Machine Learning Engineer

At Rovco/Vaarst, we're committed to mutual growth and respect. Join our team to learn and evolve together, in an environment that values innovation and acts with kindness and respect.

Location: Bristol, Hybrid role with 2+ Days per week in the office

Salary: Up to £75,000 if you have all of the skills & experience we are looking for

About Rovco/Vaarst

Rovco/Vaarst's mission is to accelerate the energy transition to renewables with a focus on offshore wind. We’re using artificial intelligence, autonomy, computer vision and marine robotics to create a difference in the world with underwater technology for our clients in offshore renewable energy and the subsea industry.

Founded in 2015 we’ve announced funding of more than £50 million, been voted one of the most innovative and sustainable companies working towards net zero and won awards for Best use of AI and Best technology innovation.

Latest Rovco/Vaarst updates

Discover your place in a hybrid team of 180+ people that’s growing rapidly and celebrates diversity knowing that every perspective is a valuable part of our success and that empowers you to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance.

Machine Learning Engineer

We are seeking a Machine Learning Engineer to join our Applied ML team. This role is for you if you are passionate about both training ML models and implementing robust, scalable, repeatable practices at all stages of the ML lifecycle.

You will be a key team member helping to deliver ML in production and strategic MLOps initiatives.

In addition, this is an incredible opportunity to help further the transition to renewable energy.

Objectives & Responsibilities:

Rovco/Vaarst is an exciting and dynamic environment meaning these are likely to change as we grow. Upon joining your objectives and responsibilities will include:

• Design, develop, and deploy machine learning models in the marine sub-surface domain for computer vision, autonomy, and Edge ML applications.
• Work on advancing cutting-edge tech in AI, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Autonomy.
• Build ML models that meet performance, reliability, and scalability expectations.
• Prepare data for ML processing and develop rapid experimentation infrastructure.
• Contribute to MLOps infrastructure and optimize CI/CD pipelines for efficient ML model deployment and testing.
• Monitor deployed models for performance, proposing improvements to meet business objectives.
• Stay up to date with ML and MLOps advancements, assessing their applicability to our goals.
  
  
  

You should apply if you have:

We know it’s tough, but please try to avoid the confidence gap. You don’t have to match all the listed requirements exactly to be considered for this role:

• Proven background designing and deploying ML models in production.
• Experience with MLOps practices and tooling (e.g., Docker, GitHub Actions, DVC/CML, CI/CD pipelines).
• Ability to work with ML for image and/or video processing.
• Technical expertise in AI: Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Statistics.
• Proficiency with Python and writing high quality code, or strong experience in other languages and a willingness to learn Python.
• Excellent awareness of software engineering and coding best practices.
• A Passion for building scalable and reliable ML systems.
  
  
  

Grow together with Rovco/Vaarst where you will learn these skills or build on your expertise:

• Knowledge or experience of Autonomous Surface Vehicles and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.
• Deployment of ML on edge devices.
• Previous experience of working with ML for video processing.
• Experience with large language models.
• Experience with reinforcement learning.
• A background in the marine or GIS domains.
• Exposure to working with AWS or other cloud platforms.
• Knowledge of PyTorch, PyTorch Lightning, OpenCV, CVAT, Docker, ROS.
• An understanding of edge computing frameworks like TensorRT.
  
  
  

Benefits

People join Rovco/Vaarst because they are excited by the possibility of leaving their own mark on the world and developing solutions that solve real world problems. Although we share the same vision, we value varied perspectives, and we adapt to fit different people from all walks of life. Not only does that make for a genuinely awesome team of colleagues, but it also makes day-to-day life more interesting, and it’s how we keep evolving and getting better at what we do.

What’s in it for you? You’ll get to work with a passionate, smart and highly driven team with an incredible range of skills.

In addition, you’ll get an extensive range of benefits so you can focus on doing your very best work:

• Flexible working options including compressed hours
• Hybrid working, up to 3 days from home
• 33 days annual leave increasing 2 days a year up to 43 days after 6 years
• Private medical insurance, including Dental & Optical
• Career and learning development through paid courses, conferences and events
• Curiosity fund – up to £500 to spend on learning which is not role related
• Up to 10% company bonus
• Pension up to 6% company contribution
• Life assurance paid at 4X salary
• Volunteering day, to give back to your local community
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Recognition & rewards for doing great work and living our values and behaviours
  
  
  

Join Rovco/Vaarst in our mission to make the world a cleaner, greener and safer place by deploying technology for good.

Interview Process

At Rovco/Vaarst, we've designed a straightforward interview process to ensure the best fit for both you and the company. We have adopted anonymised recruitment. This means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the hiring team.

• Application: Begin by submitting your application with your CV, highlighting your skills and experience relevant to the job. Answer key questions on elements that are important to the role.
• Talent Partner Interview: We will tell you more about the role, the team and Rovco/Vaarst's mission. This is a two-way conversation; we want to learn about your motivation, what you can bring to Rovco/Vaarst, and provide answers to your questions.
• Aptitude Test: Demonstrate your critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and workplace personality through an aptitude test.
• Team Interview: Engage in a 1-hour interview with a few team members. Experience the role firsthand and share your skills and experience. We'll discuss our technologies, key skills, and team dynamics. As always, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
• Executive Conversation: Meet with an executive for a 30-minute discussion. This is your opportunity to express your thoughts on the role and ask any final questions. We'll clarify expectations and ensure this role aligns with your aspirations.
• Offer! If you are successful in the process, you'll receive an offer to join Rovco and become part of our team.
  
  
  

We value the diversity of our teams and are committed to supporting and welcoming individuals from all backgrounds, knowing that every perspective is a valuable part of our success. Should you require any reasonable adjustment throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let a member of the Talent team know.

Empower change through technology, Join Rovco

Rovco & Vaarst are a global provider of ROV and hydrographic services, supported by unique artificial intelligence-based technology products. We have a vast track record in supplying services and technology to the Offshore Energy industry across the globe.

We invest in research and development, creating technology to support our clients. Our vision is to provide truly autonomous collaborative subsea robotics to perform Offshore Energy services.