At a Glance
- Tasks: Join a dynamic team to develop AI-driven software solutions and enhance business processes.
- Company: XPS Group, a leading UK consultancy in pensions and insurance.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible holidays, healthcare plans, and volunteer opportunities.
- Other info: Remote work with occasional meetups and excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact with cutting-edge AI tools in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in software engineering with strong programming skills and AI toolchain experience.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Location: Reading (Remote)
Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time
Grade: Consultant
Please note that, due to Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) requirements, all applicants must have maintained continuous residence in the United Kingdom for a minimum of three years. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates; however, this residency requirement is essential for progression through the vetting process.
About XPS Group
XPS Group is a prominent and growing UK consultancy and administration firm within the pensions and insurance sectors. As a FTSE 250 company with over 2000 employees, we leverage expertise alongside advanced technology to serve over 1,400 pension schemes and their sponsors. Our goal is to foster a workplace where diverse talents thrive.
About The Role
XPS Group IT provides IT services to all XPS offices located across the UK and Ireland. XPS currently employs 2,150 employees across multiple business areas. This role will be remote with regular meetups at the Reading Office where our IT Hub is located. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to work at your nearest XPS office if you prefer to be fully office based. This is not a traditional SWE role. You'll work in small teams with minimal supervision. You'll write production code, but you'll also be in client workshops, documenting and describing processes, workflows and translating what an actuary/pensions administrator/core function team needs into a shipped product.
Key Responsibilities
- Embed with business teams to understand workflows end-to-end across all business areas
- Own end to end delivery: scope the work with team stakeholders, build it, test it against their data, and see it through to live running
- Use AI tools such as Claude Code, Open AI Codex, AI enabled IDEs to deliver solutions rapidly into the business
- Build bespoke integrations, data pipelines, and user-facing tools
- Feed learnings from the field back into our core product, shaping the roadmap with first-hand evidence
Essential Your Profile:
- Engineering background, preferably in the Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, and Data Science fields.
- 3+ years of professional software engineering experience, with proficiency with one or more programming languages such as Python, C++, Java, Typescript/JavaScript
- Demonstrable ability and a track record of combining your skills with AI toolchains to build complete production systems
- Comfortable working solo, directly with non-technical stakeholders and translating ambiguous business problems into concrete technical work
- An eagerness to solve technical problems with data structures, storage systems, cloud infrastructure, UX frameworks and tools
- A comprehensive understanding of the current AI landscape, both open source and proprietary
- Willingness to travel to XPS sites across the UK
- Must have the right to work in the UK
Desirable
- Prior exposure to UK pensions, or to another heavily regulated industry (insurance, banking, healthcare, utilities)
- Exposure to Azure in a regulated-industry context, including familiarity with data residency and security controls
- Demonstrable AI related self-built projects / GitHub use and commit history
What We Offer
Enjoy a competitive salary, annual discretionary bonus, and 25 days' holiday with buy/sell flexibility. Benefits include pension matching, healthcare plans, life assurance, and retailer discounts. We support our team with a flexible benefits scheme, employee assistance, and digital GP service. Participating in volunteering events is encouraged with paid volunteer days available. Referral bonuses are offered for introducing suitable candidates to XPS.
Equal Opportunities Statement
XPS Group is committed to diversity and equal opportunities. We welcome applications from all candidates, irrespective of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or belief. As a Disability Confident employer, we ensure accessible and supportive work settings for all employees.
Eligibility
Any employment offer made will be conditional upon you satisfying DBS Disclosure checks, Employment or educational references, Satisfactory credit checks and eligibility to work in the UK before an offer can be made. XPS Group is not able to provide sponsorship to employees.
Who Are We
To find out more please visit: www.xpsgroup.com
AI Forward Deployed Software Engineer in Reading employer: XPS Group
XPS Group is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture in the heart of Newcastle with the flexibility of hybrid working. Employees benefit from competitive salaries, annual bonuses, and a commitment to diversity, alongside ample opportunities for personal and professional growth within a supportive team environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Forward Deployed Software Engineer in Reading
✨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 XPS Group 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 XPS Group.
✨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 XPS Group.
✨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 XPS Group 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 Forward Deployed Software Engineer in Reading
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 XPS Group.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at XPS Group 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 XPS Group
✨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 XPS Group 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.
