Hybrid ML Engineering Lead — Hands-On Delivery

AIOI R&D Lab - Oxford; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Aioi R&D Lab – Oxford is seeking a senior ML engineering leader to line-manage a growing team of ML engineers and scientists while delivering hands-on work. You will shape ML engineering practice across the Lab and stay close to delivery on key projects.

The role partners with the Lead ML Scientist and Principal Engineer, works with project management and pre-sales teams, and requires a STEM degree plus 7+ years in ML or software engineering with delivery leadership. Permanent, hybrid/remote.

Qualifications

• A STEM degree or equivalent practical experience, plus 7+ years in ML engineering, software engineering, or a related technical role, including experience leading technical work across teams.
• A strong software engineering background with real production-system delivery experience.
• Experience managing or leading ML engineers or technical contributors in a delivery-focused setting.
• Comfort supporting pre-sales or technical discovery work alongside commercial teams.
• The judgement to lead solution design and assure engineering quality without being the primary hands-on contributor on every project.
• Strong communication skills: you'll need to challenge stakeholder expectations sometimes, not just relay them.

Responsibilities

• Line-manage and develop ML engineers: coaching, mentoring, feedback, and input into hiring and onboarding.
• Stay hands-on with technical delivery on selected projects, alongside your leadership responsibilities across multiple engagements.
• Work with the Lead ML Scientist and Principal Engineer to build ML engineering best practice across the Lab.
• Work closely with the Project and Account Management teams to design and scope ML solutions that drive value for our customers.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of ML engineers, scientists, and software engineers, and support solution design so systems are robust and scalable.
• Provide oversight and quality assurance across concurrent projects, flagging technical and delivery risks early.
• Lead use case discovery and support pre-sales work alongside the commercial team.
• Drive reuse of shared frameworks and standards across projects, and communicate technical risk clearly to non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

Line management

Hands-on ML engineering

Delivery leadership

Pre-sales support

Technical communication

Education

STEM degree or equivalent practical experience

7+ years ML/Software experience

Job description

Aioi R&D Lab – Oxford is seeking a senior ML engineering leader to line-manage a growing team of ML engineers and scientists while delivering hands-on work. You will shape ML engineering practice across the Lab and stay close to delivery on key projects.

The role partners with the Lead ML Scientist and Principal Engineer, works with project management and pre-sales teams, and requires a STEM degree plus 7+ years in ML or software engineering with delivery leadership. Permanent, hybrid/remote.