At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build innovative AI frameworks using Rust for high-risk sectors.
- Company: Join a non-profit focused on collaborative engineering in AI development.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional growth, and networking with industry leaders.
- Other info: Vibrant office near Cambridge station with a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in AI safety and compliance while pushing tech boundaries.
- Qualifications: Experience in Rust, AI tools, and secure coding practices required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
CommonAI CIC is a non-profit membership organisation, founded on a belief in collaborative engineering for the safe and responsible development of foundational AI technologies. A place where AI startups, enterprises large and small, public sector bodies and academia can share resources and knowledge, to co-develop and grow businesses, fast.
We are led by experienced founders, investors and engineers who believe that collaborative engineering drives faster AI innovation and are backed by a mix of UK Government and private funding in order to design, build and deploy innovative AI systems.
The Opportunity
We're seeking a highly skilled Software Engineer to work on Panopticon, a new AI framework equipped with stringent control and compliance protocols. Aimed primarily at highly regulated sectors such as financial services and healthcare, Panopticon is a core component of our High Assurance programme. It is designed to enable AI systems to be used safely in high-risk environments where accuracy, explainability, and accountability are a hard requirement.
Panopticon is written in Rust, leveraging its memory safety and performance characteristics to build a robust, secure infrastructure that provides mathematical proof of correct outputs, sandboxed execution, and intelligent filtering.
As an AI-first company, we strongly believe in collaborative engineering powered by the tools we are helping to build. This role places a major emphasis on using LLMs, AI coding assistants, and autonomous agents for software development.
What You'll Do
- Design, build, and maintain core components of the Panopticon framework using idiomatic Rust.
- Develop secure execution environments, multi-model validation pipelines, and intelligent filtering systems to prevent data leakage and policy violations.
- Extensively utilise LLMs, AI agents, and advanced coding copilots to write, test, and refactor code, actively seeking ways to accelerate feature development and deployment without compromising on quality.
- Architect systems that integrate safely with foundation models and user environments, ensuring strict compliance and governance frameworks are adhered to.
- Review AI-generated code for security, performance, and correctness, establishing CI/CD pipelines optimised for AI-assisted workflows.
- Collaborate with CommonAI’s members to translate theoretical compliance protocols into production-ready software.
Requirements
- Proven experience building systems in Rust and familiarity with the ecosystem’s best practices.
- Strong understanding of software architecture, systems programming, and secure coding practices.
- Direct experience and high proficiency in using LLMs and AI agents for software development (e.g., prompt engineering for code generation, experience with tools like Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or bespoke autonomous agents for code review and iterative development).
- Familiarity with the challenges of deploying AI in enterprise environments (e.g., security vulnerabilities, regulatory risk, auditability).
- Ability to debug complex software systems and optimise for latency, safety, and scalability.
- Strong problem-solving skills and a passion for redefining how software is written using AI.
We also value:
- Background in highly regulated industries such as financial services, banking, or healthcare.
- Familiarity with formal verification, applied cryptography, or verifiable compute.
- Experience with sandboxing technologies (e.g., WebAssembly/Wasm, lightweight VMs, containers).
- Understanding of modern AI tooling, foundation model APIs, and deployment pipelines.
- Contributions to open-source Rust projects or AI development tools (please include links to relevant projects, GitHub repositories, or technical blogs in your application).
- Ideally, you will have a background in building critical infrastructure, combined with a forward-looking mindset eager to push the boundaries of AI-assisted engineering.
Benefits
- A collaborative and supportive work environment
- The opportunity to have a high impact in a growing organisation
- Competitive salary package and pension
- Professional development opportunities
- Networking opportunities with influential people from across the tech sector, financial services, and academia
- A vibrant office environment located a few minutes' walk away from Cambridge train station
CommonAI CIC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Software Engineer (Rust) in Cambridge employer: CommonAI C.I.C.
CommonAI CIC is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and supportive work environment, perfect for those passionate about AI technology. As a Performance Engineer, you will have the opportunity to make a significant impact within a rapidly growing non-profit organisation, while enjoying competitive salary packages, professional development opportunities, and networking with influential figures in the tech sector and academia. Located just minutes from Cambridge train station, our vibrant office offers a unique advantage for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Engineer (Rust) in Cambridge
✨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 CommonAI C.I.C. 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 CommonAI C.I.C..
✨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 CommonAI C.I.C..
✨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 CommonAI C.I.C. 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 Software Engineer (Rust) in Cambridge
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 CommonAI C.I.C..
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at CommonAI C.I.C. 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 CommonAI C.I.C.
✨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 CommonAI C.I.C. 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.
