Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Our client, a leader in the defence and security sector, is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to join their team on a contract basis. This role involves developing and deploying advanced machine learning models essential for secure, high-integrity systems and services across critical defence, government, and public sector programmes., + Design, build, and optimise machine learning models, including NLP, computer vision, and predictive analytics

• Own the ML lifecycle from data preparation through to training, evaluation, and deployment
• Implement and maintain MLOps workflows for continuous integration and delivery of ML models
• Collaborate with Data Engineers and DevOps teams to ensure production readiness and scalability
• Contribute to architecture decisions for ML pipelines and data flows
• Apply secure coding and configuration practices in line with compliance standards
• Mentor junior engineers and share best practices across the team
• Support innovation by researching emerging ML techniques and tools

• Proven experience developing and deploying machine learning models in production environments

• Experience with the OpenCV framework and object detection models, including YOLO, RCNN, and Vision models

• Proficiency in optical flow and object tracking for video analysis

• Solid knowledge of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) models and fine-tuning with custom datasets

• Understanding of accuracy measurement metrics like Character Error Rate (CER) and Word Error Rate (WER)

• Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch)

• Understanding of ML architectures, hyperparameter tuning, and performance optimisation

• Experience with MLOps tools and CI/CD pipelines

• Familiarity with data engineering concepts (ETL, data pipelines, SQL)

• Ability to analyse complex data and communicate insights effectively

• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills Core Areas (Must Have):

• ML Development Expertise: Hands-on experience building and deploying ML models

• Lifecycle Ownership: Ability to manage ML workflows from design to production

• Tool Proficiency: Skilled in Python, ML frameworks, and MLOps tooling

• Data Engineering Awareness: Understanding of data pipelines, warehousing, and integration

• Governance & Compliance: Familiarity with secure coding and quality assurance standards

• Collaboration & Mentoring: Ability to work across teams and support junior engineers

• Continuous Improvement: Commitment to learning and applying emerging ML techniques Desirable Skills:

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS) and containerisation (such as Docker, Podman, Kubernetes)

• Experience working in secure or regulated environments

• Exposure to big data technologies (Spark, Hadoop) and Apache tools

• Familiarity with Agile and DevOps practices

• Industry certifications (e.g., TensorFlow Developer, AWS Machine Learning Specialty)

• Knowledge of NLP, computer vision, and deep learning architectures

• STEM degree or equivalent experience in AI, Data Science, or related fields If you are ready to take ownership of machine learning solutions that underpin secure, high-integrity systems and services, and lead in solving customer problems in an agile, innovative, and team-centric manner, we would love to hear from you. Apply now to join our client's Cyber & Security Solutions Division team in Bristol.