At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of AI-driven features to combat financial crime.
- Company: Join Napier, a cutting-edge tech company making finance safer.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, healthcare, flexible work, and generous leave.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative culture with excellent growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while shaping the future of AI.
- Qualifications: 5-7 years in engineering, strong coding skills, and leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Application Deadline: 3 July 2026
Department: Technology
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: London
Reporting To: Noel King
Description
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—this is a super exciting time to join Napier 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. 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
These skills are essential to be successful in this role.
- 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
Optional additional 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) employer: Napier Technologies Limited.
Napier is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in London 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 through cutting-edge AI technology. Join us at this exciting time as we expand our Tech Hub and shape the future of financial security together.
Contact Details:
Napier Technologies Limited. Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer (AI Platform)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, attend meetups, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those related to AI and machine learning. This gives employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common technical questions and scenarios relevant to the role. Brush up on your coding skills in Go or Python, and be ready to discuss how you've tackled challenges in previous projects.
✨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 our awesome team at Napier.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Engineer (AI Platform)
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 in Go or Python, and any leadership roles you've had. We want to see how you can contribute to our AI 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 and values.
Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on relevant projects, whether in a professional setting or as personal endeavours, make sure to mention them. We love seeing practical examples of your work, especially if they involve AI/ML systems or cloud platforms!
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 us you’re keen to be part of our team at Napier!
How to prepare for a job interview at Napier Technologies Limited.
✨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 built or improved AI-driven features.
✨Show Your Leadership Skills
As a Lead Engineer, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and mentor a team. Prepare examples of how you've supported your team's growth and contributed to their success. Think about times when you’ve made key architectural decisions or influenced technical direction.
✨Get Familiar with Their Tech Stack
Research Napier’s tech stack, especially if they use Go, Python, or cloud platforms like AWS or Azure. Be prepared to discuss your hands-on experience with these technologies and how you can apply them to solve real-world problems in their environment.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in the role and the company. Inquire about their current challenges with AI integration or how they envision the future of their platform. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if the company is the right fit for you.
