At a Glance
- Tasks: Transform client goals into tech solutions and build proofs of concept.
- Company: Join hedgehog lab, a certified B Corp with 20 years of innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days holiday, paid Impact Days, and a learning budget.
- Other info: Flexible work environment with opportunities for travel and client interaction.
- Why this job: Be the first engineer on exciting projects and shape the future of AI engineering.
- Qualifications: Experience in TypeScript or Python and hands-on AI agent use.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ per year.
Most engineering roles start once the hard decisions are made. This one starts before them. You’ll be the first engineer on a new client engagement, before there’s a team or plan, working out what’s possible and building the proof a delivery team can scale from.
What’s in it for you:
- You’ll decide how the work gets done, with AI tools that aren’t locked down. On a recent 19-week AI platform build, 80.5% of authored commits carried verifiable AI co-authorship.
- You’ll work alongside our agentic team and help shape how we do agentic engineering. You don’t need to arrive an expert.
Who you’ll work for:
hedgehog lab is a UK digital product consultancy and certified B Corp with 20 years behind us, helping public and private sector clients in healthcare, commerce, media and education. Project teams are 5 to 15 people: agentic engineers, software engineers, QA and designers.
What you’ll do:
- Turning client goals into architecture and technology choices, recorded in ADRs.
- Building proofs of concept that validate the design.
- Setting up tooling, workflows and guardrails for AI coding agents.
- Shaping testing and code review.
- Pairing with engineers and leaving patterns client teams can own.
Benefits:
- 28 days holiday plus bank holidays.
- Five paid Impact Days a year for learning, volunteering or innovation.
- Learning budget plus time for training and conferences.
- Enhanced family leave.
Where you’ll work:
There are no set office days. You’ll come into an office or client site for key meetings and workshops. You’ll need to live within 50 miles of our Leeds, Manchester or Newcastle offices. You’ll also need to be happy travelling to clients around Leeds and Manchester, some of whom want more time on site.
Essential experience:
- You’ll be in front of clients from week one. If you’d rather keep your head down and code, this isn’t for you.
- Commercial TypeScript or Python experience across the full stack (NestJS or FastAPI, for example).
- Hands-on use of AI agents in a real workflow, at work or in your own projects. A GitHub repo counts.
- You’ve taken a messy, poorly defined problem and shipped something that works.
- Comfortable explaining your thinking to non-technical people.
- Clear writing, especially ADRs and docs.
- Pragmatic architecture, sized to POC, pilot or production.
Desirable experience:
- Consulting, professional services or forward deployed experience.
- Experience presenting to clients or contributing to pitches.
How to apply:
There are two stages: a 30-minute call with our Talent Acquisition Lead, then a 90-minute interview with two engineers. There’s no technical test. Apply below, or get in touch to talk it through first.
Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (Agentic AI) in Manchester employer: hedgehog lab
Hedgehog Lab is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture, perfect for those looking to make a significant impact in the tech industry. With a focus on employee growth and development, you will have access to cutting-edge technologies and the opportunity to shape data strategies in a fast-paced scale-up environment. Located in a vibrant area, we offer a collaborative atmosphere where your contributions are valued and rewarded.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (Agentic AI) in Manchester
✨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 hedgehog lab 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 hedgehog lab.
✨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 hedgehog lab.
✨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 hedgehog lab 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 Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (Agentic AI) in Manchester
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 hedgehog lab.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at hedgehog lab 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 hedgehog lab
✨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 hedgehog lab 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.
