Computer Vision AI Data Scientist

Job Summary

Are you passionate about applying cutting-edge AI to solve real-world environmental challenges? Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) is seeking a talented Computer Vision and AI Scientist to join our growing Environmental Intelligence Group, working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and ocean science.

This is your chance to contribute to projects that matter – advancing machine learning for underwater species detection and helping protect marine ecosystems worldwide.

You will play a key role in DeepVision, a project funded by the Bezos Earth Fund, developing state-of-the-art Vision Transformer models for underwater imagery. Your work will directly support global efforts to understand and safeguard marine biodiversity.

Beyond the DeepVision project, you’ll have opportunities to:

Drive innovation in AI for environmental science.

Collaborate across disciplines – from biology and chemistry to social science and computer science.

Shape new research directions and applications in AI/ML.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) is a global leader in marine research, dedicated to delivering cutting-edge environmental science that supports a healthy and sustainable ocean. The Environmental Intelligence Group combines expertise in marine ecosystem and process modelling, data science, and artificial intelligence to advance understanding of marine systems. The group takes an interdisciplinary, whole-systems approach, integrating physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, and AI, to explore the impacts and values of marine environments from coastal waters to the deep ocean and polar regions. By providing trusted, evidence-based insights, the team enables informed decision-making across marine policy, management, and industry, helping to achieve national and international sustainability goals and reinforcing PML’s leadership in ocean action.

Key Deliverables

• Develop and train Vision Transformer models for object detection in underwater imagery.
• Build robust computer vision data pipelines and ensure best practices in software and data management.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams across marine science and AI.
• Innovate new AI/ML approaches to advance environmental understanding.

Skills Specification

• Strong experience in computer vision (segmentation, object detection) across diverse problem areas.
• Relevant postgraduate degree (Masters/PhD) around applied AI/ML or equivalent industry experience.
• An enthusiasm for working with others to solve problems. 
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow, HuggingFace).
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-specialists
• Passion for producing well designed and documented code, and collaborative problem solving.
• The following skills would also be beneficial:
  • Use of Linux systems for Data Science tasks
  • Experience in underwater imagery
  • High-Performance Computing experience using multiple GPUs, including resource management software, such as Slurm
  • Containerisation technologies such as Docker and Singularity
  • Python Environment management experience such as conda, uv or env

To apply, please click the 'Apply' button.

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