Principal AI Engineer

We’re looking for highly experienced AI Engineers and AI/ML Engineers who can take complex, ambiguous problems and turn them into robust, production-ready solutions.

This is not a role focused on simply integrating existing AI tools or plugging an LLM into an application. We’re looking for engineers with real depth in machine learning, strong software engineering foundations and the experience to design solutions from first principles.

You’ll work directly with clients to understand difficult technical and business problems, determine whether AI is the right approach, shape the architecture and modelling strategy, and lead delivery through to deployment.

What you’ll be doing

• Working directly with clients on complex, technically challenging problems

• Translating real-world requirements into AI and machine learning solutions

• Designing architectures, algorithms and modelling approaches from first principles

• Taking ownership from initial problem definition through to production deployment

• Making technical decisions around model selection, evaluation and system design

• Mentoring other engineers and influencing technical direction

• Helping shape the engineering capability of a growing AI consultancy

Your work could include

• Machine Learning and Deep Learning

• Agentic AI

• LLMs and RAG

• Computer Vision

• Multi-modal AI

• Edge AI

• AI Safety, Explainability and model evaluation

What we’re looking for

• Extensive commercial experience in AI, Machine Learning or AI/ML Engineering

• Deep understanding of machine learning theory, algorithms and model development

• Evidence of developing and evaluating models, rather than treating them purely as black-box components

• Strong software engineering capability, ideally using Python

• Experience designing and delivering production AI or ML systems

• Experience working directly with clients, customers or senior technical stakeholders

• A track record of owning technical solutions rather than simply implementing predefined requirements

• Strong communication skills and commercial awareness

• Eligibility for UK Security Clearance

A strong academic background in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Engineering or another highly quantitative discipline. A First-Class Honours degree, or equivalent evidence of exceptional academic achievement, would be highly desirable.

You’ll join a highly capable engineering team tackling problems where there often isn’t an obvious answer. The environment is built for experienced engineers who want technical ownership, autonomy and the opportunity to influence how problems are solved.

The role is based on-site in Newcastle upon Tyne, where the business has created a collaborative engineering culture centred around problem solving, technical learning and knowledge sharing.

Comprehensive relocation support is available for exceptional candidates moving to the North East.

If you’re an experienced AI or AI/ML Engineer who can understand the problem, design the approach, build the solution and explain why it works, I’d be keen to speak.