Senior Applied AI Engineer in Slough

Senior Applied AI Engineer in Slough

Slough Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Xapien

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Own and optimise parts of the Xapien AI pipeline, driving meaningful improvements.
  • Company: Join a fast-growing AI startup transforming due diligence with cutting-edge technology.
  • Benefits: Unlimited holidays, private health insurance, and a £1k professional development fund.
  • Other info: Be part of a small, collaborative team focused on innovation and growth.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of AI-driven insights and make a real impact in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: Experience with LLM systems and strong numerical reasoning skills required.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

We turn a week of analyst work into seven minutes. Getting to "trust it with a £10bn decision" is the interesting part — and where you come in.

The work

  • You’ll own parts of the Xapien pipeline end-to-end — LLM research agents, entity resolution, report generation.
  • Prototype, evaluate, ship, measure, improve.
  • Build a system optimised for accuracy, speed and cost.
  • Design evals that measure what matters, driving meaningful improvements.
  • Dig into the failures and fix them at the root.
  • Shape and ship what's next - high ownership.

We use Claude Code by default and rarely write code ourselves. The craft is in careful prompting, tight loops, sharp evals, and spotting when the agent's quietly wrong.

You:

  • Fluent in Claude Code, Codex, or similar agentic tooling.
  • Strong numerical reasoning. Top-uni CS / maths / engineering / science, or equivalent in what you've built.
  • Shipped production LLM systems — RAG, prompting, agents. The kind customers pay for.
  • You've worked somewhere fast — startup or strong tech team — and make good calls on imperfect information.
  • You know software engineering: you’ve launched systems, responded to incidents, designed for failure.
  • High-agency. You scope problems, own solutions, and help decide what we build next.
  • Focused on real answers for real customers. Theory's a tool, not the point.
  • Good to work with. Small team — it matters.

About Us

Every business needs to know who they’re really working with whether it’s suppliers, investors, partners, or third parties. At Xapien, we’re reinventing how organisations do that, combining speed, scale and accuracy with cutting-edge AI.

Since 2018, we’ve grown from a deep-tech startup to a global player in AI-driven due diligence and risk intelligence. 2024 was a landmark year as we closed a $10M Series A, earned recognition in the Chartis RiskTech100® and Everest Group’s Leading 50™, and expanded our products, markets and customer base. 2025 was even bigger: With new regulations, rising compliance pressure and growing reputation risks, organisations everywhere are demanding smarter, faster ways to work and they’re turning to us. Customers worldwide from global law firms and private banks to universities and nonprofits rely on Xapien to turn days of manual research into trusted insights, delivered in minutes.

Our momentum so far

  • Customers in a diverse range of industries, with particular growth in wealth management, financial services and supply chain onboarding.
  • Demand accelerating beyond our UK headquarters, across multiple continents with new customers in the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania.

Why this is an exciting time to join

This isn’t just another job role; it’s an opportunity to shape the future of the due diligence industry with a market-leading product trusted by global organisations. Whether you’re in marketing, communications, sales, or finance, you’ll play a critical role in driving growth, building credibility, and defining how we connect our product to a rapidly evolving market.

We’re scaling fast with more customers, more releases, and bigger regulatory and market challenges. Expectations are rising, due diligence now means real-time insight, delivered efficiently and with impact. You won’t just be executing campaigns, closing deals, or managing numbers, you’ll be influencing strategy, optimising processes, and helping position a brand that’s setting the new standard for trust and transparency.

For people who love learning, innovating, and making an impact that matters now is the moment to be a part of Xapien.

Here’s our promise to you:

  • We are going to work with you - to build a rewarding and fulfilling career with the opportunities, challenges and resources you need to do your best work.
  • We succeed together - you will own a meaningful part of the business through our employee shares & equity programme.
  • Private health insurance to keep you in tip-top condition.
  • Life Insurance – let's hope nobody ever needs this!
  • Unlimited holidays – yes, it really is uncapped – take the time you need, when you need it.
  • Everyone is learning, developing and challenging themselves so we have a £1k professional development fund per year if you want to learn new skills, even new things outside of work.
  • Most importantly of all, we will work with you, to help you realise your fullest potential, always.

Senior Applied AI Engineer in Slough employer: Xapien

At Xapien, we are not just redefining due diligence; we are creating a vibrant work culture that prioritises innovation, collaboration, and personal growth. As a Senior Applied AI Engineer, you will have the unique opportunity to shape cutting-edge AI solutions while enjoying benefits like unlimited holidays, private health insurance, and a generous professional development fund. Join us in our fast-paced, supportive environment where your contributions directly impact our mission and your career trajectory.

Xapien

Contact Details:

Xapien Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Applied AI Engineer in Slough

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend meetups, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving LLM systems or AI. This is your chance to demonstrate what you can do beyond just a CV.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to AI engineering. Think about how you’d tackle real-world problems and be ready to discuss your thought process.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team at Xapien.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Applied AI Engineer in Slough

Fluency in Claude Code
Numerical Reasoning
Production LLM Systems Experience
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
Prompting Techniques
Agentic Tooling Knowledge
Software Engineering Principles

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Passion for AI:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI and its potential shine through. We want to see how you’ve engaged with the field, whether through projects, research, or personal interests. Make it clear why you’re excited about the opportunity to shape the future of due diligence with us!

Highlight Relevant Experience:Be sure to showcase your experience with LLM systems and any relevant tools like Claude Code or Codex. We’re looking for candidates who have shipped production systems, so share specific examples of your work that demonstrate your skills and impact in previous roles.

Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the job description. Use keywords from the posting and align your experiences with what we’re looking for. This shows us you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in joining our team.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our company and culture while you’re at it!

How to prepare for a job interview at Xapien

Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re fluent in Claude Code, Codex, or similar tools. Brush up on your experience with LLM systems and be ready to discuss specific projects where you've shipped production systems. This will show that you not only understand the tech but have practical experience in applying it.

Demonstrate Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare to talk about how you've tackled challenges in previous roles. Think of examples where you dug into failures and fixed them at the root. Highlight your high-agency mindset by discussing how you scoped problems and owned solutions.

Showcase Your Analytical Mindset

Since strong numerical reasoning is key for this role, be ready to discuss how you’ve used data to drive meaningful improvements. Bring examples of how you designed evaluations that measure what matters and how those insights led to real customer benefits.

Be a Team Player

Xapien values collaboration, so be prepared to share experiences that highlight your ability to work well in small teams. Discuss how you’ve contributed to a positive team dynamic and how you can help shape the future of the company together.