Former Student: Scott Jones
Scott is currently working as a Machine Learning Intern at Epic Games. He took this MPhil course in 2024-2025.
What was your background before starting the MPhil?
Before the MPhil, I studied Computing at Imperial College London, and my dissertation focused on using ensemble learning and computer vision for image popularity prediction. Following my studies, I joined as a research software engineer at the University of Oxford, developing a framework for generating storytelling visualisations for COVID-19. I have also held a role as a software engineer at a fintech startup.
What did you get out of the course?
So many things - including my job! There is so much on offer in this course. Getting into the nitty-gritty mathematical details of machine learning fundamentals has given me the confidence to read through new research. Furthermore, the course also helped me explore my research interests further. I was part of the Computer Vision and Robotics track. Through the broader teaching of the course, track-specific projects and thesis, I developed a strong interest in model-based reinforcement learning, a topic I intend to research at a doctoral level.
What were the highlights?
I would say the Robotics group project. We had complete freedom to research any problem, so we naturally decided to investigate optimal ways to herd cattle with drones. The project was probably the most challenging of all I undertook at the MPhil, but the late night debugging issues were made enjoyable by my teammates and learning more about cows than I expected on this course!
Additionally, I really appreciated the course receptions organised at the end of the term. It was such a nice chance to catch up with the entire cohort and professors to celebrate the end of coursework, exams and the dissertation.
What have you gone on to do afterwards, and what are your longer-term plans?
I am currently a machine learning intern at Epic Games, where I work on optimising and evaluating large language model-based features to be deployed to millions of Fortnite players. This role and many others were directly advertised to our course throughout the year - so keep your eyes peeled! In the long term, I am currently applying for PhDs and hoping to continue research in an area inspired by my MPhil dissertation.
What advice would you give to people applying for the course?
Back yourself, doubt is normal when applying to such a highly selective course, but don’t let it deter you. Start by refining what you are actually interested in researching and your future motivations. The course is very customisable, so I suggest studying the course to see what is on offer. Aside from that, polish up on your mathematics, in particular Bayesian statistics. My favourite resources are Professor Richard Turner’s YouTube playlist and the Probabilistic Machine Learning book. Good luck!
What advice would you give to people taking the course?
As many have already said, study groups are so key. Courseworks and projects will require a variety of skills from mathematics, engineering and computer science. The great thing is the course is so interdisciplinary, and being able to collaborate and knowledge-share really makes the difference. Additionally, there are such lovely people on the course, and friendly faces can make for a great support network for the more intense periods. For example, my group went on trips to Brighton and Norfolk throughout the year.
Apart from that, I would advise against becoming hyper-fixated on grades. If you keep your head down, you risk missing everything happening around you. In addition to keeping up to date with what is happening in the department, I would suggest taking part in activities outside of the course. Maybe that is entering hackathons, playing a sport, visiting the colleges or even joining the bell ringers, but the most important thing is to enjoy it.
11th January 2026