AI Engineer

About the Role

At UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL), we’re seeking an AI Engineer to help build and evolve our AI capabilities. This is an exciting opportunity to work with cutting‑edge open‑weight AI models, develop intelligent agents, and create innovative AI solutions that support research, engineering, and business operations across the organisation. You’ll play a key role in enabling colleagues to harness the power of AI by developing reliable, secure, and scalable tools, services, and automation solutions that deliver real‑world impact.

What You’ll Do

• Develop, maintain, and enhance UKTL’s AI platforms, services, agents, and model‑serving environments.
• Manage and maintain UKTL's high‑end GPU compute.
• Research, evaluate, and deploy open‑weight AI models for use across the organisation.
• Build and optimise AI‑driven workflows, automation tools, and data pipelines.
• Troubleshoot and improve the performance, reliability, and security of AI systems and integrations.
• Collaborate with our Security Research team to support AI experimentation, model evaluation, and testing in their work.
• Contribute to the development of cyber range environments used for AI benchmarking and advancing the UK’s AI cyber capabilities.
• Keep abreast of emerging AI technologies and bring innovative approaches into practical deployment.
• Champion well‑documented, scalable, and maintainable solutions that support UKTL’s growing AI ecosystem.

Successful Applicants must be able to commute to the UKTL offices in Birmingham at least twice a week. We strive to offer a great work life balance – if you are looking for full time, part time or flexible options, we will try to make this work where business possible. This will be dependent on the kind of role you do and part of the business you work in.

About You

What We’re Looking For

You’ll be a great fit for this role if:

• Have experience with AI/ML technologies, model deployment, or MLOps environments.
• Enjoy solving complex technical challenges and improving system performance.
• Have experience building AI agents, automation solutions, or data processing pipelines.
• Can work effectively with multidisciplinary teams to deliver practical, user‑focused solutions.
• Are curious about emerging AI technologies and eager to explore new ideas.
• Value strong engineering practices, security, operational excellence, and clear documentation.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in this specific area means that nationality, residency and security requirements are more tightly defined than others. To work in this role, you will need to have a DV clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain a DV clearance.

About Us

UKTL is building leading edge Telecoms testing facilities to keep our telecommunications networks safe, accelerate the roll‑out of new technologies, and grow our world leading telecoms sector to maintain resiliency and security.

Successful candidates will join a state‑of‑the‑art facility and be supporting the team conducting testing and research on the latest technologies and innovations in the industry. You will work alongside our infrastructure and Cybersecurity professionals to ensure that the UK’s world class Telecoms infrastructure grows in a resilient and secure manner underpinning growth in other industry sectors.

As a trusted and independent national capability, UKTL interacts with standards bodies, Academia, and Government Departments as well as Communications Service Providers and equipment vendors.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world‑leading centre of excellence that provides cutting‑edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity. As part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome.

We offer a wealth of above industry standard benefits, such as enhanced pension scheme and flexible working.

Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.