Machine Learning Software Engineer (KTP Associate)

University of Essex
Ipswich, South East England, United Kingdom
2 days ago
£40 – £45 pa

Salary

£40 – £45 pa

Job Type
Contract
Work Pattern
Full-time
Posted
1 Oct 2026 (2 days ago)

KTP

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are a unique UK-wide activity that help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity by making better use of the knowledge, technology and skills within universities, colleges and research organisations.

Further information is available at: https://iuk-ktp.org.uk/

THE PROJECT

The University of Essex in partnership with Distag QCS offers an exciting opportunity to a graduate with the relevant skills and knowledge to design and implement innovative digital solutions that enhance decision making and operational performance within a growing manufacturing supply business.

DUTIES OF THE POST

Duties of the post will include:

Technical

  • Working with a large, complex and highly varied dataset drawn from an ERP system that was never designed with machine learning in mind.
  • Making sense of the data, shaping it into something usable and building reliable models on top of it.

Resource

  • Leading the thinking, setting the pace and helping colleagues understand what is possible considering that Distag has no existing in‑house data science capability.
  • Balancing hands‑on development work with the practical realities of a busy commercial environment where priorities can shift quickly and insights need to be delivered in a way that fits day‑to‑day operations.

People and change management

  • Introducing new ways of working into a company that has grown successfully through experience, intuition and long-held knowledge.
  • Helping teams trust the outputs, adopt new tools and embed data driven decision making.

These duties are a guide to the work that the post holder will initially be required to undertake and may evolve to meet changing circumstances.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications/Training

  • MSc in Data Science, Machine Learning, or similar

Experience/ Knowledge

  • Knowledge/experience of computational/artificial intelligence
  • Understanding of UI centred product design, as well as data extraction and interrogation
  • Knowledge/interest in deep learning and neural networks
  • Knowledge/interest in optimisation, modelling and algorithm development
  • Strong mathematical foundation
  • Knowledge/interest in data visualisation
  • Understanding of project management and leadership
  • Experience of project management (highly desirable)
  • Experience of working in a supply chain and/or wholesale environment
  • An understanding of the need to balance academic and commercial outputs

Skills/Abilities

  • Python programming
  • Ability to contribute to drafting of academic papers
  • Working within a highly traditional sector; working with colleagues who may be resistant to change
  • Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Ability to manage expectations in a multi-partner project
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Good command of written and spoken English

BENEFITS

This KTP Associate post offers the following benefits:

  • A personal development budget of £5,000 (exclusive of salary).
  • Management training and mentoring by an Innovate UK KTP Adviser.
  • An interesting and challenging role, with exposure to a variety of stakeholders.
  • Full access to university resources to complete the project.
  • World-leading Academic and Company project supervision, with project support by a dedicated, sector leading KTP Office.

LOCATION

Distag QCS Ipswich Offices, Unit 24, Farthing Road, Sproughton, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 5AP

Please use the 'Apply' button to read further information about this role including the full job description and person specification which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role. You will also find details of how to make your application here.

Our website http://www.essex.ac.uk contains more information about the University of Essex. If you have a disability and would like information in a different format, please email .

Related Jobs

View all jobs
Spotlight

Programme Manager (Forward Deployed)

M-1 Intelligence London, United Kingdom
£60,000 – £75,000 pa Remote

Staff Machine Learning Software Engineer, Research

PhysicsX London, United Kingdom
On-site

Machine Learning Engineer

Oscar Technology London, United Kingdom
£95,000 – £120,000 pa

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Data Idols London, United Kingdom
£80,000 – £90,000 pa

Staff Software Engineer - Machine Learning

Capital One Bunhill, London, United Kingdom
Hybrid

Machine Learning Engineer

PhysicsX England
US$150,000 – US$190,000 pa On-site Clearance Required

Machine Learning Engineer

PhysicsX United Kingdom
£150,000 – £190,000 pa Remote

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

What Is an AI Forward Deployed Engineer? The Fastest-Growing Job in AI for 2026

If you have been watching AI job boards over the past year, one title keeps surfacing again and again: the forward deployed engineer, or FDE. It has gone from a niche term known mainly to Palantir alumni to arguably the hottest role in the entire AI hiring market. Job postings for forward deployed engineers have exploded, salaries have climbed past levels most software engineers will ever see, and the biggest names in AI — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Salesforce, Databricks and Palantir — are all competing for the same small pool of talent. So what exactly is an AI forward deployed engineer, why has demand surged so dramatically, and how do you position yourself to land one of these roles? This guide breaks it all down for AI engineers, software engineers and data scientists looking at their next move.