Research Associate for AI in Defence and Security

3 days ago

Derry BT JL, United Kingdom University of Ulster Full time £33,020 - £41,086 per year

Research Associate for AI in Defence and Security

Role: Research Associate for AI in Defence and Security

Department: School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems

Grade: 6/7 ( £33,020 - £41,086 per annum)

Responsible to: Principal Investigator

Campus: Derry~Londonderry

(Fixed-Term for 12 months / Full-time)

Job Purpose:

The postholder will contribute to a major UKRI/EPSRC-funded collaborative research programme involving Ulster University, the University of Lincoln, and partner institutions at Cambridge, Oxford, Sheffield, Salford, and the Open University, working in close partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). Following the initial 12 months, the postholder may have the opportunity to continue this work at the University of Salford for a second year through a new recruitment process.

The purpose of the role is to design, develop, and validate advanced artificial intelligence systems that support human strategic reasoning and decision-making in complex, competitive environments. The postholder will play a pivotal role in defining system requirements and developing a robust AI framework to model and anticipate opponent behaviours and beliefs, leveraging state-of-the-art methods in machine learning and computational cognition.

The successful candidate will work at the intersection of AI research, cognitive modelling, and human–machine interaction, contributing to the design of algorithms that incorporate reinforcement learning, Bayesian neural networks, and Theory of Mind reasoning. They will engage in collaborative system design with DSTL and defence stakeholders to ensure that research outputs are both scientifically rigorous and operationally relevant.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a researcher with expertise in artificial intelligence, computational modelling, or intelligent systems to contribute to a highly interdisciplinary, applied research programme of national significance.

The School of Computing, Engineering & Intelligent Systems holds a Bronze Athena SWAN Award in recognition of our commitment to advancing Gender equality in higher education. You can read more about what this means at https://www.advance- and on our University website

The University has a range of initiatives to support a family friendly working environment, including flexible working.

Closing Date: 6th January 2026 at 23:30

Please be advised that due to the minimum salary thresholds imposed by the UKVI, this post will not qualify for university sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route.

If you have any specific queries regarding this post, please contact the named email address for the vacancy, as listed on the main current vacancies landing page.

If you have any specific queries regarding eligibility to work in the UK, our Resourcing Compliance team may be able to help: Resourcing-

Job ID :

039688

Location :

Magee

Close Date :

06-Jan-2026

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