Software Engineer (Machine Learning)

Salary for this Role:

From £48,600 with benefits, subject to skills and experience.

Job Title:

Software Engineer (Machine Learning)

Reports to:

Amy Strange

Closing Date:

06/Jul/2025 23.59 GMT

Job Description:

Software Engineer (Machine Learning)

Details of the role:

Working pattern: Monday – Friday. This is a full-time, permanent position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. 

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy. 

About the role

The Software Engineering and AI department within the Francis Crick Institute is responsible for delivering science-based technology services to the Crick. This role will report to the Head of Software Engineering and AI, and will play leading role in the support and development of scientific research projects, as well as developing and supporting operational applications.

This Software Engineering role will provide you with the opportunity to work across multiple science labs at the Crick, working on a broad diversity of projects each of them bringing their own unique challenges across a wide range of data modalities (imaging, omics, clinical etc) and research questions.

You will be joining a thriving and busy team, working with multidisciplinary research groups developing software and AI based  tools and services for the advancement of scientific discovery.

Collaboration is key to the Crick and to this role; you will have a chance to collaborate directly with scientists, other science technology platforms, and a well-established enterprise IT group. In addition access to an extended network through further informal information sharing events and meetups with both academic and industry collaborators across the London knowledge quarter, will provide excellent development opportunities.

If you have experience with large language models, especially the implementation of tools and services, this could be the perfect opportunity to take your skills to the next level in a highly interdisciplinary and impactful environment.

What you will be doing

As a Machine Learning Software Engineer at the Crick, you will:

• Design and develop high-quality, maintainable software to meet project needs and deadlines (including the interpretation of project requirements and technical specifications across multiple research and operational domains)
• Collaborating effectively with internal and external partners, building solid working relationships.
• Peer review and testing – Work closely with colleagues to maintain quality standards and provide code reviews
• Help establish the feasibility of technical proposals – by developing prototypes and experimenting with new technology/methods
• Ensure the security of software and applications - by developing in accordance with established security principles

About you

You will bring

• Strong command of Python and related frameworks and libraries with good experience of at least one other language (C++, Java, Julia, R, Matlab, JS frameworks)
• Excellent understanding of machine learning theory and related mathematical principles
• Practical MLOps experience of training and tuning deep learning models and evaluating performance (e.g working with PyTorch to build deep learning pipelines)
• Experience with large language models including; RAG, prompt engineering, and finetuning techniques as well as model API integration
• Experience across a range of deployment environments including public cloud and high-performance computing clusters
• Practical experience creating user-friendly interfaces for applied machine learning applications

See the full job description.

About Working at the Crick

Our values  

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture! 

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. 

• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. 

• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. 

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: weronika.kucala@crick.ac.uk

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?  

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development: 

• Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK 

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays. 

• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%. 

• Health & Well-being: 

• 24/7 GP consultation services. 

• Occupational health services and mental health support programs. 

• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans. 

• Work-Life Balance: 

• Back-up care for dependents. 

• Childcare support allowance. 

• Annual leave purchase options. 
• Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.

• Perks: 

• Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts. 

• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.