Lead AI Engineer – Defence & Security Tech Leader

Meritus; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 81,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

25 days holiday + bank holidays

10% bonus

Access to specialist labs and advanced

Excellent career progression and tech

Job summary

Meritus is recruiting for AI Engineers to join a leading technology and engineering consultancy delivering cutting-edge solutions across Defence, Security and Government sectors. The role combines hands-on delivery with technical leadership and customer engagement.

You will lead the design and delivery of AI, ML and algorithmic solutions for Defence and Security customers, mentoring engineers and shaping technical standards.

Qualifications

• 3+ years' experience delivering AI/ML or advanced algorithmic solutions.
• Experience in Defence, national security or government sectors.
• Strong Python and software engineering skills.
• Experience leading technical teams and architecting complex solutions.
• Customer-facing experience with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• SC Clearance eligibility.
• Signal processing, sensor fusion or edge computing experience.
• Numerical optimisation, simulation or statistical modelling expertise.
• Proposal leadership or client development experience.
• PhD, published research or conference speaking experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of AI, ML and advanced algorithm projects.
• Act as technical lead and solution architect on complex programmes.
• Apply techniques including transformer models, LLMs, reinforcement learning, CV, sensor processing and statistical modelling.
• Provide technical oversight, governance and peer review across projects.
• Work directly with customers to define requirements and deliver innovative solutions.
• Support proposals, bids and business development activities.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to technical standards and best practice.

Skills

AI/ML development

Python

Technical leadership

Education

Degree in Computer Science/AI/Math/Physics

PhD or published research

Job description

Meritus is recruiting for AI Engineers to join a leading technology and engineering consultancy delivering cutting-edge solutions across Defence, Security and Government sectors. The role combines hands-on delivery with technical leadership and customer engagement.

You will lead the design and delivery of AI, ML and algorithmic solutions for Defence and Security customers, mentoring engineers and shaping technical standards.