At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and delivery of innovative Generative AI solutions in a hands-on engineering role.
- Company: Join AKQA, a forward-thinking tech company that values creativity and collaboration.
- Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work environment, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Work alongside some of the brightest minds in tech, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping the future of AI-driven products and services.
- Qualifications: Must have 3+ years of experience with Generative AI and enterprise-level system delivery.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
At AKQA, we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design and build adaptive digital products, services and experiences that capture the imagination and deliver impressive returns for our clients.
We are looking for a senior, architecture-led Principal Engineer to join our London Tech team as a Technical Lead. This is a hands‑on engineering role, not a strategy‑only or evangelism position. You will spend the majority of your time designing, building and shipping enterprise‑grade systems, with roughly 65 to 70% hands‑on delivery and 30 to 35% technical leadership, architecture and team guidance.
You will lead the technical direction of complex client programmes across MACH architectures and production Generative AI; spanning Design to Code workflows, solution design and API contracts through to cloud infrastructure, deployment and ongoing operation. You will own architecture decisions, write and review production code, and mentor engineers, while remaining accountable for what ships, not just what is proposed. Production Generative AI experience is essential. You must have at least three years' experience working with Generative AI, and have delivered at least one AI capability into a live, enterprise environment; not limited to prototypes, proofs of concept or demo builds.
We need engineers who understand retrieval pipelines, evaluation, cost, governance and operational reliability at scale. AKQA is advanced in Design Systems and Design to Code practice; from Figma design systems through to UI development and application delivery. Generative AI is increasingly embedded across this design-to-application workflow, accelerating the path from design intent to production‑ready code and experiences.
The Principal Engineer (Tech Lead) is a key technical contributor across the programme lifecycle, working closely with Technical Managers, cross-discipline teams and on‑shore, off‑shore and hybrid engineering squads. This role sits at Principal or Staff Engineer seniority, aligned with our Technical Managers and Technical Architects in scope and influence. While client‑facing and influential, the role is technologist‑first. You may occasionally support pre‑sales scoping or technical pitches, but your primary value is deep engineering craft, sound system design and reliable enterprise delivery. Technical architecture and hands‑on engineering capability are mandatory.
Based in London (Farringdon), in a hybrid working environment, frequently collaborating with our global studios and partners, you will enjoy working in a team of highly skilled people, all with strong opinions about various technologies, frameworks and approaches. You will articulate your ideas to colleagues effectively whilst also taking on board the ideas of others and remaining solutions focused. You will thrive when faced with new challenges, view them as opportunities and constantly look to improve client offerings. You will work in a progressive environment that fosters a meritocratic culture, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in their fields. As a Principal Engineer (Tech Lead) at AKQA, you will be inspired by technology and have a passion for building robust, scalable solutions that perform in production.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
- Generative AI and Intelligent Experience Architecture
- Minimum three years' experience with Generative AI, including proven experience shipping at least one AI solution to production in an enterprise context (beyond prototypes or sandbox experiments)
- AI architecture for experience platforms: system design for intelligent products and services, including RAG, GraphRAG, agent orchestration and proximity / relevance evaluation
- Hands‑on implementation with Vercel AI SDK, Vercel AI Cloud and agentic cloud patterns for production AI experiences
- AI content and data engineering: ingestion, cleansing, transformation, embedding, indexing and retrieval pipeline design
- Integration across cloud AI services (e.g. GCP + Vertex AI, Vercel AI Cloud, AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI) within a broader MACH and API‑led landscape; with preference for GCP and Vercel, or suitable equivalents on AWS and Azure, and the capability to draw parallels across platforms
- GEO and LLM optimisation: experience designing intelligent experiences and content structures optimised for generative engine discovery and LLM retrieval
- AI cost‑value analysis, observability, governance, testing and evaluation frameworks for production systems
- Practical application of Generative AI to marketing and experience challenges; e.g. personalisation, content generation, campaign optimisation; with measurable production outcomes
Design Systems and Design to Code
- Design to Code workflow: advanced Design Systems thinking; experience bridging design intent through to UI development and production application builds
- Generative AI in the design-to-application process: applying Gen AI to accelerate, validate and quality‑assure the path from design to shippable code and experiences
- Design and delivery tooling: experience with Figma, Cursor, Claude and Vercel v0 advantageous
Platform, Architecture and Engineering
- MACH architecture: microservices, API‑first, cloud‑native and headless composition; minimum eight years' experience designing and delivering MACH‑based enterprise platforms
- Cloud platforms: deep hands‑on experience across GCP and Vercel, with strong capability on AWS and/or Microsoft Azure; infrastructure design, security and operational ownership, and the ability to draw parallels across cloud providers
- API design: RESTful and GraphQL APIs, contract‑first design, versioning, gateway patterns and integration across SaaS, CMS, DXP and MarTech stacks
- Distributed systems and event‑driven architecture: messaging, async workflows, resilience patterns, idempotency and at‑scale system behaviour
- Backend and platform engineering: advanced server‑side development (Python recommended; additional languages a plus), service design and performance optimisation
- Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD: automated build, test and deployment pipelines (e.g. Terraform, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, GitLab)
- Cloud and edge hosting: GCP, Vercel, AWS, Azure, Netlify and related deployment models
- Front‑end integration literacy: HTML, CSS, JavaScript and js + React; mobile technologies (SwiftUI, Kotlin, Flutter or React Native) advantageous
- CMS, DXPs, MarTech and SaaS integration in complex enterprise landscapes; including headless CMS platforms such as Contentful, Sanity, ContentStack or similar
- Workflow and delivery tooling: GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, Atlassian, Azure DevOps, CI/CD cloud functions or similar
- Automation, quality assurance and non‑functional requirements: security, performance, reliability and maintainability
QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS
- Must be from a senior engineering, platform or architecture background; Principal, Staff or equivalent depth of hands‑on experience
- Builder‑first mindset: you lead by doing, with architecture informed by what you have shipped in production
- A continuous‑improvement approach to engineering practice and team ways of working
- Proactive self‑starter with acute attention to detail and drive for improvement
- Practically minded: excellent work in production matters more than abstract thought leadership
- Advocate for improvements to processes, quality, security and operational excellence
- Analytical, creative and positive mindset with a personable and professional approach
- Sharp attention to detail and a passion for new technology, staying abreast with the latest developments in the industry
- Professional written and verbal communication
- Able to explain complex technical decisions to non‑technical audiences (clients, stakeholders and team members)
- Champion continuous improvement and best‑in‑class software development processes
- Contribute to technical discovery and be proactive in proposing engineering solutions to needs that other disciplines may not be aware of.
RECENT GENERATIVE AI WORK
- Google: Bringing emotion and intuition back to online shopping
- Netflix: It's What's Inside - The Game
- Nike: Never Done Evolving
Explore our extensive range of benefits. We believe great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in‑office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. AKQA is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
Principal Engineer - Technical Lead (Gen AI and MACH Architecture) in London employer: AKQA Media
At AKQA, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work culture that thrives on creativity and innovation. Our London Tech team provides a hybrid working environment where you can engage with some of the brightest minds in technology while enjoying opportunities for professional growth and mentorship. With a strong focus on Generative AI and MACH architecture, we empower our employees to take ownership of their projects, ensuring that your contributions are valued and impactful.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer - Technical Lead (Gen AI and MACH Architecture) in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at AKQA Media or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to AKQA Media.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like AKQA Media.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like AKQA Media that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer - Technical Lead (Gen AI and MACH Architecture) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at AKQA Media.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at AKQA Media and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at AKQA Media
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If AKQA Media uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
