At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and deploy cutting-edge AI systems that make a real impact.
- Company: Exciting early-stage AI company with a fast-paced, innovative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £140k, equity, and founding-level ownership.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with high expectations and real opportunities for growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI products and influence engineering culture from day one.
- Qualifications: Strong software engineering skills and hands-on experience with LLMs.
The predicted salary is between 140000 - 140000 € per year.
We're working with a well-backed early-stage AI company building enterprise-grade generative AI systems for complex, high-value workflows. The team is small, technical, and moving fast - they are now looking for a Founding AI Engineer to help shape both the product and engineering culture from the ground up.
This is not a "maintain legacy systems" type role. You'll be joining at the stage where architecture decisions still matter, product direction changes weekly, and exceptional engineers can have outsized impact.
The focus of the role is GenAI systems engineering - designing, evaluating, and deploying LLM-powered products that operate reliably in production environments.
What you’ll be doing:
- Building and improving LLM orchestration pipelines
- Designing prompt systems, evaluation frameworks, and feedback loops
- Working across retrieval, context management, agent workflows, and inference optimisation
- Deploying AI products into production with a strong focus on reliability and observability
- Collaborating closely with founders, product, and end users to rapidly iterate on features
- Helping establish engineering best practices, tooling, and technical direction early on
What they’re looking for:
- Strong software engineering fundamentals
- Hands-on experience building with LLMs and modern AI tooling
- Experience shipping real products, not just prototypes
- Someone comfortable owning problems end-to-end rather than waiting for detailed specs
- Engineers already using AI-native development workflows
- Ability to move quickly without sacrificing engineering quality
- Experience across AI engineering, backend systems, data infrastructure, or scalable SaaS platforms is all relevant
The environment:
This suits someone who genuinely enjoys early-stage engineering. The pace is high, expectations are high, and there’s a strong bias toward ownership and execution. In return, you’ll get real influence over product, architecture, and technical culture from day one.
Package:
- Up to £140k
- Meaningful equity
- Founding-level ownership and autonomy
- London-based, in-office collaboration
If you’re interested in building production-grade GenAI systems in a genuinely high-calibre start-up environment, happy to discuss further.
Founding AI Engineer in London employer: LinkedIn
Join a dynamic early-stage AI company in London, where you'll have the unique opportunity to shape both the product and engineering culture from the ground up. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, this role offers meaningful equity, founding-level ownership, and the chance to work alongside exceptional engineers in a fast-paced environment that values your input and expertise. Experience unparalleled growth opportunities as you contribute to cutting-edge generative AI systems that are set to transform complex workflows.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding AI Engineer in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the AI and tech space, especially those who are already working at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to insider info and even referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those involving LLMs and AI tooling. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do beyond just a CV.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your problem-solving skills. Expect technical challenges that test your understanding of AI systems and software engineering fundamentals. Practice makes perfect!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals who want to make an impact. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding AI Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI shine through! We want to see how excited you are about building generative AI systems and how you can contribute to our mission. Share any relevant projects or experiences that highlight your passion.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to fit the Founding AI Engineer role. Highlight your experience with LLMs and modern AI tooling, and don’t forget to mention any hands-on projects you've worked on. We love seeing how your skills align with what we’re looking for!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on what makes you a great fit for the role. Use bullet points if it helps to make your achievements stand out!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at LinkedIn
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of generative AI systems and LLMs. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with these technologies, as well as any projects you've worked on that showcase your ability to build and deploy AI products.
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
This role is all about ownership and execution, so be prepared to share examples of how you've tackled complex engineering challenges in the past. Highlight situations where you took initiative and drove solutions from start to finish.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Since you'll be working closely with founders and end users, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to collaborate effectively. Share experiences where you’ve iterated on features based on user feedback or worked cross-functionally to achieve a common goal.
✨Be Ready for Fast-Paced Changes
The environment is dynamic, so show that you're adaptable and can thrive under pressure. Discuss how you've successfully navigated shifting priorities in previous roles and how you maintain quality while moving quickly.
