Computer Vision Engineer - KTP Associate

Job Category: Administration and Operations

Location: COBA Automotive, Marlborough Drive, Fleckney, Leicestershire, LE8 8UR

Fixed term: 24 months

COBA Holdings Limited and the College of Computing at Birmingham City University (BCU) are seeking to appoint a high-calibre graduate (graduated within the last five years) for the role of Computer Vision Engineer (KTP Associate).

This position is part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), co-funded by Innovate UK and COBA Holdings Limited, offering an exceptional opportunity to work at the intersection of cutting-edge research and industry application. The successful candidate will be employed by BCU and will work full-time on a 24-month project in partnership with COBA Plastics Group, a leading plastic extrusions and mouldings company in the automotive and engineering sectors. COBA Automotive (a subsidiary of COBA Plastics Group) serves nearly all major automotive manufacturers in the UK. For more information about Coba please go to: cobaplastics.com

As the Computer Vision Engineer (KTP Associate), you will play a pivotal role in developing state-of-the-art computer vision and AI-driven quality assurance solutions for COBA’s manufacturing lines, ensuring 100% defect detection through automated inspection. This role provides significant industry exposure and direct influence across multiple business divisions, collaborating with COBA’s senior leadership, production teams, and academic mentors.

To support professional growth, the associate will benefit from a £4,000 Personal Development Budget to enhance their technical and leadership skills. Additionally, there is the potential to progress towards a higher learning degree at Birmingham City University aligned to the project ambitions, allowing the associate to build upon their project research and develop deeper expertise in AI and computer vision applications in manufacturing.

This is a career-accelerating opportunity for an ambitious graduate to gain high-level industry experience, contribute to real-world AI-driven automation, and develop commercially impactful research. 

Candidate Requirements:

• A minimum 2:1 degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, AI, or a related STEM discipline (postgraduate qualifications are desirable)
• Strong technical programming and research capabilities, with experience in computer vision or AI
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with an ability to translate research into real-world industry solutions
• A proactive mindset, keen to lead innovation within a business setting and influence strategic decision-making

For more information about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, please go to www.ktp.org.uk

Location and Reporting:

• This Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate position will be based at COBA Automotive, Marlborough Drive, Fleckney, Leicestershire, LE8 8UR 
• The successful candidate will have full access to Birmingham City University’s resources such as offices, labs, and library to complete the KTP project (a workplan has already been written with KPIs and outcome deliverables)
• The Computer Vision Engineer (KTP Associate) will be supervised and mentored by both a lead academic and academic supervisor(s). Academics from BCU’s College of Computing within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (CEBE) as well as a company supervisor located at COBA Automotive who’s aim is to assist the Computer Vision Engineer to deliver the knowledge into COBA Holdings Limited and successfully deliver the 24-month KTP project on behalf of COBA Holdings Limited and Birmingham City University

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• The Associate will develop computer vision solutions for quality assurance (QA) on COBA Automotive’s manufacturing lines, identifying defects and advancing COBA’s goal of 100%-part inspection
• The role requires the successful candidate to develop novel (QA) computer vision solutions for COBA. This will include producing camera systems to capture data from each part without interfering with production, capturing datasets of manufactured components and developing and training new machine learning (ML) approaches. To provide optimal solutions for COBA, the candidate will need to research and build upon current state-of-the-art methods
• The Associate will be expected to interact with colleagues at COBA as well as academic supervisors at BCU. Their work will involve disseminating and embedding the techniques developed at COBA, in addition to academic dissemination of their work via paper submissions and conference talks
• The Associate must also be adept at applying their knowledge to commercial projects, driving value and making an impact where possible, with an ability to solve problems and create innovative solutions
• The Associate must have the following key attributes to ensure the project’s successful completion

Skills and Experience:

Essential:

• A minimum 2:1 undergraduate qualification, or a postgraduate qualification in Computer Science, Mathematics or a related STEM field
• Strong technical, programming, problem-solving and research capability, demonstrated in previous projects
• Excellent communication skills to express ideas effectively, orally, graphically and in writing to articulate complicated matters between the academics and the company project team members
• An ability to work to tight deadlines (with attention to detail) and maintain high standards of work
• An ability and aptitude to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team; and self-management and planning skills to make optimum use of time
• Strong leadership skills in successfully implementing and embedding new innovations within a company or organisation

Desirable:

• Proven academic or professional experience in developing computer vision solutions, particularly camera systems and/or neural network classifiers
• Experience with front and back-end web development
• Academic acumen to enable successful reporting through research publications in academic journals and marketing/training materials
• A driving license and a willingness to travel to utility contracts throughout the UK
• Relevant work experience, particularly involving computer vision and manufacturing

On a personal note, the Associate should be enthusiastic, motivated, punctual, conscientious, trustworthy and a good team worker.

For further information please contact David Walton at david.walton@bcu.ac.uk or Borislav Yordanov at borislav.yordanov@bcu.ac.uk.

Interviews to take place w/c 28th April 2025

Please click the below link to download the Job Description:

JOB DESCRIPTION

About Us

At the heart of our Strategy for 2030 and Beyond, it is our mission to enable our students to transform their lives and to achieve their potential. Through our education and research, and the roles our graduates go on to play in the world, we not only support individuals to transform their lives, but we also play a part in transforming society.

Located in the centre of the UK’s second city, we are a university with a long heritage of innovation and of making, dating back to our origins in 1843 when we were founded as the Birmingham Government School of Design.

Our heritage of making through innovation and its application through knowledge exchange, and of creative research and practice, today finds it expression in our STEAM agenda, in our research and enterprise, and in our commitment to challenge-based learning. Working across disciplines, and delivering impactful research and enterprise, interdisciplinarity is at the heart of the continuing transformation of our academic portfolio.

Apply Before: 30/03/2025, 23:59