Alberto Reyes Castro

Applied AI Engineer Multimodal & On-Device ML MSc Artificial Intelligence

Summary

I am an applied AI engineer and physics graduate completing an MSc in Artificial Intelligence Technology with Advanced Practice at Northumbria University, where my current academic performance is at Distinction level. I build and evaluate machine-learning systems under real product, deployment and human-review constraints.

Through a full-time technical collaboration with TeachScribe, I am developing a fully on-device multimodal retrieval prototype for Android, spanning model benchmarking, checkpoint licensing assessment, mobile implementation and target-device validation. I also created ModelHawk, an independent developer tool that combines deterministic notebook analysis with optional Gemini API assistance and a locally hosted Llama model through Ollama.

I am seeking machine-learning internships and applied AI opportunities involving multimodal systems, model evaluation, on-device inference, intelligent developer tools and responsible human-in-the-loop product design.

Featured Projects

AIoT Smart Home Prototype

Simulated, rule-labelled held-out set: 85.9% accuracy · 0.99 AUC · 0.89 weighted F1

Designed a modular, privacy-aware smart-home prototype with independent ESP32-S3 controllers, profile-aware automation, Blynk monitoring and staged gas/heat responses. Added a five-class Edge Impulse environmental classifier with deterministic safety fallbacks and an estimated embedded footprint of ~1 ms inference, 1.4 KB peak RAM and 14.4 KB flash. Separate bedroom and kitchen/living-room simulations validated comfort automation, security states and staged safety responses.

AIoT ESP32-S3 Wokwi Blynk Edge Impulse Embedded C++ TinyML Hybrid AI

Credit Card Fraud Detection

MSc machine-learning report · Distinction mark: 85/100

Built a leakage-controlled pipeline for 284,807 transactions and compared six classifiers and imbalance strategies using five-fold stratified cross-validation, RandomizedSearchCV and validation-based threshold analysis. The tuned XGBoost model achieved 91.2% precision, 84.7% recall and 0.8827 average precision.

Evaluation prioritised Average Precision and precision–recall trade-offs over accuracy, with leakage controls spanning preprocessing, resampling, cross-validation and threshold selection.

Python scikit-learn XGBoost SMOTE Model Evaluation

Computational Physics Numerical Methods

Scientific Python project implementing interpolation, numerical integration, ODE solvers and stochastic simulation, with applications to computational physics and a combined Kaggle showcase.

Python NumPy SciPy Matplotlib Numerical Methods Scientific Computing

IAC Publication–Press Note Matching

Semi-automated workflow that compared 67 IAC outreach articles against more than 700 scientific publications using text preprocessing, regex and fuzzy matching, while retaining manual review for uncertain matches.

Python NLP Regex Fuzzy Matching Science Communication

Adaptive Whisper Transcription Pipeline

Portable CPU/GPU transcription workflow for audio and video files using faster-whisper, with automatic hardware selection, safe input handling, audio normalization, progress tracking and optional SRT subtitle generation.

Python Whisper Audio Processing SRT Subtitles Automation

Experience

Jul 2026–Present

Applied AI Engineer — On-Device Multimodal ML

TeachScribe · Full-time technical collaboration · Hybrid

Building an Android-based multimodal retrieval prototype for TeachScribe's teacher-facing product. Responsible for benchmarking vision–language models, integrating on-device inference and validating retrieval quality, latency, memory use and thermal behaviour on the target device before planned product integration.

Jul 2026–Present

Creator & Applied AI Developer — ModelHawk

Independent technical build · London

Designed and built a Next.js/TypeScript prototype for explainable review of structured classification notebooks, combining deterministic and heuristic audit checks with optional Gemini API assistance, a locally hosted Llama 3.2/Ollama fallback and automated LaTeX PDF report generation.

Mar 2025–May 2025

Python & Scientific Communication Intern

Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias · La Laguna

Developed a multilingual faster-whisper transcription and subtitle workflow and a semi-automated matcher comparing 67 outreach articles with more than 700 scientific publications. Authored the IAC Vía Láctea article Eclipse Solar Parcial de Marzo 2025, wrote the English-language version of the IAC News article on SN 2023ixf, co-authored an Astronomía Magazine feature and produced technical documentation in LaTeX. Completed the assessed 250-hour placement with a final mark of 9.2/10.

Sep 2024–Jul 2025

Final Degree Project — BSc Physics

Universidad de La Laguna · Tenerife

Completed a scientific project in English on the structural mechanisms of ferroelectricity and ferroelasticity in β′-RE₂(MoO₄)₃ compounds, involving crystallographic analysis and scientific reporting. Mark: 9.4/10.

Skills

AI & Data

Python · PyTorch · TensorFlow/Keras (Coursework) · Hugging Face Transformers · scikit-learn · XGBoost · pandas · Machine Learning · Fine-Tuning · Classification · Model Evaluation · Retrieval Metrics · Imbalanced Learning

Multimodal & On-Device ML

Vision–Language Models · Image–Text Retrieval · Mobile Inference · ONNX Runtime · Android · Model Benchmarking · Latency, Memory & Thermal Evaluation · Human-Reviewed Selection

LLMs & Developer Tools

Gemini API · Llama 3.2 · Ollama · Local LLM Workflows · Structured Outputs · Static Notebook Analysis · Provider Fallback Logic · Deterministic Fallbacks

Mobile, Web & Prototyping

React Native · Expo · Kotlin · SQLite · Next.js · TypeScript · React · API Routes · Front-End Prototyping

Technical Documentation

LaTeX/Overleaf · Markdown · Scientific Writing · Technical Reports · PDF Report Generation · Academic Writing · Structured Documentation · Reproducible Notebooks

AIoT & Prototyping

Embedded C++ · ESP32-S3 · Wokwi · Blynk · Edge Impulse · TinyML · Sensor-Based Logic

Scientific Communication

Bilingual Communication · Subtitles · Transcription Workflows · Publication Matching · Content Adaptation

Scientific Computing

NumPy · SciPy · Matplotlib · R/RStudio (Coursework) · Numerical Methods · ODE Solvers · Computational Physics

Software & Data Tools

Git/GitHub · Docker (Foundational) · Bash/PowerShell · Linux/Ubuntu · Jupyter/Colab · SQL · Data Pipelines · API Integration

Cloud & Data Foundations

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) · Cloud Architecture Fundamentals · Big Data Concepts · Data Transformation · APIs

Selected Technical Reports

ModelHawk — Static ML Audit Report Generator

Developer-tool prototype currently focused on structured classification notebooks, especially imbalanced datasets. It transforms deterministic and heuristic analysis into structured findings, reviewer questions, optional Gemini/Ollama examiner notes and professional PDF reports compiled through LaTeX.

AIoT Smart Home Prototype — Technical Report

Full technical report documenting the design, architecture, simulation logic, sensor behaviour, AIoT integration and evaluation of an ESP32-S3 smart home prototype.

Credit Card Fraud Detection — Machine Learning Report

85/100 · Distinction

Technical report documenting a leakage-controlled workflow for highly imbalanced fraud detection, including preprocessing, resampling, six-model comparison, stratified cross-validation, threshold selection and precision–recall evaluation.

Final Degree Project — Ferroelectricity and Ferroelasticity

9.4/10 · Supervisor proposed development into a peer-reviewed journal manuscript

BSc Physics thesis written in English on the structural mechanisms of ferroelectricity and ferroelasticity in β′-RE₂(MoO₄)₃ compounds. The work involved crystallographic analysis, neutron and X-ray diffraction, Rietveld and Le Bail refinement, amplimode analysis and long-form scientific reporting in LaTeX.

Open Source

Vizro/Dash Rendering Regression Analysis

Helped reproduce and isolate a Vizro/Dash tab-rendering regression by comparing dependency versions, testing pure Dash behaviour and narrowing the issue beyond Plotly graph rendering. The analysis was acknowledged by a Vizro maintainer and helped narrow the source of the regression.

Selected Publications & Scientific Communication

The Partial Solar Eclipse of March 2025

Authored this Spanish-language science-outreach article for the IAC Vía Láctea blog during my internship in the Department of Communication and Scientific Culture.

The WEAVE spectrograph captures the interaction of supernova SN 2023ixf with its surroundings one year after its explosion

Wrote the English-language version of this IAC News article during the internship, communicating current astrophysical research accurately for an international audience.

The Partial Solar Eclipse That Reminded Canary Islanders of the Value of Looking Skyward

Co-authored with Ariadna Mesa and Hugo Fernández and published in Spanish as “El eclipse parcial que recordó a Canarias el valor de mirar al cielo” in Astronomía, Spain's first newsstand magazine devoted entirely to astronomy, astrophysics and space-science outreach, in continuous publication since 1985. Produced during my IAC internship, the article communicated the scientific and public-engagement significance of the 29 March 2025 partial solar eclipse in the Canary Islands.

Education

Jan 2026–Jan 2028

MSc Artificial Intelligence Technology with Advanced Practice

Northumbria University, London Campus · London, UK

Current academic performance: Distinction level (70%+). Completed the first semester with Distinction-grade results of 70%, 75% and 85%, including 85/100 for an end-to-end machine-learning project on credit-card fraud detection. Modules include Programming for AI, Machine Learning on Cloud, Artificial Intelligence for IoT, Information Governance and Cyber Security, Contemporary Computing and Digital Technologies, Leadership in a Digital Age, the Professional Practices in Computing and Digital Technologies Project, and Advanced Practice.

Sep 2018–Jul 2025

BSc in Physics

Universidad de La Laguna · Tenerife, Spain

Final grade: 7.13/10 (approximately equivalent to a UK 2:1). Built strong foundations in mathematics, scientific computing, numerical methods and signal/image processing. Selected results: General Relativity (10/10); Acquisition and Transmission of Signals and Images (9.9/10); Differential Calculus (9.5/10); Electronic Physics (9.0/10); Statistical Physics (8.7/10); Nuclear and Particle Physics (8.2/10); Differential Equations and Complex Variables (8.1/10); and Remote Sensing (8.1/10). Completed and defended the final project in English with a mark of 9.4/10; the supervisor subsequently proposed developing it into a manuscript for submission to a high-impact peer-reviewed scientific journal.

2025

Academic Merit Convocation Award

Universidad de La Laguna

Official Universidad de La Laguna recognition for academic merit, awarded in 2025.

Selected AI & Technical Training

Dec 2025

Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Applied to the Biomedical and Healthcare Sector — 300 hours

DYM Canarias

Applied training in Python data analysis, machine learning, TensorFlow/Keras, Docker and APIs, Big Data and cloud architecture, and probability and statistics with R.

Nov 2025

Google Cloud Skills Boost — Selected Courses

Google Cloud

Innovating with Google Cloud Artificial Intelligence; Exploring Data Transformation with Google Cloud; and Digital Transformation with Google Cloud.

2024–2025

Additional Relevant Training

NASA · IE University & Google / Santander Open Academy

Open Science 101 (NASA, 2025), Introduction to Data Science (IE University / Santander Open Academy, 2024), and Artificial Intelligence and Productivity (Google / Santander Open Academy, 2024).

Language Certifications

Jul 2025–Jul 2027

IELTS Academic UKVI — 7.0/9.0

British Council

C1-level English certification for UK academic and visa purposes.

Sep 2022

Cambridge Advanced Certificate — C1

University of Cambridge

Cambridge English qualification certifying advanced English communication ability.

Recommendations

Academic Recommendation — Universidad de La Laguna

Recommendation letter from a Full Professor of Applied Physics highlighting academic performance, autonomous learning, analytical ability, communication skills, Computational Physics, Python programming and mathematical strength.

Professional Recommendation — Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias

Recommendation letter from my internship supervisor at the IAC, highlighting Python automation, AI-assisted transcription, multilingual subtitles, regex, fuzzy matching, LaTeX documentation and scientific communication work.

Contact

Open to machine-learning internships and applied AI opportunities involving multimodal systems, on-device inference, model evaluation, intelligent developer tools, speech AI and responsible human-in-the-loop product development.