Our client is seeking an exceptional Principal AI Engineer to help solve some of the most challenging technical problems within the defence sector.
This is not a traditional machine learning position. The successful candidate will operate across AI, software engineering, data engineering and systems development, applying advanced technical expertise to complex, real-world challenges.
Working as part of a highly capable multidisciplinary engineering team, you will lead the design and delivery of AI-enabled solutions, engage directly with customers, influence technical strategy and play a key role in the growth of an ambitious and rapidly expanding technology organisation.
This opportunity is ideally suited to engineers who thrive on solving ambiguous problems, enjoy working directly with stakeholders and want to make a tangible impact within high-consequence environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and deployment of advanced AI and machine learning solutions
- Translate complex operational challenges into practical technical capabilities
- Engage directly with customers to understand requirements and define solution approaches
- Provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary engineering teams
- Drive delivery from early-stage concept through to operational deployment
- Mentor engineers and help develop technical capability across the wider team
- Contribute to technical strategy, innovation and future capability development
- Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities for practical application
- Support technical proposals, bids and customer engagements
- Operate effectively across research, experimentation, prototyping and production environments
Essential Requirements
- Significant commercial experience delivering AI or machine learning solutions
- Advanced understanding of machine learning, statistical modelling or related AI disciplines
- Strong software engineering fundamentals and experience delivering production systems
- Experience leading engineers and complex technical programmes
- Ability to work effectively with customers, stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams
- Strong problem-solving ability and a track record of tackling ambiguous technical challenges
- Excellent communication and technical leadership skills
- Experience influencing architectural and technical decisions
- Demonstrable adaptability and willingness to work across multiple technologies and domains
- Strong academic background in a relevant technical discipline
- Eligibility to obtain UK security clearance
This role offers the opportunity to work alongside exceptionally capable engineers on genuinely challenging technical problems, with significant autonomy, ownership and influence over both technical direction and delivery.