AI & Data Science Engineer - KTP Associate
| Posting date: | 10 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £40,000 to £45,000 per year, pro rata |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 July 2025 |
| Location: | CV472DL |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Aston University |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 0298-25 |
Summary
This Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project will harness Data Mining, Multi-modal Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and bespoke Generative-AI tools with the aim of automating the process of optimising developer productivity in game software development at Electronic Arts Limited.
Electronic Arts (EA) was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and is now a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. EA develops and delivers games, content and online services for internet-connected consoles/mobile devices/personal computers and its cutting-edge games are enjoyed by nearly 600 million players worldwide.
Generative AI is impacting every aspect of game creation within EA and the gaming industry overall. This KTP will ultimately improve game development cycle-time, enabling more iterations in the game creation lifecycle that will both improve game quality and allow delivery of more features.
This KTP is a great opportunity for someone who wishes to plan and deliver business change. You will work with senior University academics on a commercial project which puts theory and modelling into practice.
Candidate Profile: Minimum Masters’ level degree in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with relevant practical / work experience in the field. A PhD would be desirable.
Skills/ experience required include:
Essential
• Robust knowledge and demonstrable project experience in machine learning, and Generative AI / Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Detailed knowledge of the SDLC and models for measuring a software development team’s performance and quality
• Natural Language Processing
• Good communication skills at all levels including the ability to train staff and work with diverse user groups
• Strong time management skills
• Ability to problem solve
Experience in the following would be desirable:
• Experience in a research or commercial environment in a similar sector or application domain.
• Experience of software development and overall understanding of the gaming industry.
• Experience of performing research in measuring and/or optimising the software development process in an industrial setting.
• Automated annotation of data assets
• AI-enabled data classification and profiling
• Data mining
• Gen-AI prompt engineering
• Training LLMs, such as GPT-4 and Llama 2
• Gaming software development
• Productivity assessment and optimisation in game development
• Project management
• Producing academic publications of the highest standards
• Technical writing and reporting
Main responsibilities:
• Elicit developers’ skills, requirements and preferences to build productivity scores requiring good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ensure data is appropriately analysed, semantically annotated, and classified.
• Data mining to identify correlations between data features and productivity score.
• Managing ‘hallucination’ responses from the LLM and developing a fully trialled near zero-hallucination end-to-end Smart Productivity Optimisation Platform (SPOP).
• Conduct user-centric testing to incorporate user feedback into the SPOP.
• Integrate the developed SPOP into EA’s UI and business pathways for rollout.
Personal attributes:
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills. The ability to work within a cross-disciplinary project team
• Leadership and maturity of communication and organisation skills to deliver the KTP project and ensure it achieves agreed milestones and objectives
• Ability to work independently and use initiative
• Strong desire to pursue innovative approaches and pathways
• Ability to work closely with all stakeholders and establish an effective knowledge transfer process in the company
Additional Benefits and support:
• Up to £6,000 for personal and professional development for the duration of the project
• Annual leave (25 days p/a)
• Professional support and mentorship
• Mental Health and wellbeing support: https://www.aston.ac.uk/staff-public/hr/Benefits-and-Rewards/health-wellbeing
Location: Hybrid – minimum 2 days per week at either of the following company sites: Electronic Arts Limited, EA Studios, Stoneythorpe, Southam, CV47 2DL. Or in central Birmingham, Alpha Tower, Suffolk St Queensway, Birmingham B1 1TT. You will also have access to facilities at Aston University in central Birmingham and some travel to key clients may also be required.
For informal enquiries about this role please contact Dr Harry Goldingay, e-mail: h.j.goldingay1@aston.ac.uk
Electronic Arts (EA) was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and is now a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. EA develops and delivers games, content and online services for internet-connected consoles/mobile devices/personal computers and its cutting-edge games are enjoyed by nearly 600 million players worldwide.
Generative AI is impacting every aspect of game creation within EA and the gaming industry overall. This KTP will ultimately improve game development cycle-time, enabling more iterations in the game creation lifecycle that will both improve game quality and allow delivery of more features.
This KTP is a great opportunity for someone who wishes to plan and deliver business change. You will work with senior University academics on a commercial project which puts theory and modelling into practice.
Candidate Profile: Minimum Masters’ level degree in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with relevant practical / work experience in the field. A PhD would be desirable.
Skills/ experience required include:
Essential
• Robust knowledge and demonstrable project experience in machine learning, and Generative AI / Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Detailed knowledge of the SDLC and models for measuring a software development team’s performance and quality
• Natural Language Processing
• Good communication skills at all levels including the ability to train staff and work with diverse user groups
• Strong time management skills
• Ability to problem solve
Experience in the following would be desirable:
• Experience in a research or commercial environment in a similar sector or application domain.
• Experience of software development and overall understanding of the gaming industry.
• Experience of performing research in measuring and/or optimising the software development process in an industrial setting.
• Automated annotation of data assets
• AI-enabled data classification and profiling
• Data mining
• Gen-AI prompt engineering
• Training LLMs, such as GPT-4 and Llama 2
• Gaming software development
• Productivity assessment and optimisation in game development
• Project management
• Producing academic publications of the highest standards
• Technical writing and reporting
Main responsibilities:
• Elicit developers’ skills, requirements and preferences to build productivity scores requiring good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ensure data is appropriately analysed, semantically annotated, and classified.
• Data mining to identify correlations between data features and productivity score.
• Managing ‘hallucination’ responses from the LLM and developing a fully trialled near zero-hallucination end-to-end Smart Productivity Optimisation Platform (SPOP).
• Conduct user-centric testing to incorporate user feedback into the SPOP.
• Integrate the developed SPOP into EA’s UI and business pathways for rollout.
Personal attributes:
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills. The ability to work within a cross-disciplinary project team
• Leadership and maturity of communication and organisation skills to deliver the KTP project and ensure it achieves agreed milestones and objectives
• Ability to work independently and use initiative
• Strong desire to pursue innovative approaches and pathways
• Ability to work closely with all stakeholders and establish an effective knowledge transfer process in the company
Additional Benefits and support:
• Up to £6,000 for personal and professional development for the duration of the project
• Annual leave (25 days p/a)
• Professional support and mentorship
• Mental Health and wellbeing support: https://www.aston.ac.uk/staff-public/hr/Benefits-and-Rewards/health-wellbeing
Location: Hybrid – minimum 2 days per week at either of the following company sites: Electronic Arts Limited, EA Studios, Stoneythorpe, Southam, CV47 2DL. Or in central Birmingham, Alpha Tower, Suffolk St Queensway, Birmingham B1 1TT. You will also have access to facilities at Aston University in central Birmingham and some travel to key clients may also be required.
For informal enquiries about this role please contact Dr Harry Goldingay, e-mail: h.j.goldingay1@aston.ac.uk
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