AI Engineer - Fraud in Liverpool

Acorn Insurance is hiring an AI Engineer for our Fraud AI Team. This is a focused, hands-on role with one clear opening priority: take ownership of our Neo4J-based fraud detection solution. After that, there is a meaningful backlog of Fraud AI work waiting - detection workflows, casework support, signal generation - and the engineer who takes this role will be the one shaping how we deliver it. Acorn is FCA-regulated, with Consumer Duty and UK GDPR shaping how AI gets built and run. Fraud work in particular needs to be auditable and defensible - that is a design constraint, not an afterthought. Fraud is one of the highest-stakes places AI gets deployed in insurance. The work you do here directly affects detection rates, investigator productivity and customer outcomes. You’ll own a meaningful piece of capability from day one - the Neo4J solution - with a backlog of follow-on work behind it, executive backing, and a small focused team where individual contribution shows.

What you will be doing:

• Take ownership of the Neo4J network graph solution for Fraud: schema, ingestion, queries, performance, evolution.
• Work through the Fraud AI backlog - detection workflows, casework support, fraud signal generation, investigator-facing tooling.
• Build and ship in n8n and AI Foundry / Requesty, integrating Neo4J outputs into investigator workflows.
• Partner with the existing Fraud AI Engineer on priorities, design and delivery; share load and context.
• Stakeholder management with Fraud ops and the Fraud SLT - translate operational concerns into deliverable work.
• Make sure outputs are auditable and defensible - documentation, logging, evaluation and human-in-the-loop where the risk profile demands it.
• Lean on the Central / Group team for platform support, observability standards and burst capacity when needed.
• Work within a regulated AI governance model: DPIAs, model documentation, observability, human-in-the-loop where appropriate.

What we are looking for:

• Solid engineering background with production experience shipping software or AI / ML-backed systems.
• Strong working knowledge of graph databases - Neo4J specifically, or comparable (TigerGraph, Amazon Neptune).
• Cypher fluency is a real plus.
• Databricks experience is a strong plus - it underpins our wider data platform and Fraud AI work increasingly touches it.
• Comfort with Python, REST / webhook integration, JSON, and at least one workflow / orchestration tool (n8n preferred given our stack).
• Working comfort with YAML - it shows up everywhere in configuration, CI and infrastructure-as-code.
• Working knowledge of LLM application patterns: RAG, structured extraction, evaluation, agentic workflows - enough to use them where they're the right tool.
• Domain exposure to insurance fraud, financial crime, or a comparable detection / investigation function is a strong advantage.
• Awareness of the constraints of regulated environments: auditability, defensibility, data residency, model risk - design around them, don't work against them.
• Comfort working in a small team where you own outcomes end-to-end - hands-on delivery, not just direction.
• Cloud familiarity (Azure preferred) without needing to be a platform engineer - that work sits with the Central / Group team.
• Formal AI/ML credentials are not a hard requirement. Demonstrable delivery, sound judgement and the ability to ship into a regulated environment matter more.

Grow with Acorn At Acorn Insurance, we’re proud of our Liverpool roots — and even prouder of how far we’ve come. As part of the Acorn Group, we bring over 40 years of specialist insurance expertise to the table. We’re growing fast, with new opportunities emerging every week. That growth is largely due to the values we share:

• We run through walls for our customers and each other
• We challenge the status quo
• We succeed when we help those around us succeed
• We decide quickly when the smart thing to do is use our judgement

A maximum of 35 days’ holiday (depending on role and tenure) including bank holidays, with additional buy/sell options.

24/7 mental health support & free counselling available.

Flexible benefits, including early access to salary via our internal platform.

Hybrid working options to support work-life balance and individual needs.

Our Commitment to our colleagues: These aren’t just words — they’re the principles we live by. And we’re proud to back them up with real action, earning recognition and accreditation from leading organisations that share our commitment to people and growth:

• Mindful Employer – championing mental health and wellbeing
• Disability Confident Level 1 & 2 – creating accessible, inclusive opportunities
• Menopause Friendly accredited – supporting every stage of life
• Armed Forces Covenant signatory – honouring those who serve
• Great Places to Work 2024/25 – fostering an engaging and positive workplace culture

If you’re looking for a company with a strong culture, real career progression, and a people-first approach — all rooted in the heart of Liverpool — Grow Acorn.

A Few Things to Know Before You Apply: If your application is successful, we will commence relevant employment checks prior to you commencing employment with us. These will include a standard criminal record check and an insolvency register check.

Visa Requirements: Because our training is quite comprehensive, we can only consider applicants who have at least one year remaining on their Graduate or Post-Study Work visa. At the moment, we’re not able to offer visa sponsorship.

We’re Here to Support You: We’re committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where everyone can flourish. If you need any adjustments at all, just let us know. Whether it’s flexible hours, adapted equipment, or a bit of extra support, we’ll work with you to make sure you can do your best work.