Lead AI Engineer in London

Lead AI Engineer in London

London Full-Time 81000 - 99000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the design and delivery of innovative Generative AI solutions.
  • Company: Join a tech-driven company transforming through AI and automation.
  • Benefits: Up to £110,000 salary, 15% bonus, hybrid work, and excellent perks.
  • Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and influence in AI strategy.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of AI while making a real impact on business outcomes.
  • Qualifications: Experience in delivering AI solutions and leading projects from start to finish.

The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.

Lead AI Engineer London (Hybrid) | Up to £110,000 + 15% Bonus + Excellent Benefits This is an opportunity to join a business investing heavily in AI and automation, where you will play a key role in shaping and delivering production-grade Generative AI solutions at scale.

Working across high-impact initiatives, you will have the autonomy to influence technical strategy, own solution delivery, and drive measurable business outcomes.

The Company They are a well-established, technology-driven organisation undergoing significant AI transformation.

With strong executive sponsorship and a growing pipeline of AI initiatives, they are embedding AI into critical business processes to improve customer experience, operational efficiency, and decision-making.

You will join a newly established AI function within a wider engineering and MLOps environment, working alongside experienced engineers to deliver innovative, enterprise-scale AI products.

The team operates in a fast-paced, collaborative setting where technical expertise and commercial impact are highly valued.

The Role As a Lead AI Engineer, you will take ownership of the design, architecture, and delivery of AI solutions from concept through to production.

Responsibilities include:* Leading the end-to-end delivery of Generative AI and agentic AI solutions

  • Designing and building LLM-powered applications and intelligent automation tools
  • Making key architecture, tooling, and platform decisions across multiple initiatives
  • Evaluating build versus buy approaches and recommending scalable solutions
  • Establishing engineering standards, reusable frameworks, and best practices
  • Ensuring AI systems are production-ready through monitoring, evaluation, governance, and observability
  • Working closely with engineering, security, data protection, and business stakeholders
  • Providing technical leadership and mentoring across AI workstreams
  • Driving AI initiatives that deliver measurable operational and commercial value Your Skills & Experience You will demonstrate strong commercial experience in:* Delivering Generative AI solutions into production environments
  • Leading AI projects end-to-end, from discovery through deployment
  • Designing scalable AI architectures within enterprise environments
  • Building LLM-powered applications, RAG solutions, and agent-based systems
  • Software engineering fundamentals, including APIs, distributed systems, and cloud platforms
  • Technical decision-making in fast-moving or ambiguous problem spaces
  • Working within governance, security, and compliance frameworks
  • Influencing stakeholders and communicating complex technical concepts clearly Desirable experience includes:* AWS cloud technologies
  • MLOps or LLMOps practices
  • Financial services or other regulated industries
  • Building reusable AI platforms, frameworks, or internal products What They Offer * Salary up to £110,000
  • 15% annual bonus
  • Hybrid working with flexibility and a strong focus on outcomes
  • Generous pension contribution
  • Private medical cover
  • Enhanced parental leave policies
  • Holiday purchase scheme
  • The opportunity to influence AI strategy across a growing function
  • Exposure to a broad range of cutting-edge Generative AI use cases
  • High visibility and genuine ownership of business-critical AI initiatives How to Apply If you are an experienced Lead AI Engineer with a proven track record of delivering production-grade Generative AI solutions, apply today to discuss this opportunity in more detail.

Lead AI Engineer in London employer: Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers

As a leading consumer retail organisation based in London, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that champions innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through tailored development programmes and the opportunity to lead transformative digital initiatives, all while enjoying a competitive salary and bonus structure. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values your contributions and empowers you to drive meaningful change in a rapidly evolving market.

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Contact Details:

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Lead AI Engineer in London

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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers 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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers.

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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers.

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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers 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 Lead AI Engineer in London

Generative AI
LLM-powered applications
AI architecture design
Software engineering fundamentals
APIs
Distributed systems
Cloud platforms

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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers 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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers

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 Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Careers 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.