AI/Machine Learning Engineer

About Moonshot

Moonshot is committed to building an inclusive workplace and actively welcomes applicants from communities that are underrepresented in its workforce, including minority ethnic people, people from working-class backgrounds, women, Disabled people, LGBTQIA+ people, and others with lived experiences that broaden perspective. The organisation believes a diverse team is essential to understanding the drivers of violent extremism and online harm and to creating stronger interventions.

Role overview

This is an opportunity for an experienced AI/Machine Learning Engineer to support the Director of Engineering and help build Moonshot’s Ireland-based development team from the ground up. The team works on products and research aimed at tackling online harms such as violent extremism, gender-based violence, disinformation, and child online exploitation. The position involves exposure to disturbing and harmful material, including content related to radicalisation and abuse, during dataset review, model training, and model evaluation.

What you’ll be doing

You will contribute to the development and improvement of machine learning systems that turn data into actionable insights, while helping ensure the software remains high quality, effective, and user-focused.

Responsibilities

• Build, train, fine-tune, and operate machine learning models on internal datasets to answer key business and mission-led questions.
• Embed ML models into Moonshot’s software products and maintain them over time.
• Track model inference results and identify signs of performance drift or degradation.
• Create feedback loops with end users to keep improving model quality and usefulness.
• Design and implement new analytical approaches for processing very large datasets.
• Advise teams on responsible and values-led use of AI and machine learning.

What the role requires

• 3 to 5 years of commercial experience in data analysis.
• Practical experience training and fine-tuning ML models, and integrating AI/ML capabilities into software products.
• Working knowledge of NLP and classification methods.
• Hands-on experience with ML tools such as PyTorch, Hugging Face Transformers, or scikit-learn.
• Understanding of model evaluation, calibration, and performance metrics.
• Strong Python skills.
• Experience managing, processing, and analysing large-scale data.
• Comfort working with different data storage and management systems, including relational databases such as MySQL and Athena, and file-based formats such as Parquet.
• Strong data architecture and data modelling ability.
• Good grasp of modern engineering practices, including DevOps, CI/CD, and source control.
• Experience with cloud environments, preferably AWS and GCP.
• Ability to learn rapidly across technical and business domains.
• Capacity to understand complex datasets and problems.
• Resilience and openness in ambiguous situations, with the ability to approach issues from multiple angles.
• Strong communication skills for explaining technical topics to non-technical audiences.
• Excellent problem-solving ability and comfort working across functions.
• Experience operating in a high-trust environment with shared decision-making and mission-focused collaboration.

Preferred experience

• Interest in and familiarity with combating online harms, including violent extremism, disinformation, and gender-based violence.
• Working knowledge of Scrum and/or Kanban.
• Experience connecting models to data pipelines.
• Comfort with ownership, autonomy, and decision-making.
• Strong awareness of security and data protection in software delivery.
• Habit of keeping up with evolving tools and applying new learning quickly.
• Experience in a fast-moving agile environment with shifting priorities while maintaining reliability and robustness.

Benefits

• 30 days of paid annual leave, excluding public holidays.
• Dental and vision cover.
• Private healthcare, including cover for partners and children.
• Employee Assistance Programme with access to mental health support.
• Enhanced parental leave: 26 weeks of paid maternity leave and 8 weeks of paid paternity leave.
• Share options for all permanent employees at the time of joining.

Additional information

Applicants must be eligible to work in Ireland, and any required security clearance will be checked according to client needs. The role is based in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland and is a full-time onsite position.

Salary

The annual compensation for this role is between €85,000 and €90,000, depending on skills and experience.