At a Glance
- Tasks: Build and ship AI systems in real-world environments, tackling complex business challenges.
- Company: Join a leading tech consultancy focused on digital transformation and AI adoption.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid work model, and opportunities for contract extensions.
- Other info: Collaborate with a small team and enjoy a dynamic, hands-on role.
- Why this job: Make a tangible impact by delivering AI solutions that truly work in enterprises.
- Qualifications: Strong back-end development skills and experience with large language models.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Who we are: Blackstone are a technical consultancy who specialise in digital transformation and complex technical deliveries. 15 years ago that meant Cloud adoption. 10 years ago it was DevOps. 5 years ago, SRE and platform engineering. We still cover all of that, but a lot of our work right now is AI adoption. And we mean actual AI adoption in production in Enterprises.
The pace and impact of each wave keeps accelerating, but we think successful adoption still comes down to two things: people and constraints. What does transformation actually look like inside the limits of an organisation, and how do we bring the people along for it?
The role: This is a hands-on contract embedded in live customer delivery. You'll build and ship AI systems in complex, high-stakes environments, not run proof-of-concepts that quietly die before they reach production. From the architecture of RAG pipelines to the evaluation harnesses that prove they work, the work is yours to own. You'll work closely with delivery managers, solution architects and client stakeholders, turning real business problems into AI that does the job. You'll bring engineering discipline to a space that often lacks it, and help shape how we deliver AI at scale.
What we're looking for:
- Solid back-end development. You write clean, production-grade code that other people can maintain, test and build on.
- Real experience building and running evaluation harnesses to measure LLM performance, output quality and regression.
- A deep, working understanding of large language models: how they behave, where they break, and how to engineer around it.
- Proven RAG experience, including chunking, embedding choices and retrieval tuning.
- Enterprise client exposure. You're comfortable in complex stakeholder environments with governance, compliance and security in the mix.
- Hands-on with Azure AI Foundry or equivalent Azure AI services, covering deployment, monitoring and integration.
- Strong context engineering, designing prompts and context windows that are robust and repeatable.
- A systematic approach to prompting. You test, iterate and document rather than guess.
Nice to have:
- Production AI agents: tool use, memory, and orchestration with the likes of LangChain, Semantic Kernel or AutoGen.
- Familiarity with agentic design patterns, including multi-step reasoning, planning loops and safe agent behaviour in regulated settings.
- Fine-tuning or model adaptation for domain-specific use cases.
The details: £competitive, Outside IR35, Hybrid, a mix of remote and on-site with the client as the engagement requires. Negotiable. 6 months to start, with extensions expected based on performance and how the project develops. Start date to be agreed, though we'd like to move quickly for the right person.
If you take engineering seriously, stay curious about AI without losing your scepticism, and like the idea of your work being visible in a small team, we'd like to hear from you.
AI Engineer - Contract - Remote (UK Based) in Altrincham employer: Blackstone& London
At Blackstone, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking technical consultancy that champions digital transformation and complex technical deliveries. Our remote work culture fosters collaboration and innovation, allowing you to engage with cutting-edge AI projects while enjoying the flexibility of hybrid working arrangements. We are committed to your professional growth, offering opportunities to work alongside industry experts and tackle real-world challenges in high-stakes environments, making us an exceptional employer for those passionate about meaningful contributions in the tech landscape.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Engineer - Contract - Remote (UK Based) in Altrincham
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with folks in the AI space! Attend meetups, webinars, or even just chat with people on LinkedIn. Building relationships can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Show Off Your Skills
Don’t just tell us what you can do; show us! Create a portfolio of your projects, especially those involving AI systems. Having tangible examples of your work can really set you apart from the crowd.
✨Ace the Interview
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding skills and understanding large language models. Be ready to discuss your past experiences and how they relate to the role. Confidence is key!
✨Apply Through Our Website
We love seeing applications come through our website! It shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team. Plus, it makes it easier for us to keep track of your application and get back to you quickly.
We think you need these skills to ace AI Engineer - Contract - Remote (UK Based) in Altrincham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Skills:When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your back-end development experience and any hands-on work with AI systems. We want to see how you've tackled real-world problems and what you can bring to the table!
Be Specific About Your Experience:Don't just say you've worked with large language models; tell us about the specific projects you've been involved in. Mention any evaluation harnesses you've built or RAG experience you've gained. The more detail, the better!
Tailor Your Application:Make sure your application speaks directly to the role. Use the job description as a guide and align your skills and experiences with what we're looking for. This shows us that you understand the position and are genuinely interested.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Blackstone& London
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of large language models and RAG pipelines. Be ready to discuss how they work, where they can fail, and how you've tackled these challenges in the past. This role is all about practical experience, so be prepared to share specific examples.
✨Showcase Your Coding Skills
Since solid back-end development is key, bring along some code samples that demonstrate your ability to write clean, maintainable code. If you’ve worked on production-grade projects, be ready to talk about them and how your contributions made a difference.
✨Understand the Client Environment
Familiarise yourself with the complexities of enterprise client environments. Be prepared to discuss how you've navigated governance, compliance, and security issues in previous roles. Showing that you can handle these constraints will set you apart.
✨Be Ready to Collaborate
This role involves working closely with delivery managers and client stakeholders, so highlight your teamwork skills. Share examples of how you've successfully collaborated in high-stakes situations, and demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with diverse teams.
