Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC in City of Westminster
Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC

Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC in City of Westminster

City of Westminster Full-Time 80000 - 100000 ÂŁ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a squad to build and scale AI-enabled solutions that deliver real value.
  • Company: Join EY, a leader in innovative AI engineering with a collaborative culture.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible working, and continuous learning opportunities.
  • Other info: Be part of a dynamic team with excellent career growth and innovation challenges.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of AI while mentoring talent and driving impactful projects.
  • Qualifications: Expertise in software engineering, AI/ML, and cloud architecture is essential.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 ÂŁ per year.

Organisations are moving rapidly from AI experimentation to operational adoption. However, many struggle to translate ideas into secure, scalable and reliable production solutions. Applied AI Engineering focuses on the hands‑on engineering required to build, test and support these systems‑aligned to EY platform patterns, responsible‑AI guardrails, and governance.

As an Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead, you will act as a senior engineering and product leader, guiding squad teams in building and scaling AI‑enabled solutions. You will shape the technical direction, product vision and delivery approach for applied AI systems across engagements, ensuring that solutions deliver measurable value while meeting enterprise standards for reliability, security and responsible AI. You will lead a 4‑7 person Applied AI Engineering squad, bringing together engineers, architects and designers to deliver AI systems. You will ensure technical coherence across delivery, establish strong engineering practices and help organisations successfully operationalise AI capabilities.

As part of the Applied AI Engineering Academy, you will both deepen and share advanced engineering capabilities across the team. The academy supports continued development in areas such as AI system architecture, scalable engineering patterns and responsible AI practices, while also providing a platform to mentor engineers, contribute reusable patterns and help shape the technical standards of the capability. Through collaborative engineering challenges, knowledge sharing and capability initiatives, you will play an active role in strengthening how Applied AI Engineering solutions are designed, delivered and scaled across engagements.

In this lead role, you will operate at the intersection of engineering leadership, product strategy and client engagement, shaping how AI‑enabled systems are designed, delivered and scaled in complex enterprise environments.

  • Client‑facing engineering & delivery: Define the strategic direction for the squad, including roadmap priorities, solution scope and delivery outcomes. Partner with senior client stakeholders to shape AI solution vision, adoption strategies and value realisation. Drive delivery across complex programmes, managing dependencies, risks and delivery transparency.
  • Solution design & implementation: Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of AI‑enabled systems, including agents, retrieval systems and supporting services. Ensure solutions align with enterprise architecture standards, responsible‑AI requirements and operational readiness practices. Establish strong engineering ways‑of‑working across the squad, including review practices, reliability patterns and observability.
  • Product mindset & continuous improvement: Shape product thinking around applied AI solutions, helping teams translate opportunities into scalable solution designs. Mentor engineers and develop high‑potential talent across the capability. Contribute to thought leadership and help represent EY’s Applied AI Engineering capability in market‑facing initiatives.

Essential skills & experience:

  • Expert software and systems engineering: Python/TypeScript, distributed systems, API/microservice architecture and cloud‑native patterns.
  • Deep applied AI/ML mastery: NLP/CV/transformers, generative models (GANs/VAEs), reinforcement learning, classical ML and statistical modelling.
  • Advanced LLM/RAG engineering: prompt pipelines, embeddings, vector stores (FAISS/Milvus/Pinecone), hybrid retrieval, grounding, hallucination mitigation and evaluation frameworks.
  • LLMOps/MLOps: automated testing, drift monitoring, safety/guardrails, CI/CD for ML, telemetry, lineage and governance.
  • Cloud architecture leadership: Azure (preferred), AWS/GCP; Kubernetes/Docker; serverless; IAM, VNETs, zero‑trust patterns and secure network architecture.
  • Data engineering architecture: Spark/Databricks, ETL/ELT frameworks; big‑data/graph stacks (Hadoop, Cassandra, Neo4j); streaming (Event Hub/Kafka).
  • Enterprise integration: legacy/LOB systems, event workflows, case management platforms; design for high availability, resilience and observability.
  • Product leadership: conducting discovery, framing hypotheses, shaping MVPs, backlog ownership, value/adoption metrics and client‑ready PRDs.
  • Responsible AI & compliance: privacy‑by‑design, auditability, fairness and transparency; strong awareness of UK financial‑services regulatory context (FCA, PRA, GDPR).
  • Consulting leadership: stakeholder management, commercial awareness, proposal shaping, solution positioning and creation of thought leadership.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead multi‑disciplinary squads (engineering, data science, architecture, product, design) through complex delivery cycles.

Nice to have: Optional: governance/model‑risk/responsible‑AI certifications.

Technical Certifications (preferred): Azure AI Engineer (AI‑102) or Azure Data Scientist Associate. AWS Machine Learning Specialty or Google Professional ML Engineer. Databricks Machine Learning Engineer, Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD). Azure/AWS Solutions Architect certifications. Optional: governance/model‑risk/responsible‑AI certifications.

How you work: You’re hands‑on when needed, but primarily you create the conditions for repeatable delivery: clear direction, strong ways‑of‑working, and high engineering standards. You earn trust with senior stakeholders by explaining trade‑offs simply and steering delivery through ambiguity with strong governance and transparency.

What we offer: Continuous development through the Applied AI Engineering Academy, where you both advance your expertise in scalable AI system design and contribute to the evolution of engineering standards, reusable accelerators and capability development across the team. Opportunities to participate in innovation challenges, internal accelerators and capability showcases. Learning and certification support across cloud, AI and engineering platforms. Competitive compensation and benefits. Flexible hybrid working arrangements depending on client needs.

Travel & Working Model: Hybrid working and periodic travel to client sites across the UK (and occasionally internationally), discussed based on projects and location.

Equal Opportunity Employer: EY is committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive. If you require adjustments or support during the recruitment process, we encourage you to let us know.

Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC in City of Westminster employer: Ernst & Young

EY is an exceptional employer for those looking to lead in the rapidly evolving field of applied AI engineering. With a strong focus on continuous development through the Applied AI Engineering Academy, employees benefit from opportunities to deepen their expertise while contributing to innovative projects that shape the future of AI solutions. The inclusive work culture, flexible hybrid arrangements, and commitment to employee growth make EY a rewarding place to build a meaningful career in technology.
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Contact Detail:

Ernst & Young Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC in City of Westminster

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the AI and engineering space. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone in the industry. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to AI and engineering. Whether it's GitHub repos or a personal website, having tangible evidence of your work can really set you apart from the crowd.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by diving deep into the company’s AI initiatives. Understand their products and how they’re using AI. This will not only help you answer questions but also show that you’re genuinely interested in what they do.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for talented individuals like you. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people.

We think you need these skills to ace Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC in City of Westminster

Python
TypeScript
Distributed Systems
API Architecture
Microservice Architecture
Cloud-Native Patterns
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Computer Vision (CV)
Generative Models
Reinforcement Learning
Classical Machine Learning
Statistical Modelling
Large Language Model Engineering
MLOps
Cloud Architecture (Azure, AWS, GCP)
Kubernetes
Docker
Data Engineering
ETL/ELT Frameworks
Enterprise Integration
Stakeholder Management
Product Leadership
Responsible AI Practices

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with AI engineering and leadership. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: Since this role is all about applied AI and engineering, be sure to include specific examples of your expertise in Python, cloud architecture, and responsible AI practices. We love seeing concrete achievements that demonstrate your capabilities.

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read through your qualifications and experiences quickly.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!

How to prepare for a job interview at Ernst & Young

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in the essential skills listed in the job description, like Python, TypeScript, and cloud architecture. Brush up on your knowledge of AI/ML concepts, especially around NLP and reinforcement learning, as these will likely come up during technical discussions.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As a squad lead, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to guide teams effectively. Prepare examples of how you've led multi-disciplinary squads through complex projects, focusing on your approach to stakeholder management and delivery transparency.

✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities in real-world scenarios. Think about past experiences where you had to manage risks or dependencies in AI projects, and be ready to discuss how you ensured operational readiness and compliance with responsible AI practices.

✨Engage with the Interviewers

Don’t just answer questions; engage in a dialogue. Ask insightful questions about their current AI initiatives and how they envision the role contributing to those goals. This shows your genuine interest and helps you gauge if the company aligns with your values and career aspirations.

Applied AI Engineering Squad Lead - Product & Engineering, Senior Manager, TC in City of Westminster
Ernst & Young
Location: City of Westminster

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