Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer in London
Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer

Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer in London

London Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and optimise cutting-edge AI training systems and data pipelines.
  • Company: Join a pioneering team from top AI companies like DeepMind and OpenAI.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, comprehensive health benefits, and generous parental leave.
  • Other info: Dynamic work environment with daily meals and opportunities for team bonding.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in AI by bridging research and production.
  • Qualifications: Strong software engineering skills with experience in distributed training or data infrastructure.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

Reflection’s mission is to build open superintelligence and make it accessible to all. We’re developing open weight models for individuals, agents, enterprises, and even nation states. Our team of AI researchers and company builders come from DeepMind, OpenAI, Google Brain, Meta, Character.AI, Anthropic and beyond.

Responsibilities

  • Bridge the gap between research and production by turning cutting-edge algorithms into scalable training systems.
  • Design and optimize the core infrastructure behind frontier AI models — from reinforcement learning training loops and distributed GPU training to massive-scale data pipelines.
  • Our systems train models across thousands of GPUs and process petabyte-scale datasets.
  • This team owns and evolves the core infrastructure behind our training systems.

We Focus On

  • Reinforcement learning training infrastructure
  • Distributed training and inference systems
  • Experiment infrastructure and reproducibility
  • Large-scale data pipelines

The goal is to build the engineering foundation that allows researchers to iterate quickly while training models at massive scale.

About The Role

You will architect and optimize the core training infrastructure that powers our models. This includes RL training loops, distributed GPU systems, and large-scale data pipelines. You will work closely with researchers to transform new ideas into reliable, scalable training systems.

Responsibilities Include

  • Designing and optimizing large-scale training loops and data pipelines.
  • Implementing state-of-the-art techniques and ensuring they are numerically stable and computationally efficient.
  • Building internal tooling for launching, monitoring, and reproducing complex experiments.
  • Diagnosing deep bottlenecks across the training stack (GPU memory issues, communication overhead, dataloader stalls).
  • Translating research prototypes into reusable, production-grade infrastructure.

What You’ll Work With

  • Distributed Training
  • GPU parallelism (data, tensor, pipeline, expert)
  • Large-scale distributed training infrastructure
  • Communication optimization (NCCL, RDMA, GPU interconnects)
  • FSDP / ZeRO and model sharding
  • Orchestration & Runtime Systems
    • Ray, Kubernetes, Slurm
    • Distributed runtimes and async systems
    • Containerization and sandboxing
  • Frameworks
    • PyTorch
    • JAX
    • Megatron-style training stacks
    • Triton / custom kernels
  • Data Infrastructure
    • Large-scale dataset curation pipelines
    • Deduplication and filtering systems
    • Tokenization and preprocessing
    • Distributed data processing frameworks

    About You

    • You are a strong software engineer who speaks the language of machine learning.
    • You may not have a PhD, but you know how to implement a research paper.
    • You have deep experience in at least one of the following: Distributed Training & Inference or Data Infrastructure.
    • You enjoy working at the boundary between:
    • Machine learning algorithms
    • Distributed systems
    • High-performance computing
  • You care deeply about performance, numerical stability, and reproducibility.
  • You thrive in high-agency environments and enjoy solving hard technical problems.
  • What We Offer

    • Top-tier compensation: Salary and equity structured to recognize and retain the best talent globally.
    • Health & wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
    • Life & family: Fully paid parental leave for all new parents, including adoptive and surrogate journeys. Financial support for family planning.
    • Benefits & balance: paid time off when you need it, relocation support, and more perks that optimize your time.
    • Opportunities to connect with teammates: lunch and dinner are provided daily. We have regular off-sites and team celebrations.

    Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer in London employer: Reflection

    At Reflection, we are committed to fostering a dynamic and innovative work environment where cutting-edge technology meets collaborative research. Our team thrives on the challenge of transforming advanced algorithms into scalable systems, all while enjoying top-tier compensation, comprehensive health benefits, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance. With opportunities for professional growth and a culture that celebrates teamwork and creativity, Reflection is an exceptional employer for those passionate about advancing AI technology.
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    Contact Detail:

    Reflection Recruiting Team

    StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

    We think this is how you could land Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer in London

    ✨Tip Number 1

    Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that job descriptions just can't.

    ✨Tip Number 2

    Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those related to distributed training or data infrastructure. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do beyond your CV.

    ✨Tip Number 3

    Prepare for technical interviews by practicing coding challenges and system design questions. Focus on areas like reinforcement learning and large-scale data pipelines, as these are hot topics in the field right now.

    ✨Tip Number 4

    Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.

    We think you need these skills to ace Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer in London

    Reinforcement Learning
    Distributed Training
    GPU Parallelism
    Large-scale Data Pipelines
    Numerical Stability
    Computational Efficiency
    Monitoring and Reproducing Experiments
    Deep Bottleneck Diagnosis
    PyTorch
    JAX
    Kubernetes
    Data Processing Frameworks
    High-performance Computing
    Communication Optimization

    Some tips for your application 🫡

    Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the role of a Research Software Engineer. Highlight your experience with distributed training, GPU systems, and any relevant projects that showcase your ability to bridge research and production.

    Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about AI and how your background makes you a great fit for our team. Be specific about your experience with large-scale data pipelines and reinforcement learning, and don’t forget to show a bit of your personality!

    Showcase Your Projects: If you've worked on any relevant projects, whether personal or professional, make sure to include them in your application. We love seeing practical examples of your work, especially if they demonstrate your problem-solving skills in high-performance computing.

    Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our mission and values!

    How to prepare for a job interview at Reflection

    ✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

    Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like distributed training systems and GPU parallelism. Brush up on your knowledge of frameworks like PyTorch and JAX, and be ready to discuss how you've used them in past projects.

    ✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

    Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in previous roles, especially those related to numerical stability or performance issues. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your problem-solving abilities.

    ✨Familiarise Yourself with Research Papers

    Even if you don’t have a PhD, being able to discuss and implement concepts from research papers is crucial. Pick a few relevant papers on reinforcement learning or distributed systems and be prepared to explain their key ideas and how they can be applied in practice.

    ✨Ask Insightful Questions

    At the end of the interview, ask questions that show your interest in the role and the company’s mission. Inquire about the team’s current projects or challenges they face in building scalable training systems. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if the role is the right fit for you.

    Member of Technical Staff - Research Software Engineer in London
    Reflection
    Location: London

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