At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build cutting-edge AI tools for the music industry.
- Company: Join Universal Music, a leader in music innovation and culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private medical insurance, and generous leave.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in music with state-of-the-art AI technology.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software/ML engineering and a passion for music.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Music is Universal
It’s the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music who help make us the world’s leading music company. From A&R to finance, legal to digital, sales to marketing, Universal Music is the place to grow and develop your career within a truly commercial and innovative business that leads in everything it does.
Everyone is welcome to apply for our roles, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment because of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, age, marital status, background, pregnancy, or caring responsibilities. We also recognise the importance of diversity of thought within our teams and are fully committed to embracing the talents of people with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and other forms of neurocognitive variation.
We will always seek to make appropriate adjustments to recruitment, workplaces, and work processes to be fully inclusive to people with different needs and working styles. If you need us to make any reasonable adjustments for you from application onwards, including alternatives to the online form or to disclose a neurocognitive condition, please email UniversalMusicCareers@umusic.com.
Department
Part of the Global Technology organization, the team’s mission is to design and build state of the art AI/ML tools to support and empower Royalty Manager & Artists, and industry professionals.
The team covers the full design & development lifecycle, from explorative research to design to prototypes to production scale programs. It typically undertakes programs with applications such as, but not limited to, royalty calculations, income claim, contract agreements, search, recommendation, etc.
We are curious, passionate and committed to push the envelope in AI for music. If you are excited at the idea of working on state-of-the-art AI at industry scale and make an impact, we want to hear from you!
The Role
We’re looking for an AI Engineer to build and ship machine learning and generative AI solutions that power how a modern music company operates across A&R insights, marketing optimization, audience growth, content operations, rights/royalty workflows, and creative tools. You’ll partner with product, engineering, data, legal, and business teams to take ideas from prototype to production, with a strong focus on reliability, safety, and measurable impact.
Key Responsibilities
Be Technical
Design and implement AI pipelines for automating royalty calculation and relation processes etc.
Integrate foundation models (LLMs, vision models, etc.) into products using APIs and custom fine-tuning.
Develop and maintain retrieval systems that operate efficiently at scale.
Explore frontier software engineering in AI/ML for media, and related opportunities for UMG.
Build on state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure.
Be collaborative
Collaborate with the team and stakeholders to deliver, operate and maintain products.
Be part of an innovative and dynamic team.
Skills and Experience Required
Must have
Background in Computer Science, Software Engineering, ML Ops, Artificial Intelligence or related technical field.
5+ years of hands-on professional experience in software/ML engineering.
Proven ability to come up with designs for AI/ML systems, pipelines and/or applications, and to implement them successfully.
Expertise in quantitative evaluation and benchmarking of state-of-the-art AI models.
Up to date knowledge of state of the art for ML Ops, ML infrastructure, including related tools, design patterns, best practices etc.
Experience with vector databases (e.g., Pinecone, FAISS, Milvus, Weaviate) and information retrieval systems and methods.
Familiarity with media content (video, audio) ML pipelines.
Proficiency in Python and common AI/ML libraries (e.g., PyTorch, Hugging Face Transformers, LangChain) and cloud frameworks (VertexAI, Bedrock, Sagemaker).
Strong proficiency in Git, CI/CD workflows, and containerization (Docker/Kubernetes).
Proficiency with Linux environments and cloud platforms (e.g. AWS, Google Cloud Platform).
Ability to write clean, efficient, well documented, and reusable code.
Good communication skills, both oral and written.
Curious, self-motivated, and proactive.
Nice to have
Experience training and/or fine-tuning AI models.
Experience with LLMs integration, fine-tuning and associated tools (e.g. LangChain, Agent frameworks).
Competency in at least one other programming language (e.g. C/C++, Java).
Experience going from POC to production-grade system.
Key Behaviours
Curious Innovator: You stay up to date with frontier AI technologies and enjoy experimenting with fresh ideas that push the boundaries, running experiments, and learning fast from results.
Ownership Mindset: You take initiative, follow through on challenges, and bring a sense of accountability to everything you build.
Pragmatic Problem Solver: You balance technical depth with real-world practicality — delivering elegant, efficient and robust solutions that get the job done.
Collaborative Builder: You thrive in cross-functional teams, translating complex AI concepts into simple, impactful solutions that empower others.
Culturally Connected: You have a genuine interest in music and the role of technology in supporting culture.
About UMG UK
We are Universal Music Group UK – the UK’s leading music-based entertainment company. We exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. We help UK artists produce, distribute and promote the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music to inspire and entertain fans at home and around the world.
Bonus Tracks: Your Benefits
Group Personal Pension Scheme (between 3% and 9%)
Private Medical Insurance
25 paid days of annual leave
Interest Free Season Ticket Loan
Holiday Purchase scheme
Dental and Travel Insurance options
Cycle to Work Scheme
Salary Sacrifice Cars
Subsidised Gym Membership
Employee Discounts (Reward Gateway)
Just So You Know…
The company presents this job description as a guide to the major areas and duties for which the jobholder is accountable. However, the business operates in an environment that demands change and the jobholder's specific responsibilities and activities will vary and develop. Therefore, the job description should be seen as indicative and not as a permanent, definitive, and exhaustive statement.
Job Category:
Universal Music GroupAI Engineer in London employer: Universal Music
At Universal Music Group UK, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive and innovative employer that champions diversity and creativity. As an AI Engineer, you'll be part of a passionate team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology in the music industry, with ample opportunities for professional growth and collaboration across various departments. Our supportive work culture, combined with competitive benefits like private medical insurance and a generous pension scheme, makes UMG an exceptional place to develop your career while making a meaningful impact in the world of music.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Engineer in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with current employees at Universal Music. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your AI projects. This gives you a chance to demonstrate your expertise and passion for AI in music, making you stand out from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Practice common interview questions and think about how your experience aligns with Universal Music's mission and values.
✨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 being part of the Universal Music family.
We think you need these skills to ace AI Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the AI Engineer role. Highlight your relevant experience in AI/ML, and don’t forget to mention any projects that showcase your skills in building and shipping machine learning solutions.
Show Your Passion for Music:Since we’re all about music at Universal Music, let your love for it shine through in your application. Share any personal projects or experiences that connect your technical skills with the music industry – it’ll make you stand out!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your skills and experiences, and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role. We want to see your personality too!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Universal Music
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends in AI and machine learning, especially as they relate to the music industry. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI pipelines, ML Ops, and any relevant projects you've worked on. This shows you're not just a techie but also understand how your work impacts the music world.
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
Universal Music values teamwork, so be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams. Highlight your communication skills and how you've translated complex technical concepts into simple terms for non-technical stakeholders. This will demonstrate that you can bridge the gap between tech and business.
✨Prepare for Problem-Solving Questions
Expect to face some real-world problem-solving scenarios during your interview. Think about challenges you've encountered in previous roles and how you tackled them. Be ready to explain your thought process and the impact of your solutions, especially in relation to AI applications in the music industry.
✨Express Your Passion for Music
Since Universal Music is all about culture and artistry, make sure to convey your genuine interest in music and how technology plays a role in it. Share any personal projects or experiences that connect your technical skills with your love for music. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly aligns with their mission.
