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- Tasks: Lead a world-class AI team and drive innovation in cutting-edge machine learning solutions.
- Company: Join a leading tech company shaping the future of AI with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, equity options, generous holiday, and matched pension contributions.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in AI while mentoring engineers and shaping advanced systems.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in AI/ML leadership and strong technical skills in Python and cloud infrastructure.
- Other info: Work abroad for up to 3 months and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 140000 £ per year.
£120,000–£140,000
One day a week in London (exceptional circumstances could allow one day a month)
Equity Options
25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays
Pension matched up to 7%
Work abroad for up to 3 months
Drive Innovation. Lead the Future of AI.
Are you ready to lead a world-class AI team delivering cutting-edge, production-grade systems? We are looking for a Lead AI Engineer — a "plug-and-play" leader with proven experience in people management and deep technical expertise — to shape the direction of our GenAI and retrieval-focused streams.
This is a leadership role where you will not only design and build advanced machine learning solutions but also line-manage engineers, coordinate delivery across high-impact AI projects, and define the technical bar across the team. Your compensation reflects both the strategic leadership scope and technical excellence expected in this role.
What you will be doing:
- Lead and manage a team of AI engineers — providing mentorship, setting performance standards, and guiding career development.
- Set the technical direction for GenAI and retrieval-based systems, ensuring consistent architecture, tooling, and research-to-production workflows.
- Act as delivery owner across multiple AI streams, coordinating timelines, resources, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Drive best practices for scalable, reproducible, and robust AI/ML system development.
- Be hands-on when needed, contributing to model development and high-impact technical decisions.
- Stay on top of research and emerging trends, bringing innovative approaches to real-world problems.
- Promote a culture of experimentation, open communication, and continuous learning across the team.
What you will bring:
- Experience line-managing AI/ML engineers and leading delivery across multiple, concurrent AI workstreams.
- Strong technical background in AI/ML engineering — with production-level experience in Python, SQL, and frameworks like PyTorch or scikit-learn.
- Deep expertise in GenAI, LLMs, RAG systems, NLP, recommendation engines, or information retrieval stacks.
- Strong understanding of the full model lifecycle — from research and experimentation to deployment and monitoring.
- Familiarity with cloud-based ML infrastructure — especially AWS.
- Clear communication skills, strategic mindset, and the ability to make trade-offs in a fast-moving, startup-style environment.
This is more than just a leadership role — it is a chance to help shape one of the most advanced AI teams in the UK. If you are looking to step into a role with real ownership, high impact, and the opportunity to define what great AI engineering looks like, we want to hear from you.
Lead AI Engineer in London employer: Burns Sheehan
Contact Detail:
Burns Sheehan Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead AI Engineer in London
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the AI field! Attend meetups, conferences, or even online webinars. The more you engage with others, the better your chances of landing that Lead AI Engineer role.
✨Show Off Your Skills
Don’t just talk about your experience; showcase it! Create a portfolio of your projects or contributions to open-source AI initiatives. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to their team.
✨Ace the Interview
Prepare for those interviews by brushing up on both technical and leadership questions. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you’ve managed teams. Remember, they want to see your strategic mindset in action!
✨Apply Through Our Website
When you find a job that excites you, apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing passionate candidates who are eager to join our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead AI Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Lead AI Engineer role. Highlight your leadership experience, technical expertise, and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how you can drive innovation in AI!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about AI and how your background makes you the perfect fit for our team. Be sure to mention specific technologies or methodologies you’ve used that relate to the job description.
Showcase Your Projects: If you've worked on any notable AI projects, make sure to include them in your application. Whether it's a personal project or something from your previous job, we love seeing real-world applications of your skills. It helps us understand your hands-on experience!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our innovative team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Burns Sheehan
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical skills, especially in Python, SQL, and frameworks like PyTorch or scikit-learn. Be ready to discuss your experience with GenAI, LLMs, and the full model lifecycle. This role demands deep technical expertise, so show them you’ve got it!
✨Show Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams and driven projects. Highlight your mentorship experiences and how you've set performance standards. They want to see that you can lead a world-class AI team, so be ready to share your leadership philosophy.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Innovation
Think about how you can bring innovative approaches to real-world problems. Stay updated on the latest trends in AI/ML and be prepared to discuss how you would implement best practices for scalable and robust system development. They’re looking for someone who can drive innovation!
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. This role requires strong communication skills, so be prepared to explain complex concepts in an understandable way. Show them you can make trade-offs and decisions in a fast-paced environment while keeping everyone on the same page.
