AKT Associate (AI Scientist) - 3 months Full-time FTC

The University of West London (UWL), in partnership with B4 Secure Limited, is seeking an AKT Associate (AI Scientist) to deliver an Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AKT) project funded by Innovate UK, in collaboration with B4 Secure Ltd. The project will develop and evaluate an AI-assisted image triage prototype to support the assessment of suspected deepfake, synthetic and AI-generated imagery through transparent, evidence-based analysis, helping to safeguard individuals at risk of online harm and support informed decision-making within B4 Secure's HALO digital protection service.

Working closely with an academic supervisor at UWL and industry specialists at B4 Secure Ltd, the post holder will lead the day-to-day delivery of the project, including requirements capture, prototype design and development, technical evaluation, validation, documentation and knowledge transfer activities. The role will involve applying artificial intelligence, computer vision and multimodal AI techniques to develop an explainable proof-of-concept system capable of identifying indicators of manipulated or synthetic visual content and generating analyst-readable outputs to support human review.

The successful candidate must be practical, ethical and confident working in a sensitive area involving online abuse and intimate image harm. They should demonstrate initiative, commercial awareness, strong communication and problem-solving skills, curiosity and attention to detail. The post holder will be expected to manage project activities independently while translating cutting-edge academic research into a technically credible and commercially relevant prototype for business use.

The KTP Associate will be self-organised, proactive, and comfortable prioritising work in a remote-first setting, with the opportunity to drive real innovation in AI-enabled threat intelligence.

Benefits include:
- Multi-disciplinary supervision and mentoring from UWL academics and the business partner.
- Exposure to diverse stakeholders and real-world users, including client pilots and demonstrations, providing commercial and product-development experience.
- Access to the expertise and resources of UWL and B4 Secure needed to deliver the project effectively, plus clear pathways to contribute to joint publications.

This is a full-time, fixed-term position for three months, with an anticipated start date in the week commencing 9 November 2026. The role will be primarily home-based, with occasional travel required for project meetings and activities in London.

Candidates must be willing to undertake enhanced screening and vetting checks. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK. This position does not meet the University criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship.