At a Glance
- Tasks: Build and ship AI systems in complex environments, turning real business problems into solutions.
- Company: Join a leading technical consultancy specialising in digital transformation and AI adoption.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid work model, and opportunities for contract extensions based on performance.
- Other info: Work in a dynamic team where your contributions are visible and valued.
- Why this job: Make a tangible impact in AI adoption while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Solid back-end development skills and experience with large language models and evaluation harnesses.
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 Ashton-under-Lyne 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 Ashton-under-Lyne
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your AI projects, especially those that demonstrate your back-end development and experience with large language models. This will give you an edge when chatting with potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and understanding of AI adoption in enterprises. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled real-world problems and how you can bring value to the team at Blackstone.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to exciting AI projects.
We think you need these skills to ace AI Engineer - Contract - Remote (UK Based) in Ashton-under-Lyne
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 the impact of your contributions.
Be Specific About Your Experience:Don't just say you have experience with large language models; tell us about specific projects where you built or ran evaluation harnesses. The more details you provide, the better we can understand your expertise!
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 really get what we're about at Blackstone.
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 from us!
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.
✨Show Off Your Coding Skills
Since solid back-end development is key, be ready to demonstrate your coding prowess. Bring along examples of clean, production-grade code you've written. If possible, prepare to discuss how your code can be maintained and built upon by others.
✨Understand the Client's Needs
Familiarise yourself with the types of enterprise clients Blackstone works with. Think about how governance, compliance, and security play into AI adoption. Being able to articulate how you can navigate these complexities will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Be Systematic in Your Approach
Prepare to discuss your systematic approach to prompting and testing AI systems. Share how you document your processes and iterate based on results. This shows that you take engineering seriously and are committed to delivering quality work.
