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- Work in an exciting and growing field of programming, with the potential to become involved in high profile projects
- You'll need excellent maths and programming skills, and an ability to think logically and solve problems
- This is an in-demand field, so salaries can be high, particularly at the major global technology companies
As a machine learning engineer, you'll be working in an exciting and fast-moving area of computer science. Machine learning has applications across a wide range of industries from self-driving cars to language translation or grammar correction, so there are many possible places in which you can apply your skills.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Develop computer programmes that enable computers to learn by themselves
- Apply that learning to specific problems, products, or services
- You'll use a combination of maths, programming, and problem solving skills to develop programmes that can operate independently and that become more and more accurate as they learn from large datasets
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually work 9-5, Monday to Friday, and sometimes at the weekend. You could also work flexibly, and holiday options are typically generous.
You could work contractually on projects, part-time or freelance, and you could be working from home.
You'll need
To become a machine learning engineer you'll need excellent maths and computing skills, the ability to work accurately and methodically, and problem-solving skills.
Most engineers in this field have a degree (and often a postgraduate degree like a Master's or PhD) in a related area like maths, physics, or computing, but there are also a growing number of specialist courses you can take which focus in on this area of computing, including online courses like those offered by providers like Udacity.
You could also transition into this field if you have experience in the industry and have the necessary programming ability. You'll usually be expected to have skills in a number of programming languages including Python, C++, and Java.
CAREER PROSPECTS
As this skillset is quite rare and in demand there are opportunities to earn a high salary - particularly if you work for one of the major global technology companies.