At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI software engineering projects and deliver innovative solutions.
- Company: Join Vodafone Intelligent Solutions, a leader in tech transformation.
- Benefits: Hybrid work, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with a focus on innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI-native engineering and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in Java, Spring Boot, and cloud-native architectures required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
VOIS (Vodafone Intelligent Solutions) is a strategic arm of Vodafone Group Plc, creating value for customers by delivering intelligent solutions through Talent, Technology & Transformation. As the largest shared services organisation in the global telco industry with 30,000 FTE, our portfolio of next-generation solutions and services are designed in partnership with customers across Vodafone Group, local markets, and partner markets to simplify and drive growth.
About This Role
Location: Newbury or Paddington (hybrid)
We are seeking a Lead AI Software Engineer to lead software implementation and engineering delivery across squads, platform capabilities, or engineering domains. This is a senior hands-on role responsible for translating specifications, solution designs, and architectural direction into scalable, secure, production-ready software.
You will combine deep software engineering expertise with strong judgement in the use of AI-native engineering practices, ensuring AI-generated code, tests, documentation, and engineering artefacts are accurate, maintainable, secure, and aligned to business requirements. Working closely with Technical Leads, Architects, Product Owners, Platform Engineers, and delivery teams, you will drive implementation quality, testing, observability, operational readiness, and continuous improvement throughout the software development lifecycle.
What You Will Do
- Lead build execution within a squad, platform capability, or engineering domain
- Translate specifications, designs, and architectural intent into clear implementation plans and verifiable engineering tasks
- Decompose solution designs into small, sequenced, testable delivery increments
- Guide engineers and AI coding agents through implementation, validation, and release activities
- Deliver and oversee complex, high-risk, or business-critical software components
- Review AI-generated and engineer‑written code to ensure correctness, maintainability, security, and alignment with specifications
- Drive engineering excellence through automated testing, contract testing, regression testing, observability, and production verification
- Support CI/CD processes, deployment readiness, operational handover, runbooks, and service ownership
- Ensure AI-generated outputs are explainable, traceable, secure, and compliant with engineering standards
- Escalate architectural ambiguity, cross-domain risks, and decisions beyond agreed engineering guardrails
- Identify recurring engineering or AI‑agent delivery issues and transform them into improved controls, guidance and quality practices
- Coach engineers on AI-native software engineering, implementation planning, code review, testing practices, and responsible AI usage
- Contribute to the evolution of AI-native Software Development Life Cycle practices, developer experience, automation, and engineering productivity
Who You Are
- Significant experience delivering production‑grade software within complex engineering environments
- Strong hands‑on expertise in Java and Spring Boot, with experience in React or Angular
- Proven experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs, microservices, integrations, platform services, and digital applications
- Strong understanding of cloud‑native architectures, distributed systems, containerised environments, and modern integration patterns
- Experience building event‑driven solutions using technologies such as Kafka, RabbitMQ, or equivalent platforms
- Demonstrated ability to lead software implementation within agile engineering teams or technical domains
- Experience with CI/CD, continuous delivery practices, automated testing frameworks, observability, and production support
- Ability to convert specifications, acceptance criteria, and architectural designs into actionable implementation plans and verified software
- Strong code review and diff‑review capability, including validation of AI‑generated software outputs
- Experience using AI‑assisted engineering tools and effectively steering AI coding agents
- Understanding of responsible AI practices, including validation, security traceability, governance, and quality assurance
- Excellent stakeholder engagement, coaching, collaboration, and communication skills
- Strong focus on software quality, resilience, operational readiness, and continuous improvement
What’s In It For You
- Opportunity to shape and deliver next‑generation digital and technology capabilities that support Vodafone’s future growth
- Exposure to AI-native engineering practices and modern software delivery methodologies
- Opportunity to work on cloud‑native platforms, reusable services, APIs, integrations, and large‑scale digital products
- Collaboration with highly skilled engineers, architects, platform specialists, and product teams across global markets
- Involvement in modern engineering disciplines including automation, continuous delivery, observability, and platform engineering
- Ability to influence engineering standards, software quality, delivery practices, and operational excellence
What Skills You Will Learn
- Advanced AI-native engineering and AI-agent orchestration techniques
- Large‑scale cloud-native software architecture and distributed systems practices
- Modern software delivery frameworks, automation strategies, and developer productivity improvements
- Advanced observability, operational readiness, and production engineering capabilities
- Enterprise‑scale implementation planning, architecture alignment, and engineering governance
- Coaching, mentoring, and technical leadership skills within multi‑disciplinary engineering environments
VOIS Equal Opportunity Employer Commitment
Vodafone recognises and celebrates the value of diversity in building a workforce that reflects the customers and communities it serves. No form of discrimination is tolerated.
Join Us
At Vodafone, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this.
Lead AI Software Engineer in London employer: VOIS
Vodafone is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment in London, Paddington, where innovation and continuous improvement are at the forefront of our mission. As a Principal AI Platform Engineer, you will have the unique opportunity to shape high-impact platform transformations while working with cutting-edge AI technologies, all within a culture that values diversity and supports employee growth through mentorship and cross-functional leadership. Join us to influence strategic decisions and enhance developer productivity in a role that promises both meaningful challenges and rewarding experiences.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead AI Software 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 VOIS 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 VOIS.
✨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 VOIS.
✨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 VOIS 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 Lead AI Software 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 VOIS.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at VOIS 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 VOIS
✨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 VOIS 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.
