AI Research Graduate Programme (Autumn 2025)

More than you expected

Grant Thornton UK LLP is part of a global network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, made up of some 73,000 people in over 150 countries. We're a team of independent thinkers who put quality, inclusion and integrity first. All around the world we bring a different experience to our clients. A better experience. One that delivers the expertise they need in a way that goes beyond. Personal, proactive, and agile. That's Grant Thornton.

Job Description:

Great minds. Nothing alike.

At Grant Thornton, we believe in challenging conventions and pushing boundaries to deliver exceptional digital audit services. Our Digital Audit team is at the forefront of technological innovation, harnessing the power of data to drive quality and efficiency in our audit process. Get to know us, our clients and start learning more about yourself. The constantly evolving landscape calls for an approach that puts what is right first, not settling for the status quo.

Our Audit and Assurance practice is comprised of over 10 different teams and over 50 partners. We audit over 8,000 entities annually, ranging from FTSE and AIM listed groups to small and medium sized enterprises. Auditors play a vital role in the world economy, guarding against fraud and error in companies’ public accounts. To fulfil this, they have a statutory right to access any data that is required.

For years, the Digital Audit Team at Grant Thornton have been harnessing this data to automate existing audit tests and create entirely new audit tests. We take pride in quality across the firm and have made a significant investment in this area – it is at the heart of everything we do. We have once again received top marks for our audit quality from the Financial Reporting Council in its Audit Quality Review.

A series of transformative successes from the team have illustrated how mathematics is the key to our ambitious future projects. Therefore, a new Research Lab is being formed within the Digital Audit Team to provide the optimal environment for our mathematical research and development going forwards. The lab will focus on, but not be limited to, the field of machine learning.

Join the new Research Lab to help us explore this under-researched area and see your mathematical musings translated into immediate value for the firm.

A look into your future

The Research Lab three-year graduate programme is designed to give you excellent experience in three key strands:

• Research – Ambitious, long-term research projects, creating the novel mathematics that will be the backbone of future audits.
• Consultations – Working alongside the software developers to ensure that mathematical best practice is threaded through all our apps.
• Tools – Creating mathematical solutions to common hurdles and writing software libraries to make these solutions available to the software developers.

As a Trainee in the Research Lab, you will:

• Take primary responsibility for the Tools strand, listening to the needs of the software developers and designing mathematical solutions;
• Learn the Python programming language, so that you can deliver the solutions as self-contained, well-documented software libraries;
• Expand your mathematical knowledge by learning new, relevant fields and keeping up to date with the latest research papers;
• Collaborate with the lead researcher on the Research and Consultations strands;
• Shape the culture and practices of the Research Lab in its formative years; and
• Be motivated by using mathematics to improve both the quality of our audits and the quality of life of our auditors.

Knowing that you’re right for us

We’re looking for curious, analytical minds who are passionate about technology. You don’t need to have all the answers right now, but you do need the drive to seek them out.

• Skills: A basic understanding of coding languages such as Python, SQL, or R is helpful, but not essential — a willingness to learn is key.
• Mindset: You enjoy solving complex problems, can work collaboratively in a small team, and thrive in an environment that encourages innovation.
• Education: While a mathematics degree is preferred, we also welcome those from diverse backgrounds who have a passion and aptitude for mathematics. We’ve set ambitious growth targets for the firm, and we need the right people to help us achieve these. We’re looking for people who will bring ambition and drive to their role. In changing markets, we need to be able to work at pace and be adaptable to change and to be curious, asking questions of ourselves and each other to ensure we are delivering the services and quality we expect.

How we work

We have a trust-based way of working at Grant Thornton, driven by responsible people who have the best interests of our firm and our clients at heart. Our teams work between our offices, at home, or at college as required. As a trainee, in-person working is important and is a great way to help you learn even more about the firm and the work we do, as well as building relationships and connections with your peers. We will work together to find the patterns, hours and locations that help you to flourish, and which give the environment of deep focus that will be required by the role.

Working remotely can be considered for this role.

Study

You will have the opportunity to study towards a qualification or apprenticeship as part of this programme. While, we have preferred study routes, we’re open to exploring other qualifications, accreditations or apprenticeships of your choice, provided it is relevant to the role. Typically, we expect graduates on this programme to study towards a Level 7 Applied Data Analytics Apprenticeship.

You’ll need to be focused, committed, and organised as a Trainee, to balance your study and work requirements. You will be provided with study leave to help you complete your further qualifications, but you will also find you need to study in your spare time outside of your working hours. Completing further qualifications is a substantial commitment and it’s worth taking this into consideration before applying.

Knowing we’re right for you

The culture at Grant Thornton is what sets us apart; we’re known for our inclusive culture and creating environments where all our people can flourish. We value the things that set you apart and this helps us all to perform at our best.

Our values are the unwavering principles that shape our daily behaviours and decisions, alongside our drive to do the right thing. We’re looking for people who align with our values and are purposefully driven, curious and candid but kind. You can learn more about our values in practice here.

It’s not just about our culture and values, in additional to a competitive salary and reward package, with us you’ll also get:

• Tailored development programmes and access to coaching
• Adaptable bank holidays – allowing you to celebrate the days that are important to you
• Benefits including pension, life assurance and private medical, additional holiday purchasing and health benefits
• Anytime benefits giving you access to shopping discounts, gym memberships, financial advice

Beyond the job

Life is more than work. Our framework for how we work outlines our approach to agile working, and together with your people manager and team, you’ll decide the best way of working, for your clients, your team and for you. Everyone here enjoys a competitive salary, and you’ll receive our core benefits, including life assurance, income protection and private medical cover plus access to a range of voluntary benefits to choose from focused on health, family and wellbeing.

The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, curious and candid but kind.

You deserve the best start to your career. Come to where you’ll learn more, where you won’t limit yourself, and where you’ll discover exactly what you’re capable of. Choose Grant Thornton. It’s how it should be .