Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence
Requirements
Applicants must hold a PhD or be near completion and possess a strong research track record in AI. They are expected to demonstrate the ability to teach effectively and maintain a productive research agenda.
Job Description
Grade UE08: £50,253 - £61,759 per annum
School of Informatics / College of Science and Engineering
Full-Time: 35 hours per week
Open-Ended: permanent
The Opportunity:
We are seeking current and emerging leading researchers in the field. The successful candidate will have a PhD (or be close to completing one), a strong research agenda, and the enthusiasm and ability to undertake original research, teach courses, and supervise student projects.
We look for candidates with research interests in the development of cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence methods and models, particularly in the joint space of perception (e.g., computer vision) and action (e.g., interactive decision-making systems). We are interested in candidates motivated to establish and expand the principles underlying such methods and models in the context of high-impact application domains (e.g., robotics, health, environment, society, etc.).
The candidate's research focus may align with the following, non-exhaustive, list of topics (in no particular order):
- Continual, open-ended, self-improving AI
- Agentic AI, world models, and generative models
- Embodied perception and action
- Learning from interaction and reinforcement
- Decision-making under uncertainty
- Long-duration autonomy
Applicants should have a strong research track record. They should also demonstrate interest and ability to teach undergraduate (UG) and master's (MSc) level courses, and to supervise projects for UG, MSc, and PhD in areas related to their research.
The School of Informatics
The School of Informatics was ranked #1 in the UK for research power in Computer Science and Informatics Times Higher Education ranking, based on the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We are the highest-ranked UK institution and one of the top two in Europe for AI, according to the CSRankings website (csrankings.org). The School of Informatics currently hosts multiple doctoral training programmes related to the field of AI (including Machine Learning Systems, AI for Dependable and Deployable Robotics, Responsible NLP, and Biomedical AI Innovation), through which a successful candidate may recruit funded PhD students, in addition to scholarships available through the School. The successful candidate will join a dynamic environment with both junior and senior faculty members and dedicated professional service staff. The professional services available in the School include excellent support for national and international research funding applications, as well as support for commercial engagement and entrepreneurial initiatives.
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is a research-intensive university. The University is an active Unit in the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS); these units are recognised centres of excellence in AI research across Europe. In addition, it is one of the five founding partners of the UK's Alan Turing Institute for Data Science and AI. There are also many opportunities within the University to engage in collaborative activities with researchers in other areas of computer science and mathematics, and across the physical, psychological, social, and biomedical sciences. This includes becoming a fellow of the University-wide Generative AI Lab (gail.ed.ac.uk). The University has also been recently announced as the home of the UK’s next national supercomputer.
The School of Informatics holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
The City
Edinburgh is an attractive city to live in; it is walkable, enjoys proximity to nature, and features a world-class cultural scene that includes attractions such as the Edinburgh International Festival or the Edinburgh Fringe. Edinburgh was ranked 1st in the 2022 Time-Out Index of the best cities in the world, which considered everything from scenic beauty, community spirit, public transport, walk-ability, restaurants, through to cleanliness.
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How to apply
Applicants must provide:
- A cover letter.
- A recent CV.
- A research statement (2-3 pages, excluding references)
- A teaching statement (1-2 pages, excluding references)
The research statement should describe research interests and vision, prior work, and future plans. The teaching statement should specify the candidate's teaching philosophy and experience, the speciality and introductory courses they would be qualified to teach, and the types of topics/projects they would propose for undergraduate and masters-level student projects.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
- A competitive salary.
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab)
The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 20 October 2026.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
Informatics is the study of how natural and artificial systems store, process and communicate information. Research in Informatics promises to take information technology to a new level, and to place information at the heart of 21st century science, technology and society. The School enjoys collaborations across many disciplines in the University, spanning all three College, and also participates as a strategic partner in the Alan Turing Institute and is home to a number of Centres for Doctoral Training.
The School provides a fertile environment for a wide range of studies focused on understanding computation in both artificial and natural systems. It attracts students around the world to study in our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Informatics is one of seven schools in the College of Science and Engineering, at the University of Edinburgh. It is recognised for the employability of its graduates, its contributions to entrepreneurship, and the excellence of its research. Since the first Research Assessment Exercise in 1986, Informatics at Edinburgh has consistently been assessed to have more internationally excellent and world-class research than any other submission in Computer Science and Informatics. The latest REF 2021 results have again confirmed that ours is the largest concentration of internationally excellent research in the UK. This contributes to our ranking of consistently being in the top 30 world-wide.
We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working and recognise and value diversity across all our staff and students. The School has an active programme offering support and professional development for all staff; providing mentoring, training, and networking opportunities.