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AI Engineer Jobs

Developers who build and deploy AI systems, from research to production. A role that bridges the gap between theory and application, with a focus on creating intelligent software solutions.

Open roles
138
Salary range
£30k – £108k
Hiring companies
61
View 138 live roles → Get an alert

AI Engineers are at the forefront of technological innovation, designing and implementing AI systems that solve complex problems. They work across a range of industries, from tech giants to research-heavy startups, and their role involves both theoretical research and practical application. AI Engineers are responsible for developing algorithms, models, and systems that can learn from data, make predictions, and automate tasks. This role requires a strong foundation in computer science, mathematics, and statistics, as well as proficiency in programming languages like Python and frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch.

What the role does

Inside the role of an AI Engineer

A typical week for an AI Engineer is a mix of research, development, and collaboration. They spend time coding, testing, and refining models, while also engaging with cross-functional teams to integrate AI solutions into existing systems.

  1. 01
    Design and implement machine learning models
  2. 02
    Optimise algorithms for performance and efficiency
  3. 03
    Collaborate with data scientists and software engineers
  4. 04
    Conduct experiments and analyse results
  5. 05
    Document processes and findings
  6. 06
    Stay updated with the latest AI research and tools
Salary on the board

£30k – £108k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 400 priced listings posted in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
32% of listings advertise a salary — up from 0% the year before.
By seniority
£k base
Junior
30
77
5 jobs
Mid
45
100
68 jobs
Senior
60
130
67 jobs
Lead
60
149
24 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 155 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

Python
74%
RAG
35%
Machine Learning
30%
AWS
30%
Azure
30%
LangChain
27%
CI/CD
26%
Prompt Engineering
25%
Generative AI
21%
LLMs
21%
SQL
20%
LLM
19%
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

A typical UK progression for ai engineers. Years are guidance — strong people move faster, and many senior folks sidestep into research, product or management.

  1. Level 1

    Junior AI Engineer

    0–2 yrs

    Assist in the development and testing of AI models, with a focus on learning and gaining hands-on experience.

  2. Level 2

    AI Engineer

    2–5 yrs

    Take ownership of specific projects, from initial design to deployment, and contribute to the overall architecture of AI systems.

  3. Level 3

    Senior AI Engineer

    5–8 yrs

    Lead the development of complex AI solutions, mentor junior team members, and ensure the quality and reliability of AI systems.

  4. Level 4

    Principal AI Engineer

    8+ yrs

    Drive strategic initiatives, innovate in AI research, and guide the technical direction of the organisation.

Pathway

How to become a AI Engineer

There's no single route, but most people follow some version of these steps.

  1. 1

    Learn the Fundamentals

    Gain a strong foundation in computer science, mathematics, and statistics. Familiarise yourself with programming languages like Python and AI frameworks.

  2. 2

    Build Practical Skills

    Work on personal or open-source projects to apply your knowledge. Participate in hackathons and coding challenges to gain real-world experience.

  3. 3

    Gain Industry Experience

    Start your career as a Junior AI Engineer, working on smaller projects and learning from more experienced colleagues.

  4. 4

    Specialise in a Domain

    Choose a specific area of AI, such as computer vision or natural language processing, and deepen your expertise in that domain.

  5. 5

    Lead Projects

    Take on more responsibility by leading AI projects, managing teams, and ensuring the successful delivery of AI solutions.

  6. 6

    Innovate and Influence

    Contribute to cutting-edge research, influence the direction of AI in your organisation, and mentor the next generation of AI Engineers.

Live jobs

138 live roles

See all 138 roles →

Senior AI Engineer

This role involves leading the technical strategy and implementation of AI and machine learning solutions across the firm, from model development to deployment and integration. The Senior AI Engineer will manage a team of IT professionals, collaborate with business stakeholders to align AI use cases with business outcomes, and guide the evolution of the firm's AI platform. The position requires deep expertise in AI/ML, cloud platforms, and software engineering, with a focus on scalable architecture and innovation in a professional services environment.

A&O Shearman Jordanstown, County Antrim, United Kingdom

Senior AI Engineer

This role involves leading the strategy and implementation of AI and machine learning solutions across the firm, managing a technical team, and integrating AI systems into existing platforms. The engineer will work closely with enterprise architecture and business stakeholders to define scalable AI architecture and drive innovation. Responsibilities include full lifecycle development, vendor oversight, and providing technical leadership across AI initiatives.

A&O Shearman Hook End, Essex, United Kingdom

Senior AI Engineer

Lead the design and deployment of scalable AI and generative AI solutions, including LLM-based applications for enterprise search, document summarization, and conversational AI. Drive innovation through retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architectures and mentor engineering teams in transformer models and prompt engineering. Collaborate across data, ML, and business teams to deliver measurable impact using cloud AI platforms and MLOps practices.

Appcast Enterprise Cork, United Kingdom

Senior AI Engineering Consultant

This role involves designing and delivering Generative AI and machine learning solutions for enterprise clients, using large language models, RAG frameworks, and AI orchestration tools. The consultant will lead technical architecture decisions across multi-cloud environments (Azure, AWS, GCP), build production-grade AI applications, and provide technical leadership to engineering teams. Activities include client workshops, proof-of-concept development, and mentoring engineers while staying at the forefront of emerging AI technologies.

Lynx Recruitment M25Ad, United Kingdom £60,000 – £80,000 pa

Senior AI Engineering Consultant

This role involves designing and delivering Generative AI and machine learning solutions for enterprise clients, leveraging LLMs, RAG frameworks, and AI orchestration tools. The consultant will lead technical delivery across cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP), build production-grade AI applications, and provide technical leadership on architecture and engineering best practices. Activities include client workshops, proof-of-concept development, and mentoring engineering teams in a collaborative, innovation-driven environment.

Lynx Recruitment Sw1E5Lb, United Kingdom £60,000 – £80,000 pa

Senior Product Engineer (AI & Full Stack)

This role involves designing and building greenfield AI-powered enterprise products from concept to production, using modern full-stack technologies and AI-assisted development. The engineer will work in a small, collaborative team to create responsive web applications with React and TypeScript, develop Node.js backend services, and integrate secure enterprise systems. A strong focus is placed on innovation, user experience, and leveraging AI tools to accelerate development in a cloud-native environment.

Infused Solutions London, United Kingdom £65,000 – £75,000 pa

Staff Applied AI Engineer

This role involves designing and governing high-stakes AI systems for public sector clients, with a focus on responsible AI, model evaluation, and production MLOps. The engineer will establish technical standards, lead incident resolution for model safety, and build reusable AI capabilities like fine-tuned models and agent architectures. They will also mentor senior engineers, advise on technical roadmaps, and act as a trusted advisor to government clients on AI strategy and deployment.

Scale AI London, United Kingdom
Hybrid Permanent Clearance Required

Senior Software Engineer - AI Products SVP - Citi

This role involves designing and building production-grade AI software solutions for enterprise use within a regulated banking environment. The engineer will work on cutting-edge Generative AI applications such as intelligent document processing, fraud detection, and cross-language translation, turning ambiguous problems into scalable, auditable systems. Collaboration with product, risk, and engineering teams is central, with a strong emphasis on resilience, explainability, and technical leadership.

eFinancialCareers London, United Kingdom
See all 138 roles →
Top hirers

Companies hiring ai engineers

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Hiring locations

Where this role is hiring

The locations with the most live listings for this role today.

London

Location
49 open

Manchester

Location
8 open

Cambridge

Location
3 open

Edinburgh

Location
2 open

Bristol

Location
2 open

Preston

Location
2 open
FAQs

Common questions

  • Python is the most widely used language in AI, but knowledge of C++, Java, and R can also be beneficial.

  • Strong programming skills, a solid understanding of algorithms and data structures, and proficiency in machine learning frameworks are crucial.

  • While a PhD can be beneficial, especially for research roles, many successful AI Engineers have backgrounds in computer science or related fields without a PhD.

  • Salaries for AI Engineers can vary widely based on experience, location, and industry. For more detailed salary information, please refer to the salary section on this page.

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