At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and deploy cutting-edge AI systems for trading and research workflows.
- Company: Innovative tech firm transforming institutional trading with AI.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, private healthcare, and equity opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborate with top talent and enjoy limitless career growth.
- Why this job: Join a pioneering team and shape the future of AI in trading.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in AI Engineering and Python development.
The predicted salary is between 130000 - 180000 £ per year.
Shape the Future of AI-Powered Trading
We're partnering with an exceptionally well-funded technology business on a mission to transform how institutional trading firms, hedge funds and financial organisations research, design and execute trading strategies.
Having built a sophisticated AI-powered trading platform and reached a critical stage in its evolution, the business is now investing heavily in its next phase of growth.
This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, influence the direction of a genuinely innovative product and work on some of the most exciting challenges in applied AI today.
If you're motivated by cutting-edge AI, complex technical problems and the opportunity to build products that deliver real-world impact, this could be the role you've been waiting for.
The Opportunity
As a Senior AI Research Engineer, you'll sit at the intersection of advanced AI research and software engineering, helping to design, build and deploy intelligent systems that power the next generation of trading and research workflows.
This is far more than a traditional Machine Learning or Data Science position.
We're looking for someone who thrives on turning research concepts into production-ready systems, enjoys experimenting with emerging AI technologies and wants to own meaningful product areas from idea through to deployment.
You'll join a highly talented team where innovation, autonomy and technical excellence are genuinely valued, and where your work will have a direct influence on both the platform and wider business strategy.
- What You'll Be Doing
- Designing and deploying LLM-powered and agentic AI systems for strategy generation, market intelligence and quantitative research.
- Building evaluation, experimentation and monitoring frameworks to improve model performance and reliability.
- Enhancing existing AI capabilities while developing entirely new AI-driven features and products.
- Developing production-grade AI infrastructure, inference services and data pipelines.
- Researching, testing and implementing the latest AI models, techniques and architectures.
- Improving model robustness, scalability, observability and operational performance.
- Collaborating with engineers, product leaders and quantitative specialists to deliver innovative solutions at scale.
- Helping shape the future direction of AI across the organisation.
What We're Looking For
Essential
- Strong commercial experience in AI Engineering, Machine Learning Engineering or Applied AI.
- Proven track record of building and shipping AI-powered products into production environments.
- Hands-on experience with LLMs, Generative AI and/or Agentic AI systems.
- Excellent Python development skills.
- Strong experience with modern AI frameworks and tooling such as Py Torch, Hugging Face and leading foundation model providers.
- A research-led mindset combined with the ability to execute and deliver commercially valuable solutions.
- Strong engineering fundamentals and the ability to take ownership of complex technical challenges.
- Comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving environments where ambiguity is often part of the journey.
Desirable
- Ph D or advanced academic research background.
- Experience fine-tuning open-source LLMs.
- Knowledge of AI evaluation frameworks and observability tooling.
- Experience with cloud-native technologies, Kubernetes and modern distributed systems.
- Exposure to quantitative finance, trading or financial markets.
Finance experience is not essential.
Why Join?
Work on Genuinely Cutting-Edge AI
AI sits at the core of the business strategy, not on the sidelines.
You'll be solving challenging real-world problems using the latest advancements in LLMs, agents and intelligent systems.
Build in a True Greenfield Environment
This is an opportunity to influence architecture, tooling, product direction and technical standards from an early stage.
High Levels of Ownership
You'll have the freedom to make decisions, drive initiatives and see your ideas become reality in a business that values entrepreneurial thinking.
Career Growth Without Limits
Rather than fitting into a rigid corporate structure, you'll have the opportunity to shape your own path as the company scales.
Learn From a High-Calibre Team
Work alongside experienced engineers, AI specialists, quantitative researchers and leadership who are building a genuinely innovative platform.
Real Business Impact
Your work won't sit in research papers or proof-of-concepts. You'll be building AI systems that directly influence products, users and commercial outcomes.
Package
- 20% Target Annual Bonus
- Private Healthcare
- Hybrid Working (3 Days London Office / 2 Days Remote)
- Future Equity Opportunity
- Direct Access to Founders and Senior Leadership
- Significant Scope for Career Progression
- Opportunity to Influence Product, Technology and Business Strategy
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Senior AI Engineer employer: KDR Recruitment USA
Join a forward-thinking global insights and research technology company that champions innovation and collaboration in the heart of the UK. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer a dynamic work culture that encourages creativity and agility, alongside competitive benefits and opportunities for professional development in cutting-edge AI and ML projects. Experience the unique advantage of working in a hybrid/remote environment that promotes work-life balance while being part of a passionate team dedicated to delivering impactful solutions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior AI Engineer
✨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 KDR Recruitment USA 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 KDR Recruitment USA.
✨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 KDR Recruitment USA.
✨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 KDR Recruitment USA 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 AI Engineer
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 KDR Recruitment USA.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at KDR Recruitment USA 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 KDR Recruitment USA
✨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 KDR Recruitment USA 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.