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- Tasks: Work on real-world LLM systems and improve AI document processing.
- Company: Fast-growing, YC-backed LegalTech AI company with a high technical bar.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and opportunity to work in Central London.
- Why this job: Join an elite team and make a tangible impact in the AI industry.
- Qualifications: MSc or PhD in CS/ML/NLP with strong applied ML research background.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for rapid career growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Do you want to work on LLM systems that ship to real users, not just papers? Have you published at top AI venues and want to build in industry full time? Are you ready to join a small, elite team with a genuinely high technical bar? A fast-scaling, YC-backed LegalTech AI company is building GenAI systems across document processing, draft generation and information retrieval. Their platform is already used by hundreds of legal teams globally, and they’re now expanding their AI group as they scale in London and internationally. This is not a generic graduate role. They’re looking for exceptional early-career research engineers who can combine strong academic foundations with practical engineering execution.
The role
You will work on applied research problems directly connected to production GenAI systems: improving retrieval, reasoning quality, grounding, evaluation, and system robustness across large, complex document corpora.
Key responsibilities
- Build and iterate on LLM + RAG pipelines over technical/legal documents
- Design evaluation methods to improve correctness, faithfulness, and reliability
- Improve retrieval quality (chunking, ranking, metadata strategies, failure analysis)
- Prototype and productionise applied research ideas into product workflows
- Collaborate closely with backend/full-stack engineers to deploy features end-to-end
What they’re looking for
- New Grad / Early Career, ideally MSc or PhD in CS/ML/NLP (or related)
- Strong applied ML research background, ideally with publications in top venues such as: NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, AAAI (added bonus)
- Strong engineering fundamentals in Python
- Comfortable working in real codebases (not just notebooks)
- Product-minded: enjoys turning research into shipped systems
- Happy working onsite 5 days per week in Central London
Interested? Please apply below.
Applied Research Engineer – New Grad / Early Career employer: Harnham
Contact Detail:
Harnham Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Applied Research Engineer – New Grad / Early Career
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect and engage with them; you never know when a casual chat could lead to a job opportunity.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to LLM systems or applied research. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on both technical and soft skills. Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your research in detail. Remember, they want to see how you think and solve problems, so be confident!
✨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 are proactive about their job search. So, get that application in and let’s make it happen!
We think you need these skills to ace Applied Research Engineer – New Grad / Early Career
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Research: Make sure to highlight any publications or projects you've worked on that relate to LLM systems or AI. We want to see your academic chops and how they translate into real-world applications!
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter. We’re looking for candidates who understand our mission and can demonstrate how their skills align with the role. Personalise your application to stand out!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. We appreciate clarity and brevity, so make sure your experience and skills shine through without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Harnham
✨Know Your Research Inside Out
Make sure you can discuss your research and publications in detail. Be prepared to explain how your work relates to applied research problems, especially in the context of LLM systems. This shows you’re not just a theorist but someone who can connect academic insights to real-world applications.
✨Showcase Your Engineering Skills
Since they’re looking for strong engineering fundamentals, be ready to talk about your experience with Python and any real codebases you've worked on. Bring examples of projects where you’ve turned research into practical solutions, as this will demonstrate your product-minded approach.
✨Understand Their Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies and methodologies used in their GenAI systems. Knowing about retrieval quality improvements, evaluation methods, and document processing will help you engage in meaningful discussions during the interview.
✨Be Ready to Collaborate
Highlight your teamwork skills and experiences, especially in cross-functional settings. They value collaboration with backend and full-stack engineers, so share examples of how you’ve successfully worked with others to deploy features or solve complex problems.
