Job reference: KTP25001
Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 per annum
Closing date: 09/03/2025
Department: Research Engagement and Innovation Office
Location: Not on campus
Employment type: PM-Other Related
Division: Knowledge Exchange and External Partnerships
Hours Per Week: 1.0 FTE
Job live date: 17/02/2025
Employment Basis/Type: Full-time, Fixed Term for 26 months

Job Description

The postholder will be employed by the University of Reading and working at Hawkins\Brown (H\B) offices in London.

This position forms part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) part funded by Innovate UK. It is essential you understand how KTP works with business and the University, and the vital role you will play. It is a 26-month fixed term contract and provides an opportunity to work with a leading architecture firm to develop and deliver an AI Virtual Assistant (VA) that aids architects during architectural project development.

Apply your skills in data science, machine learning, generative AI and predictive analytics to develop the AI VA for architects during the ideation stage of architectural projects (RIBA Stage 2). This vital phase forms the project's foundational concepts and creative visions. It involves key activities including interpreting client requirements, gathering site information, and creating conceptual designs through sketches and models. You will also assess feasibility against technical, budgetary, and regulatory standards.

Skill development through training

There is a £4,333 dedicated training budget tailored towards your own personal development in addition to residential management skills training.

About Hawkins\Brown

Hawkins\Brown (H\B) is a leading architectural practice based in London, Dublin, Manchester, and Edinburgh, with studios in LA and Toronto. H\B is an Employee-Owned Trust employing over 275 architects, designers, researchers and administrators. H\B is recognised as one of the UK's top 'design-led' architectural firms.

H\B fosters a research-led culture, encouraging staff to challenge the status quo and explore alternative approaches. Projects address contemporary architectural issues, from the future of the workplace and modern construction methods to accessibility, retrofit, and the circular economy. H\B's comprehensive skill set includes master planning, interior design, brief writing, and design-led programme writing. https://www.hawkinsbrown.com/

You will have

  1. An MSc in AI or a Computer Science-related discipline, or equivalent experience in related fields such as data science, computational desgin, or software engineering.
  2. Demonstrable skills in data science, machine learning (ML), and predictive analytics.
  3. Experience of writing technical and business reports.
  4. Proficiency in software integration with deployed GenAI systems and models.
  5. Knowledge of data architecture, data cleansing and data lakes that enable training AI models with proprietary legacy databases.
  6. Understanding of open source GenAI, LLMs, RAGs, NLP, image classification and recognition, generation.


Closing date: Sunday 9th March 2025

Interviews will be held: Tuesday 1st April 2025 at the offices of Hawkins\Brown in London.


By reference to the applicable SOC code for this role, sponsorship may be possible under the Skilled Worker Route. Applicants wishing to consider the SWR must ensure that they are able to meet the points requirement before applying. There is further information about this on the UK Visas and Immigration Website.

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

Take a look around the company https://www.reading.ac.uk/