AI Software Engineer - Outside IR35

SR2; London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech consultancy is seeking an experienced AI Engineer to support a government department in London. The role will involve leading the design and implementation of advanced AI systems. Candidates should have strong expertise in Python and experience with autonomous AI systems. This is a 6-month hybrid contract outside IR35, with extensions likely.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in Python for AI/ML development.
• Proven experience designing and implementing agentic or autonomous AI systems.
• Hands-on exposure to modern AI frameworks and large language models.

Responsibilities

• Lead the requirements, design, and implementation of agentic AI systems.
• Architect and implement autonomous agents with planning, reasoning, and execution capabilities.
• Design and prototype multi-agent systems that can coordinate and collaborate effectively.

Skills

Python for AI/ML development

Designing agentic or autonomous AI systems

Exposure to modern AI frameworks

Experimental AI research

Problem-solving in complex environments

Cloud deployment and optimisation

Open standards knowledge

Job description

Overview

AI Engineer - Government Department | Outside IR35 | 6 Months+ | Hybrid (London)

We are seeking experienced AI Software Engineers to support a government department on a high-profile programme of work. The role will involve leading the design and build of advanced agentic AI systems, applying cutting-edge research, and developing solutions that can scale across complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the requirements, design, and implementation of agentic AI systems.
• Architect and implement autonomous agents with planning, reasoning, and execution capabilities.
• Design and prototype multi-agent systems that can coordinate and collaborate effectively.
• Develop agent memory systems and knowledge management approaches.
• Build robust error handling and recovery mechanisms for agentic systems.
• Implement human-AI interaction patterns to ensure oversight, assurance, and transparency.
• Optimise AI model performance for cloud-based environments.
• Evaluate and select appropriate AI technologies for experimental use cases.
• Apply open standards for interoperability (e.g. MCP).

Skills & Experience

• Strong expertise in Python for AI/ML development.
• Proven experience designing and implementing agentic or autonomous AI systems.
• Hands-on exposure to modern AI frameworks and large language models.
• Background in experimental AI research and prototyping.
• Ability to apply innovation and problem-solving skills in complex, unstructured environments.
• Familiarity with cloud deployment and optimisation (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Knowledge of open standards and interoperability frameworks.

Contract Details

• Location: Hybrid - London
• Length: 6 months initial contract (extensions likely)
• IR35: Outside IR35