Tech Lead AI Factory in Reading

We have a great new role for an AI Platform Tech Lead to join our Technology Transformation Team within CTO. The AI Platform Technical Lead is the senior technical authority responsible for the design, architecture, and quality of the AI and data platforms that underpin advanced analytics, AIOps, and AI-enabled OSS capabilities across the CTO organisation. Working with the Head of Cloud, Data & AI Enablement, this role ensures that data, cloud, and AI platforms are engineered to be scalable, secure, resilient, and fit for operationalising AI at enterprise scale across fixed and mobile networks.

We require an exceptional candidate with deep hands-on technical leadership and strong solution governance. You will shape the technical foundations required to ingest, process, and expose high-quality network and OSS data, and to operationalise AI/ML models that drive automation, predictive insights, and improved customer experience. Acting as a key design authority, the AI Platform Technical Lead guides internal teams and suppliers through complex delivery, challenges sub-optimal designs, and ensures alignment with strategic architecture, security, and cost objectives.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

• Act as the technical design authority for the AI Platform, covering data ingestion, feature pipelines, model training, deployment, and monitoring across cloud environments.
• Define and govern solution design and best practices for AI platforms, data pipelines, and MLOps/AIOps capabilities.
• Ensure architectural alignment across application, integration, data, and AI layers, working closely with Digital Architecture function.
• Design and govern scalable frameworks to support the full AI/ML lifecycle, including training data management, feature stores, model deployment, monitoring, and retraining.
• Enable the operationalisation of AI use cases ensuring models are reliable, explainable, and production-ready.
• Ensure AI platforms support both real-time and batch inference to meet network and operational use cases.
• Oversee the design and optimisation of large-scale, cloud-native data pipelines supporting network telemetry, OSS/BSS data, and operational analytics.
• Govern data models, schemas, and standards across network domains (Fixed and Mobile) to ensure consistency, quality, and reusability.
• Ensure data platforms are optimised for performance, scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency.
• Quality assure technical designs and implementations across multiple supplier and internal engineering teams.
• Set and enforce coding standards, DevSecOps practices, and technical KPIs to ensure secure, reliable, and “right-first-time” delivery.
• Act as an escalation point for complex technical issues and delivery blockers across AI and data platform initiatives.

The must haves

• Strong experience designing and leading AI and data platforms in large-scale, cloud-native environments.
• Advanced data engineering expertise including data modelling, ETL/ELT, orchestration, and real-time streaming (e.g. Kafka, Spark, Flink).
• Proven experience with MLOps and AIOps, including feature pipelines, model lifecycle management, monitoring, and operationalisation.
• Strong cloud engineering background, GCP or similar cloud provider, and experience with Kubernetes, containerisation, and IaC (Terraform, Ansible).
• Solid understanding of telecom network domains (RAN, Core, Transport) and OSS/BSS data sources, including telemetry, alarms, topology, configuration, and service inventory.
• Proficiency in relevant programming languages (Python, SQL, Scala, Java).
• Strong API and event-driven integration experience (REST, gRPC, GraphQL, streaming architectures).
• Experience working in agile, DevOps-led environments with multiple vendors and distributed teams.

The other stuff we are looking for

• Experience integrating OSS platforms, network inventory systems, and assurance tools into analytics and AI pipelines.
• Demonstrated ability to define technical standards, review architectures, and mentor senior engineers.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence architects, product teams, and senior stakeholders.
• Experience supporting transformation programmes involving automation, cloud migration, and AI enablement.

What's in it for you

Our goal is to celebrate our people, their lives and everything in-between. We aim to create a culture that empowers everyone to bring the best versions of themselves to work each and every day. We believe the most inclusive and diverse culture makes for a better business and a brighter world. Working at Virgin Media O2, you get a bumper reward package bursting with benefits, and loads of extras you can add if you’d like to. These are designed to support both you and your loved ones, making sure that you’re covered no matter what life throws your way.

Next steps

If we feel like a place where you can belong, we’d love to learn more about you as a person and your experience to date. Once you’ve submitted an application the next steps of the process, if successful, are likely to include a technical and competency based interview. When you apply, you’ll be asked about any adjustments you might need to support the recruitment process. Let us know, and we’ll be sure to discuss it with you.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert, therefore we may bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. If you’re offered a job with us, it will be conditional, based on the passing of background checks. All roles require a criminal record check and some roles need a financial probity check. Your recruiter can provide you with more information if needed.

Thanks for your patience and for showing an interest in joining the Virgin Media O2 family. Things move pretty fast around here. New tech, new products, new ideas - and new opportunities for talented people like you.