At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build AI-powered applications while mentoring fellow developers.
- Company: Join an international organisation pioneering in Digital & AI engineering.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with hands-on involvement and influence over technical direction.
- Why this job: Be a key player in shaping AI solutions that solve real business challenges.
- Qualifications: Experience in building AI applications and strong software engineering skills.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
Are you the right applicant for this opportunity? Find out by reading through the role overview below.
Cardiff / Hybrid (3 Days Per Week) £70,000 - £80,000 + Benefits
A rare opportunity to join an international organisation at the start of its Digital & AI engineering journey. The business is already exploring AI across multiple countries, with teams building applications, automations and new solutions to solve real business problems. The next step is building the technical foundations, governance and engineering capability to take that further. As the first dedicated hire in this area, you'll have genuine influence over how AI solutions are designed, built and deployed across the organisation. The key thing is that this is a hands-on engineering role.
They need someone who has personally built AI into applications or products, understands how those solutions work beyond the development environment, and enjoys experimenting with new technologies as they emerge. You don't need to be managing a large engineering team already. This could suit a Senior, Lead or Principal Engineer who mentors others and influences technical direction but still wants to be close to the technology.
What You'll Do:
- Design, build and deliver AI-powered applications and automation solutions
- Integrate LLMs and AI services into real-world applications
- Work with AI agents, RAG architectures and orchestration
- Help define the technical direction of a new Digital & AI capability
- Build the controls, observability and governance needed to use AI safely at scale
- Define development standards, engineering frameworks and best practice
- Mentor developers and provide technical guidance across the business
- Work across technologies including React, Next.js, Node.js and AWS
- Collaborate with infrastructure, cloud and wider technology teams
- Stay hands-on whilst helping shape the organisation's longer-term approach to AI
What You'll Bring:
- Strong software engineering fundamentals
- Practical experience personally building AI-enabled applications, features or products
- Experience integrating LLMs or AI services into applications, rather than solely using AI as a development tool
- Understanding of areas such as LLM APIs, orchestration, agents, RAG, guardrails and observability
- AWS experience, ideally including exposure to Amazon Bedrock
- JavaScript / TypeScript and modern web engineering experience
- Experience with Node.js, React, Next.js or comparable technologies
- Strong understanding of software architecture and engineering best practice
- Experience mentoring engineers or influencing technical direction
- Genuine interest in emerging AI technologies and a willingness to experiment with new models, tools and approaches
- Ability to communicate technical ideas clearly to non-technical stakeholders
You Don't Need:
- A Head of AI title
- Experience managing a large engineering team
- To have spent years in formal people management
Lead Engineer (Digital/AI) employer: Yolk Recruitment
Join a dynamic and rapidly expanding precision manufacturing company in Basildon, where your skills as a CNC Turner Setter Operator will be valued and nurtured. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will benefit from a supportive work culture that prioritises quality and innovation in the aerospace sector. Enjoy competitive pay, a streamlined interview process, and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in a thriving industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer (Digital/AI)
✨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 Yolk Recruitment 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 Yolk Recruitment.
✨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 Yolk Recruitment.
✨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 Yolk Recruitment 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 Engineer (Digital/AI)
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 Yolk Recruitment.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Yolk Recruitment 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 Yolk Recruitment
✨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 Yolk Recruitment 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.
