(**) AI Agent Developer

VerseOne Group; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced AI Agent Developer to join the Automation and AI team on a 12-month fixed-term basis at Southend-on-Sea. The role focuses on designing, building, testing and deploying AI-powered agents using Microsoft Copilot Studio and the Power Platform to improve staff productivity and patient care.

You will work within governance and security requirements and collaborate across clinical, operational and corporate services to deliver scalable

Qualifications

• Master's degree in CS/SE/IT or equivalent.
• CPD in AI, automation or Microsoft technologies.
• Power Platform / Copilot Studio certs.

Responsibilities

• Deliver AI agent solutions through full life cycle using Copilot Studio and Power Platform.
• Collaborate with clinical, operational and corporate teams to identify AI opportunities.
• Produce technical specs, testing evidence and deployment records.
• Adhere to information governance, cyber security and data protection standards.
• Develop reusable components and governance artefacts for wider use.

Skills

AI agent development

Governance awareness

Security-conscious design

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science / Software Engineering / IT

Microsoft Power Platform or Copilot Studio certification (PL-100/200/400)

Microsoft AI Fundamentals (AI-900) or Azure AI Engineer (AI-102) certification

Tools

Microsoft Copilot Studio

Power Automate

Dataverse

Power Virtual Agents

M365 integrations

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is one of the biggest trusts in the country, following the merger of Mid Essex, Basildon and Southend hospitals in April 2020.

Site Southend Town Southend-on-Sea Salary £49,387 Per Annum (Pro Rata for Part Time) Salary period Yearly Closing 28/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 16/11/2026

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the onlyacute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population.

Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust. There are also three main community and mental health service providers who work together through a community collaborative.

We collaborate with other valuable partners, including three Healthwatch organisations, nine voluntary and community sector organisations and three top tier local authorities, with seven district, borough and city councils, as well as our local universities.

Job overview

We are seeking experienced and innovative AI Agent Developers to join our growing Automation and AI team at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

This is a 12-month fixed-term opportunity funded through an approved investment to establish and grow the Trust's internal AI delivery capability. As part of this programme, the Trust has identified an initial pipeline of AI use cases designed to improve productivity, reduce administrative burden and support staff in delivering high-quality patient care.

Working with Microsoft Copilot Studio and the wider Microsoft Power Platform ecosystem, you will design, build, test and deploy AI-powered agents and intelligent automation solutions that help transform the way clinical and corporate services operate. From supporting frontline teams with routine administrative activities to helping services access information more effectively, your work will contribute directly to improving the experience of both staff and patients.

This role forms part of a newly established nine-person multidisciplinary team responsible for delivering end-to-end AI solutions. There are three AI Agent Developer positions available, offering a unique opportunity to join at the beginning of an exciting new journey. Successful candidates will help establish the technical foundations, reusable components and development standards that will shape how AI capabilities are delivered and scaled across the Trust in the years ahead.

Main duties of the job

Be responsible for delivering AI agent solutions throughout the full development lifecycle, from discovery and requirements gathering through to design, build, testing, deployment and ongoing support. Working within the Trust's AI governance framework, develop AI agents, integrations and automated workflows using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, Dataverse & related Microsoft technologies.

The role requires close collaboration with stakeholders across clinical, operational and corporate services to understand business challenges, analyse existing processes and identify opportunities where AI can deliver meaningful improvements. You will produce technical specifications, development documentation, testing evidence and deployment records, whilst ensuring solutions meet information governance, cyber security and data protection requirements.

Support implementation and release activities, monitor the performance of deployed solutions, investigate issues and deliver enhancements where required. In addition, contribute to the development of reusable components, technical standards and governance artefacts that support the wider Automation and AI function.

Work alongside business analysts, solution designers, change specialists & other developers, you will play a key role in establishing a sustainable internal AI capability and delivering innovative solutions that improve the experience of both staff and patients.

Working for our organisation

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full details about this varied and rewarding role, please see attached job description.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology or equivalent relevant experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development in AI, automation or Microsoft technologies
• Microsoft Power Platform or Copilot Studio certification (PL-100, PL-200, PL-400 or equivalent)
• Microsoft AI Fundamentals (AI-900) or Azure AI Engineer (AI-102) certification

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience building and deploying Microsoft Copilot Studio or Power Virtual Agents solutions in an enterprise environment
• Experience developing solutions using Microsoft Power Platform including Power Automate, Dataverse and M365 integrations
• Understanding of AI agent lifecycle management including discovery, design, build, test, deploy and operate phases
• Experience working across multiple tenant environments with differing governance and data handling requirements
• Knowledge of information governance, data protection and cyber security principles relevant to AI and automation solutions
• Experience of developing agents on the NHS central shared tenant
• Experience integrating Power Platform solutions with NHS clinical or corporate systems such as EPR, PAS, eRS or ESR
• Familiarity with Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), Managed Environments and deployment pipelines within Power Platform

Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.