AI Lead Engineer in London

AI Lead Engineer in London

London Full-Time 81000 - 99000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
NewDay

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the design and delivery of innovative AI systems that drive real business outcomes.
  • Company: Join NewDay, a forward-thinking company that values diversity and collaboration.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 26 days holiday, private medical insurance, and generous bonuses.
  • Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and inclusivity.
  • Why this job: Make a tangible impact by embedding AI into core business processes.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in delivering production-grade AI systems and strong software engineering skills.

The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.

We’re hiring a Lead AI Engineer to own the design and delivery of AI systems across the business. This is a hands-on role focused on building production-grade solutions using LLMs and agentic systems, embedding AI directly into core business processes rather than building isolated prototypes. You’ll take high-value problems and turn them into scalable, reliable systems used in real workflows, driving measurable business outcomes.

You’ll have ownership of technical direction, architecture, and implementation, translating defined business priorities into robust, production-ready systems. You’ll make key technical decisions and work hands-on alongside engineers to deliver solutions that are reusable, scalable, and built for long-term impact.

How You’ll Contribute

  • Own the technical direction, architecture, and implementation of AI systems end-to-end
  • Design and build LLM-powered and agent-based solutions from concept to production
  • Establish engineering standards, patterns, and reusable components across use cases
  • Own key technical decisions on models, tooling, infrastructure, and system design
  • Ensure systems are robust, observable, and production-ready (evaluation, monitoring, guardrails)
  • Provide technical leadership and direction to engineers contributing to AI initiatives

We're Looking For These Essential Skills

  • Proven track record of owning the technical direction and delivery of production-grade AI systems end-to-end
  • Experience designing and delivering complex AI systems across multiple use cases or domains
  • Deep expertise in generative AI / LLMs, including orchestration, prompting, and evaluation
  • Experience building agentic or multi-step AI systems
  • Strong software engineering fundamentals including APIs, system design, and cloud-based architectures
  • Ability to drive technical direction in ambiguous or fast-moving problem spaces
  • Experience influencing engineering standards and practices across multiple projects

It’s a Plus If You Also Have These Skills

  • Experience building AI platforms or reusable frameworks and patterns
  • Familiarity with LLMOps / MLOps and production evaluation practice
  • Experience embedding AI into core business processes or enterprise systems
  • Experience working in large-scale or regulated enterprise environments

What's in it for you?

  • 26 days holiday, rising to 30 with service
  • A holiday buy scheme (up to 5 extra days)
  • Double matched pension, with up to 14% from NewDay
  • Generous annual performance bonuses
  • Private medical insurance with Bupa, including mental health support and cancer care
  • 26 weeks paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave
  • Free breakfast and lunch in the office every day, provided by our in-house chefs

At NewDay, we value all types of diversity. We’re an equal opportunity employer and believe that our differences create a vibrant, authentic working culture. We make sure that every job is crafted to be inclusive and that people with disabilities or caring responsibilities can take part in the application and interview process. Tell us if you need accommodations.

Location: London

Type: Full time

AI Lead Engineer in London employer: NewDay

NewDay is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant city of London, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we provide ample opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement, particularly in the field of analytics. Our hybrid work environment ensures flexibility, allowing you to balance your personal and professional life while contributing to meaningful projects that drive profitability and strategic success.

NewDay

Contact Details:

NewDay Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land AI Lead Engineer in London

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 NewDay 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 NewDay.

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 NewDay.

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 NewDay 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 AI Lead Engineer in London

Technical Direction
Architecture Design
Implementation of AI Systems
LLM Expertise
Agentic Systems Development
Software Engineering Fundamentals
API Development

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 NewDay.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at NewDay 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 NewDay

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 NewDay 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.