How to Find Hidden Machine Learning Jobs in the UK Using Professional Bodies like BCS, Turing Society & More
Machine learning (ML) continues to transform sectors across the UK—from fintech and retail to healthtech and autonomous systems. But while the demand for ML engineers, researchers, and applied scientists is growing, many of the best opportunities are never posted on traditional job boards.
So, where do you find them?
The answer lies in professional bodies, academic-industry networks, and tight-knit ML communities. In this guide, we’ll show you how to uncover hidden machine learning jobs in the UK by engaging with groups like the BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT), Turing Society, Alan Turing Institute, and others.
We’ll explore how to use member directories, CPD events, SIGs (Special Interest Groups), and community projects to build connections, gain early access to job leads, and raise your professional profile in the ML ecosystem.
Why Machine Learning Hiring Happens Off the Radar
High-value ML jobs—especially those in:
Research labs
Innovation teams
Early-stage startups
Public sector AI projects
Specialist consulting
—are often filled by:
Referrals from trusted peers
Academic or SIG collaborations
Hackathon participants
Speaker or contributor visibility
Internal candidate pipelines
That’s why embedding yourself in the UK ML community gives you an advantage: you're seen, remembered, and often approached before a job is ever listed.
1. BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT
What It Is:
BCS is one of the UK’s most widely respected computing and IT professional bodies, with a growing emphasis on AI and ML.
Why It Helps:
AI Specialist Group: Offers events, panel sessions and forums on applied machine learning, ethics, explainability, and regulation.
Member Directory: Get listed and discoverable by employers and collaborators.
Chartered Status: Chartered IT Professional (CITP) and RITTech recognition boost credibility with hiring managers.
Access to CPD Workshops: Learn about ML governance, tooling, infrastructure and scalable deployment.
Pro Tip:
Present at a BCS AI Group event or contribute a short thought piece to their newsletter. It’s a great way to get noticed by industry leaders and researchers alike.
2. The Alan Turing Institute
What It Is:
The UK’s national centre for data science and artificial intelligence, connecting academia, government, and industry.
Why It Helps:
Internships & Secondments: Especially suited for those with a research or PhD background.
Project Collaborations: Work on real-world ML applications in healthcare, climate modelling, or national security.
Turing Network Development Awards: Supports early-career researchers and contributors.
Partnerships with Tech Employers: Collaborates with Google DeepMind, NHS AI Lab, GCHQ, and others.
Pro Tip:
Subscribe to the Turing Institute’s events and funding updates. Many job leads come via collaborations that require ML expertise mid-project.
3. Turing Society
What It Is:
A student- and early-career-led ML community inspired by the Turing Institute, with chapters across the UK.
Why It Helps:
Hackathons & Challenges: Build experience, network with employers and add to your ML portfolio.
Career Fairs & Employer Access: Connect with hiring teams at AI startups, scale-ups, and research centres.
Project Showcases: Highlight your work and collaborate with others to solve real problems using ML.
Pro Tip:
Start by attending events and then become a contributor—many hiring managers watch these spaces for up-and-coming talent.
4. PyData & Machine Learning Meetups
The UK has a strong grassroots ML scene that produces job leads and collaborations far earlier than traditional job boards.
Recommended Groups:
PyData London / Cambridge / Manchester
ML London Meetup
AI Fringe UK
Deep Learning London
Women in Machine Learning UK
Why They Help:
Immediate Access to Hiring Teams: Especially in startups, where recruiters attend events or even host them.
Collaboration Opportunities: Projects, research papers, or open-source contributions can turn into job offers.
Community Recognition: Speaking, blogging or mentoring builds a reputation that attracts employers.
Pro Tip:
Even if you're new to the field, get involved. Sharing a notebook, presenting your Kaggle project, or just helping organise an event boosts visibility.
5. TechUK & AI UK Ecosystems
What They Are:
TechUK and AI UK (run by UKRI) support national digital and AI innovation, including ML research and workforce development.
Why They Help:
Events & Industry Briefings: Where enterprise AI/ML needs are discussed—often a lead indicator of hiring.
Working Groups & Taskforces: Engage in the discussion on ML standards, policy, and ethics.
Funding Streams: Track Innovate UK-backed projects that will likely build ML teams post-award.
Pro Tip:
If you're keen on working at the intersection of public policy, ethics and AI deployment, TechUK and AI UK are great gateways to purpose-driven roles.
6. Academic & Research-Focused Groups
Many ML roles stem from UK research projects and university-industry partnerships. These include:
UCL Centre for AI
University of Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for ML
University of Edinburgh’s AI & ML Labs
UKRI Data-Centric Engineering Projects
DSTL & Defence AI Communities
Why They Help:
Access to early-stage research roles
Funded postdocs or secondments
Technical partnerships with commercial firms
Security-cleared or sensitive projects often recruited for internally
Pro Tip:
If you’re pursuing research or are in academia, network at AI conferences like NeurIPS, ICML or AI UK—you’ll meet collaborators who hire.
How to Use These Communities to Find ML Jobs
✅ 1. Complete a Strong Member Profile
In every directory or community profile, use keywords:
“ML Engineer | NLP | TensorFlow | MLOps | London/Remote”
This helps recruiters and collaborators find you.
✅ 2. Speak at Events or Share Knowledge
Give a talk, mentor newcomers, or contribute to open-source. These actions get you recognised and often referred.
✅ 3. Follow Up After CPD or Meetups
Send a personalised message to a speaker or host. Many companies recruit quietly from within these groups.
✅ 4. Track Innovation-Funded Projects
If a startup wins Innovate UK funding for an ML tool—they're likely hiring engineers or data scientists soon after.
✅ 5. Build a Visible ML Portfolio
GitHub, blog posts, Medium articles, or conference notebooks all show your work—many ML hiring managers value this more than a CV.
Why Hidden ML Jobs Are Common in the UK
📉 Public job boards don’t list everything.
🔍 Many ML roles are filled by referral, research, or internal networks.
📢 Employers often hire those who contribute or speak at events.
🧠 Some projects require trust, clearance, or niche skillsets—making visibility in the right networks essential.
By staying active in ML communities, you gain access to jobs others will never see.
Final Thoughts: Be Visible, Be Valuable
To find machine learning jobs that don’t get advertised:
✅ Join professional bodies like BCS and the Alan Turing Institute
✅ Attend PyData and ML-focused meetups
✅ Contribute to community projects or open-source
✅ Track funding awards, research groups and SIGs
✅ Build relationships—before roles are posted
In machine learning, visibility, contribution, and reputation matter as much as technical skill. Be known before you're needed.
Explore More Machine Learning Career Resources
👉 Browse the latest UK machine learning jobs at www.machinelearningjobs.co.uk
👉 [Sign up for alerts, events & insider career tips from the UK ML community.]
💬 CTA for LinkedIn Group:
Want early access to UK machine learning jobs, insider events & hiring tips? Join our LinkedIn group – Machine Learning Jobs UK and connect with engineers, researchers & employers driving AI innovation.
