At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of AI-driven features to combat financial crime.
- Company: Join Napier, a pioneering tech company making finance safer with AI.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, healthcare, flexible work, and generous leave.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team in a growing tech hub in Belfast.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by using AI to protect people's money.
- Qualifications: 5-7 years in engineering, strong coding skills, and leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Imagine catching criminals before they strike—that’s exactly what Napier’s AI-powered platform does! By analysing transactions and customers in real time, Napier AI’s technology empowers financial institutions to spot suspicious activity, like money laundering, and stops it in its tracks. Napier AI’s technology works like a digital detective, combining AI with smart analytics to outthink criminals and protect people’s money from becoming criminal proceeds. It’s not just about stopping crime—it’s about making the financial world safer and more trustworthy for everyone.
Collaboration, innovation and wonderful people are just some of the reasons to bring your career to Napier. Our culture is shaped by our core values that promote equality, creativity, and opportunity in everything we do. After successfully securing PI investment to fuel our ongoing growth and to further invest in our AI products, we are currently building out our Tech Hub in Belfast - this is a super exciting time to join Napier in Belfast as we expand.
Overview of the role:
The Lead Engineer will play a key role in building and shaping a new AI-focused engineering capability within Napier, based in Belfast. This is a hands-on leadership role within a smaller, high-impact team, focused on extending Napier’s AI functionality and applying AI and machine learning models to detect and prevent financial crime. You will be responsible for both contributing directly to the development of AI-driven systems and leading technical direction within the team. This role offers an opportunity to build something from the ground up in a relatively greenfield environment, helping define the technical approach, tooling, and engineering practices as the team grows. Depending on experience, the role can flex between a strong Technical Lead or a Team Lead, combining hands-on engineering with leadership responsibility.
Your day to day:
- Designing and implementing AI-driven features and services within Napier’s platform
- Contributing hands-on to development, including coding, debugging, and testing
- Leading or mentoring a small team of engineers, supporting their growth and output
- Working closely with Product, Architecture, and Data teams to translate AI use cases into production systems
- Helping define and evolve engineering standards, tooling, and development practices within the AI team
- Supporting integration of AI/ML models into scalable, production-grade systems
- Diagnosing and resolving functional and performance/scalability issues
- Participating in technology selection and architectural decisions
- Supporting recruitment and onboarding of new team members as required
- Providing input on resourcing decisions and team growth
Do you have what it takes?
Knowledge/experience:
- At least 5–7 years of commercial experience in a senior or lead engineering role
- Strong experience building and delivering production-grade systems in a product or SaaS environment
- Experience working in smaller companies or teams, with a pragmatic and adaptable approach
- Experience leading engineers or acting in a technical leadership capacity
- Experience working in Agile delivery environments with a continuous improvement mindset
- Exposure to AI/ML systems, data-driven platforms, or analytics products
- Understanding of how to integrate models or data-driven features into production systems
- Knowledge of DevOps and modern software engineering practices
Skills:
- Strong hands-on programming experience in Go or Python (experience in both is beneficial)
- Experience building distributed, microservice-based systems
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Understanding of containerisation and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Experience with data pipelines, streaming technologies, or event-driven systems (e.g. Kafka beneficial)
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to adapt quickly to changing requirements
- Ability to balance hands-on development with technical leadership responsibilities
- Collaborative team player with strong communication and stakeholder management skills
- Comfortable working in evolving environments and helping shape direction and structure
We’d be thrilled if you also have experience with, and are keen to grow your skills in, some of these other areas:
- Machine learning frameworks or AI model development
- Financial crime, fraud, or risk-related domains
- Data processing and analytics platforms
- Performance engineering and scalability optimisation
- Observability tools such as Grafana and Prometheus
- Exposure to modern front-end technologies (React, Angular)
- Experience working with distributed or remote teams
Why Napier?
- Comprehensive private healthcare through AXA covering optical, audio & dental.
- 25 days of annual leave + bank holidays, your birthday and a wellness day
- Dedicated pension plan through Aviva
- Life Insurance 4x your annual salary
- Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave
- Income protections policy
- Work from anywhere for up to 1 month
- Access to our employee wellbeing programme.
- Gym membership discounts.
- Flexibility in work schedules and locations, ensuring a work-life balance. This role can be fulfilled either with a hybrid approach or fully in-office – depending on your preference.
- An open and flexible culture that allows you to work in the best way for you.
Please note applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom. We are unable to offer sponsorship or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.
Lead Engineer (AI Platform) in Belfast employer: Napier AI
Napier is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Belfast where innovation and collaboration thrive. With a strong focus on employee growth, comprehensive benefits including private healthcare, generous leave policies, and a flexible work culture, Napier empowers its team to make a meaningful impact in the fight against financial crime while enjoying a healthy work-life balance.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer (AI Platform) in Belfast
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those at Napier. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub with projects related to AI or software engineering, flaunt it. It’s a great way to demonstrate your hands-on experience and creativity.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Napier’s mission and values. Think about how your experience aligns with their goal of making the financial world safer. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets it.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the Napier team.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Engineer (AI Platform) in Belfast
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Lead Engineer role. Highlight your hands-on programming experience, especially in Go or Python, and any leadership roles you've held. We want to see how you can contribute to our AI-driven platform!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for AI and financial crime prevention, and explain why you're excited about joining Napier. Let us know how your background aligns with our mission to make the financial world safer.
Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on relevant projects, whether in AI/ML or software engineering, don't hold back! Include links to your GitHub or portfolio. We love seeing practical examples of your work and how you tackle challenges.
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 keen on joining our team at Napier!
How to prepare for a job interview at Napier AI
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AI and machine learning systems. Be ready to discuss how you've integrated these technologies into production systems in the past. Highlight any specific projects where you’ve designed or implemented AI-driven features.
✨Show Off Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading a team, be prepared to share examples of how you've mentored engineers or led technical projects. Talk about your approach to fostering collaboration and innovation within a team, especially in smaller, agile environments.
✨Get Familiar with Their Tech Stack
Do your homework on Napier’s tech stack, especially Go, Python, and cloud platforms like AWS or Azure. If you have experience with containerisation tools like Docker and Kubernetes, make sure to mention it. This shows you’re not just a fit for the role but also genuinely interested in their work.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare some thoughtful questions about the company culture, the team dynamics, and the future direction of their AI platform. This not only demonstrates your interest but also helps you gauge if Napier is the right fit for you. Plus, it shows you’re proactive and engaged!
