At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and improve AI agents for real-world coding tasks and workflows.
- Company: Join OpenAI, a leader in AI research and deployment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment focused on innovation and user outcomes.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by turning cutting-edge AI research into practical tools.
- Qualifications: Experience with machine learning, Python, and model evaluation.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
About The Team
We build the kernel of Codex. We own making the agent better, accelerating research, and making those improvements real in production for our users. That means working across the systems that make Codex actually function as an agent in the real world: the production performance envelope around tokens, latency, reliability, cost, and capacity; the core execution loop and interfaces that turn models into useful behaviour; the shared infrastructure that enables other teams to build on Codex; and the feedback loops that turn real‑world usage into better models and better agent behaviour over time.
About The Role
We’re looking for applied AI engineers to help bring Codex agents from impressive demos to dependable tools. This role is about improving agent performance on real software engineering tasks and closing the gap between research capability and real‑world usefulness. You’ll work closely with research, infrastructure, and product to ensure agents are not just powerful, but useful, steerable, and reliable in practice. The job is not only to improve model behaviour in isolation, but to turn those improvements into measurable gains in solve rate, usefulness, and economic value for users.
What You’ll Do
- Design and iterate on agent behaviours across real‑world coding tasks and long‑horizon workflows.
- Work closely with research to develop and run evals to measure agent performance, regressions, failure modes, and edge cases.
- Improve performance through prompting, tool‑use strategies, context construction, and model‑facing experimentation.
- Analyse failures in production and systematically improve robustness and reliability.
- Build feedback loops and data systems that get better real‑task data into evaluation and research.
- Work with product teams to shape user‑facing agent experiences and the interfaces the agent depends on.
- Help define what “good” looks like for agents completing complex tasks end‑to‑end.
You Might Be a Good Fit If You
- Have experience building or shipping machine learning or LLM‑powered products.
- Are strong in Python and comfortable with modern ML tooling.
- Have worked on model evaluation, fine‑tuning, or prompt design.
- Think in terms of systems and user outcomes, not just model metrics.
- Enjoy debugging messy, real‑world failures and turning them into improvements.
- Want to work in the layer that turns research and model potential into systems that actually work for users.
Bonus Points
- Experience with agent frameworks or tool‑using LLM systems.
- Research experience with code generation models or developer tooling.
- Experience working with large, messy datasets or production logs.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general‑purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal‑opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.
Compensation Range: $230K - $385K
Applied AI Engineer, Codex Core Agent in London employer: OpenAI
OpenAI is an exceptional employer for Applied AI Engineers, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Located in the heart of San Francisco, employees benefit from a vibrant tech ecosystem, competitive compensation, and opportunities for professional growth in cutting-edge AI research and deployment. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, OpenAI ensures that every voice is valued, making it a meaningful place to contribute to transformative technology.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Applied AI Engineer, Codex Core Agent 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 OpenAI 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 OpenAI.
✨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 OpenAI.
✨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 OpenAI 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 Applied AI Engineer, Codex Core Agent in London
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 OpenAI.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at OpenAI 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 OpenAI
✨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 OpenAI 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.