At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI projects from concept to production, creating impactful solutions.
- Company: Join Elsevier, a global leader in information and analytics with an inclusive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hours, generous leave, and a comprehensive pension plan.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team that values collaboration and personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in science and healthcare with innovative AI technologies.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering with strong AI system design experience.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Are you excited about building intelligent systems powered by innovative AI technologies? Do you enjoy creating solutions that turn complex data into impactful outcomes?
About the team: Embedded Innovation Teams are cross-functional squads embedded within our segments to rapidly turn internal AI experimentation into validated, reusable solutions, building the capabilities we need to deliver customer value and growth. We work problem-first rather than tool-first, directly inside segment and function teams, improving the internal workflows that help our people deliver better outcomes for customers, faster.
About the role: As a Principal AI Engineer, you will be the technical lead for an embedded Innovation Squad, owning technical execution from discovery through to production. You will assess and harden existing AI prototypes, deliver new ones, and establish the agentic AI patterns, orchestration, tool use, memory, and retrieval that other squads reuse. You are the senior source of expertise on AI architecture, integration, and delivery. You will work directly with internal stakeholders and end users in the host function, finalising requirements, making the architectural calls, and codifying validated solutions into reusable patterns, reference implementations, and starter kits. You may also provide sizing, infrastructure, and budget recommendations, and you will mentor and elevate the engineers around you.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own technical execution from discovery to production; build, assess, and harden prototypes and proofs of concept, and deliver new ones.
- Design and govern reusable agentic AI patterns (orchestration, tool use, memory, retrieval).
- Ensure delivery meets architecture, security and data-governance standards; recommend infrastructure, hosting and data residency.
- Codify validated solutions into patterns, reference implementations, and starter kits so they can be picked up and scaled across other functions.
- Provide design input, finalise requirements, and work directly with internal stakeholders and end users in the host function.
- Write specifications, fix complex bugs, and design complex data models.
- Act as the primary technical contact for external resources and the squad's go-to on coding and AI.
- Establish baselines and report measurable outcomes for every initiative.
- Maintain visibility of in-flight AI pilots within the function to prevent duplication and surface candidates for reuse.
- Ensure alignment with enterprise non-negotiables: security, compliance and central technology infrastructure standards.
- Continuously evaluate emerging technologies and mentor and elevate team members.
- Take on related responsibilities as the squad's needs evolve.
Requirements:
- Engineering experience: 10+ years in software engineering, with hands-on AI system design, build or integration, and a track record of taking AI prototypes to production in enterprise environments.
- Education: BS in Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent; advanced degree preferred.
- Agentic AI / LLMs: LLM orchestration, prompt engineering, context-window management and production guardrails; MCP, tool-augmented agents and RAG at enterprise scale.
- Enterprise integration: Integrating AI into enterprise systems via APIs and data pipelines, with strong security, data governance and residency practices.
- Cloud: AWS, Azure or GCP, including managed AI/ML services.
- Delivery: Agile, CI/CD, modern SDLC and TDD.
- Data and architecture: Modelling across relational, columnar and vector stores, grounded in sound architectural principles.
- Ways of working: Thrives in ambiguity, framing the problem, extracting defined spec, and prioritises shipping validated outcomes over perfect solutions, moving pilots to production at pace.
- Languages: Python, Java, TypeScript/JavaScript, SQL and relevant AI SDKs.
- Leadership and delivery management: Plans and sequences work, manages scope, dependencies and priorities, removes blockers, and drives delivery to keep innovation moving.
- Communication and influence: Presents concisely to senior management, host-function stakeholders and cross-functional teams, and builds buy-in and drives technical decisions across.
- Commercial awareness: Budget-aware; partners with internal and external resources, including managed services and staff augmentation.
- Measurement: Establishes baselines and instruments solutions to track productivity, cost and quality outcomes from pilot through scale.
Why Join Us?
Join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence. If you are ready to advance your career and make a significant impact, we encourage you to apply.
Work in a way that works for you
We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance, and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long-term goals. Working flexible hours - flexing the times when you work in the day to help you fit everything in and work when you are the most productive.
Working for you
We know that your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:
- Comprehensive Pension Plan
- Generous vacation entitlement and option for sabbatical leave
- Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, and Family Care leave
- Personal Choice budget
- Internal communities and networks
- Various employee discounts
- Recruitment introduction reward
- Employee Assistance Program (global)
About the business
A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education, and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world's grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.
We are committed to providing a fair and accessible hiring process. If you have a disability or other need that requires accommodation or adjustment, please let us know by completing our Applicant Request Support Form or please contact 1-855-833-5120.
We are an equal opportunity employer: qualified applicants are considered for and treated during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, disability status, protected veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Principal AI Engineer employer: Elsevier
At Elsevier, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration. As a Principal AI Engineer, you will not only have the opportunity to lead cutting-edge AI projects but also benefit from a comprehensive pension plan, generous vacation entitlement, and flexible working hours that promote a healthy work/life balance. With a strong commitment to employee growth through mentorship and various wellbeing initiatives, Elsevier is dedicated to supporting your career while making a meaningful impact in the fields of science and healthcare.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal AI Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities you might not find on job boards.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repo showcasing your AI projects. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to AI engineering. The more you rehearse, the more confident you'll feel when it’s showtime!
✨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!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal AI Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Principal AI Engineer role. Highlight your experience with AI technologies and how you've turned complex data into impactful outcomes. We want to see how you fit into our team!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t hold back on showcasing your technical expertise! Mention your experience with AI architecture, integration, and delivery. We love seeing candidates who can demonstrate their hands-on experience with tools and languages like Python, Java, and cloud services.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use straightforward language to describe your achievements and how they relate to the role. We appreciate candidates who can communicate effectively, especially when it comes to technical concepts.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us that you’re genuinely interested in joining our innovative team at Elsevier!
How to prepare for a job interview at Elsevier
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AI technologies, especially around agentic AI and LLMs. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI system design and integration, as well as any prototypes you've taken to production.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Since the role focuses on problem-first approaches, prepare examples of how you've tackled complex issues in previous projects. Highlight your ability to frame problems and extract defined specifications to deliver validated outcomes.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice presenting your ideas concisely, especially when discussing technical concepts. You’ll need to communicate effectively with senior management and cross-functional teams, so being clear and persuasive is key.
✨Be Ready to Collaborate
This role involves working closely with internal stakeholders and end users. Think about how you've successfully collaborated in the past and be prepared to share those experiences, showing your ability to build buy-in and drive technical decisions.
