Principal Research Specialist

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.
GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we're inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We're proud to play a part in protecting the world's democracies. And we're committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £ There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Research Specialist within Data Analytics and AI

As a Principal Research Specialist you will draw on your deep specialist knowledge and general business awareness to influence the direction of research and development projects in the TRL1-6 range.

You will have a strong track record of innovation, leading complex technical work, and are well connected in the ecosystem.

Your experience and critical thinking skills will help you to plan and manage the technical quality of work conducted within your specialist field.

Your exceptional communication skills shall enable you to confidently engage with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.

The role provides the flexibilty of hybrid working.

How You'll Contribute

• Create capabilities around prescriptive analytics and generative AI including large language model.
• Work with operational sites through the technology bridge process to understand current challenges to implementation of AI and propose and own projects to deliver improvement.
• Generate IP or IDFs within data analytics and AI through technology for manufacturing and operational sites.
• Support development of a strategic road map for data analytics and AI technologies within GKN civil aerospace.
• You will be responsible for the quality of technical content/assumptions within the Technology Development Plans and Technology Business Cases, which relate to your specialist field
• You will develop and maintain long-term ecosystem & academia relationships in your specialist field for the benefit of the projects, aligned with direction from the technology manager.

What You'll Bring

Essential

• A relevant, accredited engineering degree or experience of demonstrable equivalence
• Familiar with several coding languages for example: Python, C/C++, and MATLAB/Simulink
• Experience with AI/ML frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch
• Familiarity with software development best practices and version control
• Experience in agentic modelling for large language model development
• Demonstrable experience of virtualisation and containerisation
• Deep understanding of aerospace industry standards and regulations in the field of AI and data analytics
• You will have a comprehensive awareness of your specialist field outside of GKN and you will have developed a vision for how technology and expertise should be developed within GKN.
• You will demonstrate critical reasoning in relation to how your vision relates to GKN business goals.
• You will have a good track record managing budgets on a work package level, and executing complex development activities according to plan.
• You will have a logical and methodical approach to project planning and costing.

Desirable

• Lean six sigma black belt
• You will have an extensive network and you will be recognised by others as someone with deep specialist knowledge in youspecialist field.
• You should be able to project your influence internally and externally to deliver goals.
• You will be a strong self-starter, skilled in converting ambiguity into clarity, and translating goals into plans. Typically only requires general direction/strategic guidance (as opposed to being directed task-by-task).
• You will have significant experience coaching/supervising upcoming talent
• You will have experience engaging with production teams, and are able to translate your expertise to solve problems today
• You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and can translate to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences.
• You will be confident and able to represent your specialist area and GKN values in Executive level internal/external review meetings and conferences.

We'll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we've created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It's a culture that won us 'The Best Workplace Culture Award'. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We're also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.