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RAG Engineer Jobs

Engineers who build systems that combine the strengths of retrieval and generative models. A cutting-edge specialism with high demand and low competition.

Open roles
3
Salary range
£75k – £125k
Hiring companies
2
View 3 live roles → Get an alert

RAG Engineers are at the forefront of a new wave of AI applications, combining retrieval-based and generative models to create more robust and context-aware systems. This role is particularly relevant in industries like search, recommendation engines, and conversational AI, where the ability to retrieve and generate content accurately and efficiently is crucial. Companies ranging from scaleups to the larger consultancies are actively seeking RAG Engineers to drive innovation and solve complex problems.

What the role does

Inside the role of an RAG Engineer

A typical week for a RAG Engineer is a mix of research, development, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

  1. 01
    Design and implement retrieval-augmented generation models.
  2. 02
    Optimise model performance and efficiency.
  3. 03
    Collaborate with data scientists and software engineers.
  4. 04
    Conduct experiments and evaluate results.
  5. 05
    Document findings and contribute to team knowledge sharing.
Salary on the board

£75k – £125k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 3 priced listings posted in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

By seniority
£k base
Senior
75
125
3 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 3 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

Python
100%
LlamaIndex
67%
LangChain
67%
LangGraph
67%
RAG
67%
Graph-RAG
67%
Model Adaptation
67%
Prompting
67%
Fine-Tuning
67%
Instruction Tuning
67%
LLM
33%
RAG Pipeline
33%
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

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

  1. Level 1

    Junior RAG Engineer

    0–2 yrs

    Assist in the development and testing of RAG models, focusing on understanding the basics of retrieval and generative techniques.

  2. Level 2

    RAG Engineer

    2–5 yrs

    Take ownership of specific components of RAG systems, contributing to the design and implementation of end-to-end solutions.

  3. Level 3

    Senior RAG Engineer

    5–8 yrs

    Lead the development of complex RAG systems, mentor junior engineers, and drive innovation in model architecture and optimisation.

  4. Level 4

    Principal RAG Engineer

    8+ yrs

    Strategise and oversee the development of advanced RAG solutions, influence company-wide AI initiatives, and collaborate with research teams.

Pathway

How to become a RAG Engineer

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

  1. 1

    Learn the Fundamentals

    Gain a solid understanding of retrieval and generative models, and how they can be combined to create RAG systems.

  2. 2

    Build Practical Skills

    Develop hands-on experience by working on real-world projects, experimenting with different RAG architectures, and optimising model performance.

  3. 3

    Specialise in a Domain

    Focus on a specific application area, such as search, recommendation, or conversational AI, to deepen your expertise and impact.

  4. 4

    Lead and Innovate

    Take on leadership roles, mentor junior engineers, and drive innovation in RAG technology and its applications.

  5. 5

    Influence Industry Standards

    Contribute to the broader AI community through research, publications, and collaborations, shaping the future of RAG technology.

Live jobs

3 live roles

Senior AI Engineer (Gen AI & RAG)

This role involves designing, building, and deploying production-grade generative AI systems, implementing RAG pipelines, and developing agentic workflows. You will work closely with platform, product, and delivery teams to ensure AI systems are accurate, reliable, and scalable, while providing technical leadership and mentoring to other engineers.

The Portfolio Group Castle Baynard, City And County Of the City Of London, United Kingdom £75,000 – £85,000 pa
On-site Permanent

Senior AI Engineer (Gen AI & RAG)

As a Senior AI Engineer, you will design, build, and deploy production-grade generative AI systems, focusing on RAG pipelines, agentic workflows, and rigorous evaluation frameworks. You will provide technical leadership, mentor engineers, and collaborate closely with platform, product, and delivery teams to ensure AI systems are accurate, reliable, and grounded in business value.

The Portfolio Group Ec4V4Dy, EC4V 4DY, United Kingdom £75,000 – £85,000 pa
On-site Permanent
HAYS Specialist Recruitment logo

Senior AI/ML Engineer (LLM's / RAG Pipeline Development)

This role involves hands-on development and deployment of LLM-based applications into production environments. The Senior AI/ML Engineer will bridge the gap between advanced AI/ML and production-grade software, working in a newly formed R&D team to influence how AI capabilities are embedded into existing and new products. The role offers opportunities for leadership and growth within a fast-growing, market-leading company.

HAYS Specialist Recruitment Guildford, United Kingdom £85,000 – £125,000 pa
On-site Permanent
FAQs

Common questions

  • A RAG Engineer specialises in combining retrieval and generative models, while a Machine Learning Engineer focuses on a broader range of AI techniques and applications.

  • Essential skills include a strong foundation in machine learning, natural language processing, and software engineering, along with experience in Python and relevant AI frameworks.

  • Industries such as tech, finance, healthcare, and e-commerce are actively hiring RAG Engineers to enhance their AI capabilities and improve user experiences.

  • Salary ranges can vary based on experience and location. For more detailed information, please refer to the salary section on this page.

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