At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of innovative AI prototypes and experiments in a dynamic environment.
- Company: Join a respected media brand at the forefront of AI technology.
- Benefits: Permanent role with opportunities for growth and impact in AI innovation.
- Other info: Be part of a small, agile team making significant contributions to AI advancements.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI experiences while working with cutting-edge technologies.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in AI systems, software engineering, and team collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
Requirements
- This is a hands-on role for someone who combines strong engineering judgement with deep familiarity with modern AI systems.
- You should be comfortable operating in an exploratory environment where not every question has a clear answer, but where disciplined experimentation and practical delivery matter.
- A strong technical builder with deep curiosity who enjoys turning emerging ideas into tangible products and prototypes.
- Comfortable taking ownership and being autonomous in an uncertain, fast-moving environment.
- Works well in a small team with the freedom to make decisions and communicate clearly with others.
- Combines technical knowledge with business sense to ensure that research supports company goals and editorial standards.
- Able to switch between hands-on engineering, technical strategy and clear communication with non-technical colleagues.
- Understands The Economist’s core values of classical liberalism, intellectual rigour and editorial independence.
- Significant experience building with modern generative AI models and systems in production or advanced prototype settings.
- Strong software engineering skills, with the ability to design and implement robust prototypes quickly and thoughtfully.
- Experience working across multiple modalities such as text, audio, voice, video or conversational interfaces.
- Good judgement in selecting and evaluating models, tooling and system architectures for different use cases.
- Ability to explain technical concepts, opportunities and constraints clearly to non-technical audiences.
- Experience defining practical evaluation approaches for AI systems, including quality, reliability and usability.
- (Desirable) Experience in a startup, innovation, advanced product or R&D environment.
- (Desirable) Experience in building B2C customer-facing AI products or features in content-rich or editorial domains.
- (Desirable) Interest or experience in media, journalism, information products or knowledge-rich domains.
- (Desirable) Familiarity with fine-tuning, benchmarking, model evaluation and experimentation workflows.
- (Desirable) Experience with orchestration frameworks, tool-using systems and agentic patterns.
- (Desirable) Experience leading senior technical work during periods of ambiguity, change or team transition.
What the job involves
- We are now hiring a Technical Lead AI Engineer to join this work. This is a permanent, senior role within the AI Lab that will help shape and build the next generation of AI-powered Economist experiences.
- This is a unique opportunity to work with a small team that is shaping how one of the world's most respected media brands adapts to advances in AI.
- This hire will play an especially important role over the next 6 to 12 months, providing senior technical leadership and continuity while our current Technical Lead is on maternity leave.
- After that period, they will remain a core senior member of the Lab, helping shape its technical direction and lead the development of future prototypes and AI innovation.
- You will help turn promising ideas into working prototypes, assess emerging technologies, and guide technical decisions across the AI Lab’s work.
- Provide senior technical leadership for the AI Lab’s work, ensuring continuity and momentum during a period of maternity cover.
- Design, build and iterate on prototypes and experimental concepts using frontier AI capabilities across areas such as text, audio, voice, video and multimodal experiences.
- Lead technical investigation and experimentation, including testing new models, methods and workflows.
- Partner with commercial, editorial and other technology teams to support the testing, scaling and launch of concepts developed by the AI Lab.
- Shape and implement the right technical architectures for AI Lab prototypes and experiments - balancing speed, quality, flexibility and longer-term scalability.
- Help the Lab identify where advances in AI could create distinctive value for Economist audiences and products.
- Contribute to the Lab’s longer-term technical direction, helping decide what capabilities to build, test or scale over time.
- Support and, where appropriate, mentor other technical contributors working on Lab initiatives.
Lead AI Engineer (AI Lab) employer: Deepstreamtech
As a Lead AI Engineer at The Economist's AI Lab, you will thrive in a dynamic and innovative environment that champions intellectual rigour and editorial independence. Our collaborative work culture encourages autonomy and creativity, providing ample opportunities for professional growth while shaping the future of AI-powered media experiences. With a commitment to experimentation and practical delivery, you'll be part of a small, agile team dedicated to turning cutting-edge ideas into impactful products.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead AI Engineer (AI Lab)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the AI field, especially those who work at The Economist or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving generative AI models. This is your chance to demonstrate your hands-on experience and technical prowess in a way that words on a CV can't.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your communication skills. You’ll need to explain complex AI concepts clearly to non-technical folks, so practice breaking down your projects into simple terms.
✨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, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at StudySmarter.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead AI Engineer (AI Lab)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Technical Skills:Make sure to highlight your experience with modern AI systems and software engineering in your application. We want to see how you've turned ideas into prototypes, so share specific examples that showcase your technical prowess.
Emphasise Your Curiosity:We love a candidate who’s curious! In your application, let us know about times when you explored new technologies or methods. Show us how your inquisitive nature has led to innovative solutions in your past roles.
Communicate Clearly:Since you'll be working with both technical and non-technical teams, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to explain complex concepts simply. Use your application to show how you've successfully communicated technical ideas to diverse audiences.
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 you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in our AI Lab!
How to prepare for a job interview at Deepstreamtech
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of modern AI systems and generative models. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with these technologies, as well as any prototypes you've built. This role is all about technical depth, so show them you’ve got it!
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to talk about how you've tackled ambiguous problems in the past. They want someone who can operate in uncertain environments, so share examples of disciplined experimentation and how you turned ideas into tangible products. Highlight your engineering judgement!
✨Communicate Clearly
Since you'll be working with non-technical colleagues, practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. Think of ways to convey your technical strategies and decisions without jargon. Clear communication is key, so make it a point to demonstrate this during your interview.
✨Be a Team Player
This role involves working closely with a small team, so be prepared to discuss your collaborative experiences. Share how you’ve contributed to team success and decision-making processes. They’re looking for someone who can take ownership while also valuing input from others.
