Senior AI Research Engineer

About TFG Labs:
TFG Labs is the innovation arm of Twenty First Group, dedicated to pioneering AI-driven solutions that redefine the future of sports. We focus on developing groundbreaking technologies that enhance decision-making, performance analysis, and fan engagement across the sports industry. As a senior member of the Labs team, the research experiments you conduct will shape how the future of how AI and sports intersect.

Role Overview:
We are seeking a visionary and experienced Senior AI Engineer with a growth mindset to be a foundational pillar of our new AI Engineering team in TFG Labs. This is a role for a strategic thinker and a hands-on builder who is obsessed with the rapid advancements in AI. You will be our go-to expert on emerging AI paradigms, from agentic workflows to multi-modal systems, and will be empowered to drive our R&D roadmap. Your primary mission is to architect and prototype the next generation of AI-powered tools that will give TFG and our clients a definitive competitive edge, on and off the pitch.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead AI Research & Development: Drive the R&D of emerging technologies, and move beyond hype to identify tangible value for our business and clients.
• Architect and Build Advanced Prototypes: Lead the hands-on development of sophisticated AI prototypes, particularly focusing on agentic systems, automation platforms, and novel applications of Large Language Models (LLMs).
• Drive Technical Adoption: Analyse and drive the evolution and internal adoption of our AI infrastructure and tooling.
• Thought Leadership & Evangelism: Act as a thought leader within TFG. Translate complex AI concepts and the implications of your experiments for diverse audiences, from junior engineers to the C-suite. Mentor other team members, fostering a culture of curiosity and excellence.

Defining Pathways for Integration: Collaborate with cross-functional product and engineering teams to chart a path for successful prototypes to become scalable, integrated solutions within our core products.

Core Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in a dedicated AI/ML engineering role, with a demonstrable track record of building and shipping complex systems.
• Expert-level proficiency in Python and its core AI/ML libraries (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, LangChain, LlamaIndex), and comfortable transitioning to a ‘pilot’ role using AI tools to amplify your productivity.
• Proven experience designing, deploying, and managing scalable AI solutions on at least one major cloud platform (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Solid understanding of MLOps principles and experience with relevant tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, MLflow) for building robust, production-ready systems.

The Ideal Candidate Profile: This role is a perfect fit if you...

• Are at the bleeding edge of AI: You don't just follow the news; you're ahead of it. You actively follow research from top labs (OpenAI, DeepMind, Anthropic), experiment with open-source models the week they drop, and can articulate the architectural nuances between them.
• Are an architect of intelligent agents: You have hands-on experience designing and building agentic AI systems. You understand how to orchestrate multiple models, tools, and memory to perform complex tasks and are familiar with architectures like the Model-Control-Perception (MCP) loop or similar multi-agent frameworks.
• Are a master of the modern AI toolkit: You were an early adopter of GitHub Copilot and have since graduated to tools like Cursor or building your own custom developer automation. You intuitively use AI to achieve a 10x developer workflow and can evaluate new tools for team-wide adoption.
• Are a clear communicator and educator: You can demystify complex AI concepts. You can confidently explain to a non-technical stakeholder why an LLM hallucinates or why "2+2" might not always equal "4" in a probabilistic model, tailoring your explanation to the audience.

Are passionate about the application: You have a genuine interest in sports. You understand that our clients' businesses run not just on data, but on a deep-seated passion for the game. Creative taste is a significant bonus.

Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit their resume and a cover letter. In your cover letter, please briefly describe a recent AI experiment you've run (personal or professional) or a research paper that has recently excited you and why.

Benefits

• A pivotal role in shaping the AI strategy of a leader in the sports intelligence industry.
• Significant autonomy and the budget to explore bold ideas and cutting-edge technologies.
• The opportunity to work on genuinely novel problems with a world-class, collaborative team.
• Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package.
• A flexible hybrid working model and a healthy dose of sports-related fun.