Senior Machine Learning Researcher | AI Hospitality Platform | London, Hybrid | Up to £200,000+ Equity & Benefits

We are working with a high-growth AI scale-up that is fundamentally changing how the hospitality industry operates. They have built a unique, flexible workforce model that supports some of the UK’s most famous high-street brands. Now, they are layering advanced Artificial Intelligence on top of that operational base to build a "staffing engine" that is unlike anything else in the market. Their product uses multi-year proprietary data to forecast demand and automatically generate optimal staff rotas, allowing businesses to run lean core teams and scale up exactly when needed. This technology is already being used by over 4,000 sites across the UK, and the company is well-funded and preparing for international expansion. This is a rare opportunity to join a 50-person team where you can see your research directly impact the real world. You won’t just be writing papers; you will be building the "brain" behind a platform that manages millions of hours of labour for major global brands.

You will join the Data team as a Senior Researcher, taking ownership of the core algorithms that drive the platform’s decision-making. While the engineering team focuses on infrastructure and deployment, your focus will be on the mathematical and theoretical models that solve complex logistical problems—specifically around demand forecasting and combinatorial optimization. You will be working with messy, real-world data to create sophisticated models that can predict human behaviour and business needs with high accuracy. You will have the freedom to experiment with new architectures and techniques, bridging the gap between academic research and production-grade software. This role suits someone who loves difficult mathematical puzzles and wants to work in a fast-paced, "pragmatic research" environment. You will work closely with the leadership team to define the future of the product’s intelligence capabilities.

• Core Algorithm R&D: Lead the research and development of novel machine learning models for time-series forecasting and demand prediction.
• Optimization Solvers: Design and implement algorithms to solve complex scheduling and resource allocation problems (e.g., generating the "perfect" rota).
• Model Innovation: Experiment with state-of-the-art techniques (e.g., Deep Learning, Transformers, Bayesian methods) to improve accuracy and robustness.
• Data Strategy: Work with proprietary and public datasets to uncover new features and signals that improve model performance.
• Production Readiness: Collaborate with ML Engineers to ensure your research models can be scaled and deployed efficiently into a high-traffic production environment.
• Mentorship: Act as a technical authority within the team, guiding junior data scientists and shaping the research culture.

• Academic Background: Strong foundation in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science or Physics (PhD or MSc preferred).
• Research Expertise: Deep understanding of Machine Learning theory, specifically in areas like Time-Series Forecasting, Probabilistic Modelling, or Combinatorial Optimization.
• Technical Proficiency: Expert-level Python skills with deep experience in libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Scikit-learn.
• Problem Solving: A track record of applying theoretical concepts to solve messy, real-world business problems.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex mathematical concepts to non-technical stakeholders (e.g., Ops or Commercial teams).
• Bonus: Experience with "Human-in-the-loop" systems or workforce management logic.

• Highly Competitive Salary
• Significant Early-stage Equity Options
• Private Health Insurance
• Social, pet-friendly office in London
• Free catered lunches and office snacks

If you think you are a good match, drop over your CV and if we think you are a good match we will give you a shout!