AIRR User Advisory Group

Overview

Apply to Join the AI Research Resource User Advisory Group

Help shape the future of UK AI compute

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) are inviting experienced users, researchers and technical leads to apply to join the AI Research Resource (AIRR) User Advisory Group (UAG).

This is a high‑impact opportunity to actively influence how UK national AI compute is delivered and to ensure it reflects user needs.

What is the User Advisory Group?

The AIRR User Advisory Group is a small, expert group, enabling the AIRR programme to obtain user focussed strategic advice and experience‑based insight in a timely manner.

The group exists to improve the real‑world user experience of using AIRR.  Members help ensure that decisions about access models, tooling and support are grounded in the realities faced by researchers and software teams.

As a group, you will help us:

• Identify friction points and barriers in the end‑to‑end user journey (from application and onboarding through to running workloads on the AIRR)
• Sense‑check and shape improvements to UX, access models, documentation and user support before they are rolled out
• Act as a trusted sounding board during testing phases, for example when new functionality is being piloted e.g AIRR Cloud Services
• Help shape design choices and improvements so AIRR evolves in line with how users work

Membership structure

There are two streams of membership:

• Core members on a fixed two‑year term
   A small group providing continuity and regular user insight into AIRR design and delivery
• Technical pool members
   A flexible pool of expert users who can be drawn on as needed for example to review prototypes, test new services, or provide targeted feedback on emerging issues

Who should apply

We are particularly keen to hear from people with direct, hands‑on experience of using or supporting large‑scale AI compute, including:

• Researchers (postdoctoral level and above) who actively use AIRR
• Research software engineers, ML engineers, data scientists or platform leads
• Technical or infrastructure leads responsible for AI compute access, tooling or workflows

Applicants may be based in academia, SMEs and scale‑ups, public sector R&D organisations, or other research‑intensive settings.

You will not be required to act as a representative of your own organisation, but rather as someone able to contribute independently and candidly, drawing on your experience as a user or technical decision‑maker.

We particularly encourage applications from women, people who identify as an ethnic minority, people with a disability, and other groups currently under‑represented in AI and digital infrastructure. We welcome applications from people based in all regions and nations of the UK.

Time commitment

• Core members
  • 3–4 virtual meetings per year (typically 90 minutes)
  • Occasional short feedback requests between meetings
  • Expected commitment: approximately 1–2 days per year
• Technical pool members
  • Involvement only when relevant to your expertise
  • Ad hoc, light‑touch and by agreement

Processing personal data and data sharing

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will need to collect some personal information to manage your application.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

UKRI will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) so that they can participate in the assessment process.

See more information on how DSIT uses personal information.

What is the AI Research Resource?

The AI Research Resource is a suite of advanced supercomputers providing AI‑specialised compute capacity to researchers, academia and industry.

The AIRR currently delivers access through:

• Isambard‑AI at the University of Bristol
• Dawn at the University of Cambridge

Providing specialised compute capacity enables the research and development community, including SMEs, to drive innovation and advancement in AI.