!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Research Engineer in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Research Engineer role. Highlight your experience with AI/ML engineering, especially any hands-on work with production systems and LLMs. We want to see how your skills align with the hard problems we tackle!
Showcase Your Projects: Include specific projects where you've shipped research from prototype to production. We love seeing real-world applications of your work, so don’t hold back on the details! This helps us understand your impact and expertise.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about solving complex AI problems and how you can contribute to our team. We appreciate a personal touch that reflects your enthusiasm for the role.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It streamlines the process and ensures your application gets to the right people quickly. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining our in-office team in London!
How to prepare for a job interview at Durlston Partners
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest advancements in AI and ML, especially around large language models. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with post-training methods like RLHF or DPO, as well as any production systems you've worked on.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to tackle some of the hard problems mentioned in the job description. Think about how you would approach multi-turn reasoning and memory tasks, and be ready to share examples from your past work that demonstrate your ability to solve complex issues.
✨Demonstrate Technical Proficiency
Familiarise yourself with Python and modern ML tools like PyTorch or JAX. Be prepared to discuss your experience with training infrastructure and evaluation pipelines, as this will show that you can hit the ground running in their fast-paced environment.
✨Be Ready to Collaborate
This role involves working closely with a talented team, so highlight your collaborative experiences. Share examples of how you've successfully worked with others to ship research from prototype to production, and how you can contribute to shaping the research roadmap.