At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the charge in AI-powered software development and mentor fellow engineers.
- Company: Join Create Future, a pioneering tech company revolutionising software with AI.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and a supportive culture focused on growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI innovation and shape the future of software engineering.
- Qualifications: Proven coding skills in Python or similar, and experience with AI development tools.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
At Create Future, we believe the next frontier of innovation lies in seamlessly integrating artificial intelligence into the very fabric of our products and processes. We are on an ambitious mission to become a truly AI-native business, revolutionising how software is conceived, built, and delivered. This isn't just about using new tools; it's about fundamentally transforming our culture and up-skilling our teams. We're looking for a pioneering engineer to help us build this future.
The Role: Build the Future of AI-Powered Software
As a Principal Engineer, you will be a key technical leader and practitioner in our evolution. You are an AI-native engineer who is fluent in agentic coding tools and convinced that AI will redefine the craft of software engineering. Your core mission is to champion and implement AI-assisted development practices within our teams, acting as a hands-on mentor and a catalyst for innovation through your technical expertise and enthusiasm. You will be at the forefront of adopting and mastering cutting-edge AI tools and platforms, ensuring our engineers are not just using them, but are excelling with them. This role requires a blend of hands-on coding excellence, technical leadership, and a product-focused mindset to drive meaningful improvements in how we build.
Key Responsibilities:
- Pioneer Advanced Engineering Practices: As a senior technical contributor, you will actively shape and refine our engineering discipline for the AI age. You will challenge current practices, introducing new workflows and development patterns that are faster, more creative, and uniquely suited to AI-powered development.
- Teach, Coach & Mentor: Serve as a go-to expert on AI development tools like GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Codex, Cline, Kiro or Cursor. You will lead by example through pairing sessions, insightful code reviews, and hands-on guidance, helping to elevate the skills of the entire engineering team.
- Lead by Example: Remain at the cutting edge by being an active, hands-on developer. You will embed within teams to model best practices, solve complex technical problems using AI tools, and demonstrate the art of the possible, inspiring others through your exceptional engineering skill.
- Champion AI-Powered Development: Drive the adoption of AI-first methodologies with a pragmatic and persistent approach. You will work with your peers, tech leads, and product managers to foster a culture of curiosity and innovation.
- Translate Technical Gains to Product Value: Develop a keen understanding of how new AI-powered methodologies impact our products. You will be responsible for articulating the value of these new approaches—from productivity gains to enhanced capabilities to product and engineering stakeholders.
Who We’re Looking For:
- A Technical Leader and Mentor: You are a hands-on coder who also excels at guiding and influencing your peers. You know when to build, when to teach, and how to elevate the engineers around you.
- Technically excellent: You are an engineer who excels at building high-quality software, able to build production software in .NET, Java, Python or another common backend programming language.
- An AI Tool Expert: You have deep, practical experience with multiple generative AI and AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Co-pilot, Claude, Cursor, etc.). You don't just know the features; you know how to wield them for maximum impact in a professional development environment.
- A Workflow Innovator: You don't just adopt new tools; you rethink the entire development lifecycle. You are comfortable challenging established norms to introduce new ways of working that unlock greater potential.
- A Passionate Technologist: You are fully bought into the paradigm shift that AI represents for software delivery. Your enthusiasm is infectious, and you are relentless in your pursuit of technical excellence.
- An Effective Communicator: You possess strong communication skills, capable of discussing complex technical concepts with engineers, collaborating effectively with product managers, and demonstrating the value of your work.
Why Join Create Future?
- Lead the Change: This isn't a role where you'll just follow trends; you'll be setting the standard for our AI-native future.
- High-Impact Work: Your efforts will directly accelerate our development lifecycle, enhance our products, and shape the skills of our entire engineering team.
- Autonomy and Support: We will provide you with the autonomy to innovate, backed by a leadership team that is fully invested in the AI mission.
- Shape the Future: Be at the absolute forefront of the most significant shift in software development in a generation.
If you are a pragmatic, curious, and skilled engineer ready to build the future of software development, we want to hear from you.
What we’ll offer you: We trust people to do their best work. That means flexibility over rigid rules, impact over activity, and real investment in your growth both professionally and personally. You'll be part of a supportive, and friendly culture, surrounded by smart, curious people who care deeply about what they do. We offer flexible working, including hybrid and remote options. Our office hubs are located in Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, London and Bulgaria, with occasional travel to client sites or CreateFuture offices when needed. We trust you to manage your time balancing collaboration with client time and focused work. What matters is the impact you have, not how busy you look.
Our hiring process: We try to keep our hiring process clear, fair and respectful of your time. We aim to get back to everyone who applies and we will be upfront about where you are in the process. It usually looks like this: Call with our Talent Acquisition Team, Role specific capability interview. Depending on the role, we might also ask you to do a short presentation, a practical or technical task or have a values focused conversation. We will explain what is involved before anything happens.
Inclusion at CreateFuture: We believe diverse teams build better workplaces and better products. We want CreateFuture to be a place where people feel able to be themselves and do their best work. If you need any adjustments or support during the application process, just let us know. We will do what we can to help. We look forward to your application!
Principal Engineer - AI and Python employer: CreateFuture
CreateFuture is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, prioritising employee well-being and professional growth. With flexible working arrangements and opportunities to work on cutting-edge technologies in a collaborative environment, employees are empowered to innovate and excel in their roles. The Manchester office, along with other locations, provides a vibrant setting for team engagement and personal development, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer - AI and Python
✨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 CreateFuture 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 CreateFuture.
✨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 CreateFuture.
✨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 CreateFuture 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 Principal Engineer - AI and Python
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 CreateFuture.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at CreateFuture 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 CreateFuture
✨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 CreateFuture 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.
