Lead AI Software Engineer
Vodafone
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Job summary
Vodafone is seeking a Lead AI Software Engineer to spearhead delivery across squads and platform capabilities in a hybrid UK role based in Newbury or Paddington. You will translate complex specifications into scalable, secure software, mentor engineers, and drive AI-native practices from design to deployment.
You will guide teams on AI-assisted coding, build high‑impact components, review code for security and quality, and champion CI/CD, observability, and production readiness across the
Qualifications
- 7+ years of software engineering experience, delivering production-grade software.
- Strong hands-on Java and Spring Boot with React or Angular experience.
- Designing RESTful APIs, microservices, and platform integrations.
- Experience with cloud-native architectures, distributed systems, and containers.
- Experience with AI-assisted engineering tools and responsible AI practices.
Responsibilities
- Lead build execution within a squad, platform capability, or engineering domain.
- Translate specs and designs into actionable implementation plans.
- Guide engineers and AI coding agents through delivery activities.
- Deliver and oversee complex software components with high business impact.
- Review AI-generated and human-written code for correctness and security.
- Advance CI/CD, testing, observability, and production readiness.
- Ensure AI outputs are explainable, traceable, and compliant with standards.
- Escalate architectural risk and optimize cross-domain decisions.
- Identify recurring issues and improve controls and guidance.
- Coach engineers in AI-native software practices and governance.
- Contribute to evolving AI-native SDLC and developer productivity.
Skills
Tools
Job description
At Vodafone, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this.
We challenge and innovate in order to connect people, businesses, and communities across the world. Delighting our customers and earning their loyalty drive us, and we experiment, learn fast and get it done, together.
With us, you can be truly be yourself and belong, share inspiration, embrace new opportunities, thrive, and make a real difference.
VOIS (Vodafone Intelligent Solutions) is a strategic arm of Vodafone Group Plc, creating value for customers by delivering intelligent solutions through Talent, Technology & Transformation.
As the largest shared services organisation in the global telco industry with 30,000 FTE, our portfolio of next‑generation solutions and services are designed in partnership with customers across Vodafone Group, local markets, and partner markets to simplify and drive growth. With our strategic partner Accenture, we work alongside our Vodafone customers, other Telco and tech companies to drive transformation, meet the challenges of our industry and ensure we stay relevant and resilient. This partnership is a unique, industry‑first model which brings together the best of in‑house and 3rd party capability.
We work with customers across 28 countries from 10 VOIS locations: Albania, Egypt, Hungary, India, Romania, Spain, Turkey, UK, Germany, Ireland, and with a network of teams in Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, and Portugal.
#VOIS #BeUnrivalled #CreateTheFuture
Location: Newbury or Paddington (Hybrid)
We are seeking a Lead AI Software Engineer to lead software implementation and engineering delivery across squads, platform capabilities, or engineering domains. This is a senior hands‑on role responsible for translating specifications, solution designs, and architectural direction into scalable, secure, production‑ready software.
You will combine deep software engineering expertise with strong judgement in the use of AI‑native engineering practices, ensuring AI‑generated code, tests, documentation, and engineering artefacts are accurate, maintainable, secure, and aligned to business requirements. Working closely with Technical Leads, Architects, Product Owners, Platform Engineers, and delivery teams, you will drive implementation quality, testing, observability, operational readiness, and continuous improvement throughout the software development lifecycle.
- Lead build execution within a squad, platform capability, or engineering domain.
- Translate specifications, designs, and architectural intent into clear implementation plans and verifiable engineering tasks.
- Guide engineers and AI coding agents through implementation, validation, and release activities.
- Deliver and oversee complex, high‑risk, or business‑critical software components.
- Review AI‑generated and engineer‑written code to ensure correctness, maintainability, security, and alignment with specifications.
- Drive engineering excellence through automated testing, contract testing, regression testing, observability, and production verification.Support CI/CD processes, deployment readiness, operational handover, runbooks, and service ownership.
- Ensure AI‑generated outputs are explainable, traceable, secure, and compliant with engineering standards.
- Escalate architectural ambiguity, cross‑domain risks, and decisions beyond agreed engineering guardrails.
- Identify recurring engineering or AI‑agent delivery issues and transform them into improved controls, guidance, and quality practices.
- Coach engineers on AI‑native software engineering, implementation planning, code review, testing practices, and responsible AI usage.
- Contribute to the evolution of AI‑native Software Development Life Cycle practices, developer experience, automation, and engineering productivity.
- 7+ years’ software engineering experience, including hands‑on delivery of production‑grade software.
- Significant experience delivering production‑grade software within complex engineering environments.
- Strong hands‑on expertise in Java and Spring Boot, with experience in React or Angular.
- Proven experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs, microservices, integrations, platform services, and digital applications.
- Strong understanding of cloud‑native architectures, distributed systems, containerised environments, and modern integration patterns.
- Experience building event‑driven solutions using technologies such as Kafka, RabbitMQ, or equivalent platforms.
- Demonstrated ability to lead software implementation within agile engineering teams or technical domains.
- Experience with CI/CD, continuous delivery practices, automated testing frameworks, observability, and production support.
- Ability to convert specifications, acceptance criteria, and architectural designs into actionable implementation plans and verified software.
- Strong code review and diff-review capability, including validation of AI‑generated software outputs.
- Experience using AI‑assisted engineering tools and effectively steering AI coding agents.
- Understanding of responsible AI practices, including validation, security traceability, governance, and quality assurance.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement, coaching, collaboration, and communication skills.
- Strong focus on software quality, resilience, operational readiness, and continuous improvement.
Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about empowering people and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to still apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another opportunity.
- Opportunity to shape and deliver next‑generation digital and technology capabilities that support Vodafone’s future growth.
- Exposure to AI‑native engineering practices and modern software delivery methodologies.
- Opportunity to work on cloud‑native platforms, reusable services, APIs, integrations, and large‑scale digital products.
- Collaboration with highly skilled engineers, architects, platform specialists, and product teams across global markets.
- Involvement in modern engineering disciplines including automation, continuous delivery, observability, and platform engineering.
- Ability to influence engineering standards, software quality, delivery practices, and operational excellence.
- Advanced AI‑native engineering and AI‑agent orchestration techniques.
- Large‑scale cloud‑native software architecture and distributed systems practices.
- Modern software delivery frameworks, automation strategies, and developer productivity improvements.
- Advanced observability, operational readiness, and production engineering capabilities.
- Enterprise‑scale implementation planning, architecture alignment, and engineering governance.
- Coaching, mentoring, and technical leadership skills within multi‑disciplinary engineering environments.
Vodafone recognises and celebrates the value of diversity in building a workforce that reflects the customers and communities it serves. No form of discrimination is tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination based on race, colour, age, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, political affiliation, trade union membership, nationality, citizenship, indigenous status, medical condition, HIV status, neurodiversity, social origin, cultural background, marital or civil partnership status, or socio‑economic background.
At Vodafone, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this.
We challenge and innovate in order to connect people, businesses, and communities across the world. Delighting our customers and earning their loyalty drive us, and we experiment, learn fast and get it done, together.
With us, you can be truly be yourself and belong, share inspiration, embrace new opportunities, thrive, and make a real difference.
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