Postdoctoral Research Associate

Grade UE07: £40,497- £48,149 per annum

CSE / School of Maths

Full time: 25 Hours per week

Fixed term: 12 months

 

We are looking for a candidate to join the University of Edinburgh to conduct research on Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, or LLM orchestration, with applications to Finance. 

This post is advertised as full-time (35 hours per week). We are open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combine a mix of remote and regular on-campus working.

The post is subject to Level 4 pre-employment screening.

The Opportunity:

Do you want to work at the forefront of AI research, tackling critical challenges around AI assurance, financial crime, synthetic data, LLM orchestration, and agentic workflows?

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in Artificial Intelligence and Reinforcement Learning to join a collaborative initiative between the University of Edinburgh and the NatWest Group. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to high-impact research at the intersection of academia and industry, developing cutting-edge solutions for real-world challenges in financial services.

You will lead and contribute to innovative research projects in machine learning, synthetic data, LLM orchestration, and RL, helping shape the future of trustworthy and robust AI systems. The successful candidate will also engage with stakeholders, publish high-quality papers, and participate in dissemination activities including workshops and industry-facing events.

The candidate will be working under the supervision of  Professor Lukasz Szpruch (University of Edinburgh and The Alan Turing Institute ) and Data Scientists at NatWest Banking. 

Your skills and attributes for success: 

• Expertise in one or more of the following areas: Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, or LLM orchestration.
   
• Strong programming skills in Python and relevant frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX).
   
• Ability to scope, pilot, and deliver impactful research projects in collaboration with academic and industry partners.
   
• Track record of publishing high-quality research outputs and presenting findings through papers, workshops, and public engagement.

Click to view a copy of the full job description (opens new browser tab) 

Application Information 
 

Please ensure you include the following documents in your application:

• CV
   
• Cover letter
   
• In addition, please arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent direct to references@maths.ed.ac.uk quoting the reference number in advance of the closing date.

 

As a valued member of our team you can expect:

• A competitive salary.
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, competitive pension schemes, staff discounts, and family-friendly initiatives. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits.

 

Championing equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).

The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role.  This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.

 

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 15th August 2025.

Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.

 

As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.