At a Glance
- Tasks: Build and ship AI systems in complex environments, turning real business problems into solutions.
- Company: Join a leading tech consultancy specialising in digital transformation and AI adoption.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid work model, and potential for contract extensions based on performance.
- Other info: Collaborative team environment with opportunities for growth and visibility in your work.
- 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.
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 Manchester employer: Blackstone& London
At Blackstone&, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking technical consultancy that champions digital transformation, particularly in the realm of AI adoption. Our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and encourages continuous learning, providing employees with ample opportunities for professional growth while working on impactful projects in complex environments. With a competitive contract structure and a hybrid work model, we ensure that our team members can thrive both remotely and on-site, making meaningful contributions to real-world challenges.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Engineer - Contract - Remote (UK Based) in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people 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 hands-on experience with large language models and RAG pipelines. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. Be ready to discuss your past experiences in detail, especially how you've tackled complex challenges in AI adoption.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace AI Engineer - Contract - Remote (UK Based) in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI:When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for AI! Share any projects or experiences that highlight your journey in AI adoption and how you’ve tackled real-world problems. We want to know what drives you!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your skills and experiences, especially around back-end development and large language models. We appreciate a well-structured application that’s easy to read.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application for this role. Highlight your experience with Azure AI services and RAG pipelines, and explain how your background aligns with our needs. Show us why you’re the perfect fit for this position!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures it gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
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 possible, highlight any projects where you've built evaluation harnesses or worked with Azure AI services, as this will show you're hands-on and ready for the job.
✨Understand the Business Context
This role involves turning real business problems into AI solutions, so do your homework on Blackstone& and their clients. Think about how AI can solve specific issues in complex environments and be ready to discuss how you would approach these challenges during the interview.
✨Prepare Questions
Interviews are a two-way street, so come armed with thoughtful questions about the team, the projects, and the company culture. This shows you're genuinely interested and helps you assess if this is the right fit for you. Plus, it gives you a chance to demonstrate your curiosity and critical thinking skills.
