At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop AI-powered products and tools to drive innovation in the music industry.
- Company: Join Universal Music, the world's leading music company with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Combine your passion for music and technology to create impactful solutions.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in software engineering or related fields; strong skills in AI and data.
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.
Are you interested in working for the music industry? Would you like to help develop unique cutting-edge data science and AI solutions to help drive innovation and creative data-driven strategies across Universal Music?
Universal Music UK is looking for an AI Product Engineer to become part of our UK central data, AI and technology team. The role offers a unique opportunity to join us at the start of a new chapter, where we are looking to grow & expand on the foundation of work we’ve already begun.
The role is perfect for a candidate that is passionate about music, data, AI and technology and has a thirst for acquiring, analysing and communicating knowledge through data. In a creative organisation such as ours, reducing a complex problem into something simple is key, so any experience managing stakeholders, shaping ideas and translating business needs into clear product requirements would also be a strength.
Alongside this, you will be responsible for building and improving AI-powered products, tools and workflows that solve real business problems across Universal Music UK. You will work with stakeholders and product managers to understand user needs, shape requirements and turn ideas into practical technical solutions. Working closely with data scientists, engineers, designers and business teams, you will help take products from discovery and prototyping through to development, launch, adoption and ongoing iteration. As we’re first and foremost a data, AI and technology team, you should be comfortable working with data, APIs, technical trade-offs and modern AI-enabled software development.
As part of the central data, AI and technology team, you’ll have a chance to work across all divisions, including AMS, frontline labels, our catalogue division UMR, and all other central teams, as well as data and technology teams within the wider business. This includes helping shape products from the inception of an idea through to fully working technology that supports & supercharges the labels.
Key Responsibilities
This role will feed directly into our Engineering Lead, where core responsibilities include:
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Develop AI-powered products, tools and workflows that are tailored to the needs of our labels and central teams.
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Collaborate with stakeholders, product managers and data teams to understand requirements and turn ideas into practical technical solutions.
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Build prototypes, applications and product features using modern software development tools, AI technologies and data-driven approaches.
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Work closely with developers, data scientists and project managers to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality data and AI products that can adapt to the business’ changing needs.
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Support product testing, troubleshooting and iteration to ensure solutions are reliable, useful, secure, performant and delivering measurable value.
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Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in AI, software engineering and product development, applying them to improve the quality and efficiency of our solutions.
At the heart of this role is a desire to give us a competitive edge in connecting our artists with audiences across the globe. More will be explained at interview. Rest assured, this is an exciting role as part of an innovative new initiative within the organisation.
Skills & Experience
Skills
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Strong software engineering skills across front-end, back-end and data-driven product development.
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Strong experience developing modern web interfaces using React, TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML and CSS.
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Experience using component libraries and design systems such as Material UI to build consistent and accessible user interfaces.
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Experience building back-end services, APIs and applications using Django, Django REST Framework and Python.
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Ability to turn product requirements into clean, scalable, secure and maintainable technical solutions.
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Comfortable working with SQL, relational databases, analytics tools and large or complex datasets.
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Experience integrating internal and external APIs, services and data sources into applications.
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Good working knowledge of data, AI and machine learning concepts.
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Experience building or integrating AI-powered features into web applications, tools or business workflows.
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Familiarity with generative AI tools and coding assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, GitHub Copilot or Codex.
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Awareness of agentic engineering approaches, AI-assisted workflows and tools such as Model Context Protocol would be advantageous.
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Experience working with AWS, managed databases and DevOps practices, including Git, GitHub, code review, CI/CD, deployment workflows and monitoring.
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Familiarity with CloudWatch, Aurora, Docker, Kubernetes, Azure or Microsoft Entra ID would be advantageous.
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Ability to collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, data specialists, project managers and non-technical stakeholders.
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Strong problem-solving, testing, debugging and troubleshooting skills.
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Ability to manage competing priorities with a focus on product quality, user needs and measurable outcomes.
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Knowledge of music repertoire, music metadata, rights or the wider music industry is advantageous.
Experience
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Minimum of 3 years’ experience in software engineering, AI, data, technology or a related role.
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Background building web applications, APIs or internal tools using modern development practices.
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Experience working across the full product lifecycle, from discovery and prototype through launch, adoption, maintenance and iterative improvement.
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Experience working with cloud-hosted services, production deployments, monitoring and operational support is advantageous.
Education
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Degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience.
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A background in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, AI or a related technical discipline would be advantageous.
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Relevant professional experience, demonstrable technical capability and a strong portfolio of delivered products will be considered in place of formal qualifications.
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 Group
AI Product Engineer in London employer: Universal Music
Universal Music Group UK is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and inclusive work culture, where creativity and collaboration thrive. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we offer comprehensive benefits including a generous pension scheme, private medical insurance, and opportunities for professional development. Located in the heart of the UK's music industry, our team is dedicated to shaping culture and empowering artists, making it a truly rewarding place to build your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Product 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 Universal Music 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 Universal Music.
✨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 Universal Music.
✨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 Universal Music 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 Product Engineer 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 Universal Music.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Universal Music 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 Universal Music
✨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 Universal Music 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.
