Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Up to £135k + Equity) at Speechmatics in London

Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Up to £135k + Equity) at Speechmatics in London

London Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the development of advanced ML models and optimise large-scale inference.
  • Company: Join Speechmatics, a pioneering leader in Voice AI with a collaborative culture.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary up to £135k, equity options, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Dynamic environment with a talented team and excellent career advancement opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real-world impact by bridging cutting-edge research and production systems.
  • Qualifications: Deep expertise in ML systems, Python, and modern transformer architectures required.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

Speechmatics is a $62M Series B speech‑to‑text intelligence leader based in Cambridge and London, pioneering world‑class Voice AI that supports over 55 languages.

As a Principal Machine Learning Engineer, you will co‑define Speechmatics’ technical vision while remaining hands‑on in the Modelling Team. You will bridge the gap between cutting‑edge research and production systems, developing next‑generation transformer models and optimizing inference for global scale. This is a high‑ownership role focused on shipping real‑world impact.

Location: London, UK

Why this role is remarkable:

  • Lead the technical direction of a $62M Series B scale‑up that recently saw 4x growth in real‑time usage and serves global customers.
  • Work at the rare intersection of high‑rigor ML research and large‑scale production, shipping models that solve real‑world problems like accents and noise.
  • Take full ownership of technical domains, raising the bar for a talented team of 10+ engineers while developing groundbreaking bilingual and medical models.

What You Will Do:

  • Develop and deploy advanced ML models using Python and PyTorch, translating research into scalable, maintainable production services.
  • Optimise large‑scale model inference using strategies like dynamic batching, flash attention, and speculative decoding to improve speed and cost efficiency.
  • Define and enforce best practices for model lifecycle management, data quality, and evaluations across the entire ML stack.

The ideal candidate:

  • Deep expertise in building and shipping production‑grade ML systems, with a strong foundation in modern transformer architectures and self‑supervised learning.
  • Proven track record in distributed training and optimizing inference at scale, bridging the gap between research models and production‑ready code.
  • Expert proficiency in Python and ML frameworks such as PyTorch, complemented by experience in MLOps, CI/CD pipelines, and containerisation.

Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Up to £135k + Equity) at Speechmatics in London employer: Jack & Jill

Speechmatics is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of London where innovation meets real-world impact. With a strong focus on employee growth and ownership, team members are encouraged to lead technical directions while working on groundbreaking projects that address global challenges. The company fosters a collaborative culture, providing competitive salaries, equity options, and the opportunity to be part of a rapidly growing scale-up that values cutting-edge research and practical applications.

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Contact Details:

Jack & Jill Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Up to £135k + Equity) at Speechmatics in London

Join Local Tech Meetups

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Contribute to Open Source Projects

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We think you need these skills to ace Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Up to £135k + Equity) at Speechmatics in London

Machine Learning
Python
PyTorch
Transformer Architectures
Self-Supervised Learning
Distributed Training
Model Inference Optimization

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.

Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Jack & Jill.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Jack & Jill and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!

Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!

How to prepare for a job interview at Jack & Jill

Brush Up on Your Coding Skills

For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.

Know Your Tools and Frameworks

Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Jack & Jill uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.

Showcase Your Projects

Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.

Prepare for Behavioural Questions

While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.