Lead AI Software Engineer – Cloud-Native AI Systems

T. Rowe Price; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

T. Rowe Price Labs’ AI Engineering team in London seeks an experienced Lead Software Engineer to design and deliver production-grade AI systems.

You will mentor engineers, shape architecture, and drive scalable AI products across the firm, collaborating with product owners and business stakeholders. Based in London, you will lead cross-functional initiatives, advance reusable AI capabilities, ensure production readiness, and champion responsible AI practices while building toward long-term

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Computer Science or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of progressive software engineering experience developing applications in object-oriented languages such as Java, Python, or JavaScript, including experience leading technical delivery across teams or major initiatives.
• Extensive hands-on experience architecting and delivering cloud-native solutions using AWS or equivalent, containerized microservices, and modern software delivery practices.
• Experience building or leading development of AI-enabled systems, intelligent workflows, or agentic applications in production or near-production environments.
• Strong familiarity with modern AI engineering patterns such as agent orchestration, tool integration, retrieval-based systems, evaluation approaches, monitoring, or guardrails.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and system design skills, with a proven ability to lead teams through complex technical challenges.
• Strong communication, presentation, and influence skills, with the ability to explain complex AI and engineering concepts clearly to engineering, product, business, and client audiences.
• Demonstrated commitment to engineering excellence through setting and upholding standards for automated testing, code reviews, observability, and continuous delivery.
• Results-oriented leader with a passion for mentoring others, fostering innovation, and operating effectively in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, deployment, and evolution of production-grade AI agents and intelligent systems within modern cloud-native architectures.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers across squads, helping raise the bar on architecture, engineering quality, and execution.
• Drive the Build-Operate-Transfer model by incubating new AI products, hardening them for production, and partnering with business-aligned technology teams to transition proven solutions for long-term ownership and scale.
• Work closely with engineers, product owners, and senior partners to shape ambiguous problems into scalable AI solutions that deliver measurable business value.
• Guide the development of reusable AI capabilities and shared platform components across areas such as agent orchestration, tool use, retrieval-based systems, evaluation frameworks, observability, and guardrails.
• Champion engineering excellence through strong software design, code quality, automated testing, continuous integration, and continuous delivery practices.
• Ensure AI systems are built with measurable quality, production readiness, operational observability, and appropriate safety controls.
• Oversee technical debt and drive continuous improvement across AI platforms, services, and development standards.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to apply AI in ways that accelerate workflows, improve decision-making, and create scalable business impact across the firm.
• Present and demonstrate AI projects to clients, stakeholders, and visiting partner teams, clearly communicating the value, technical approach, and business impact of our work.

Skills

Java

Python

JavaScript

Cloud design

Leadership

Communication

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science

Tools

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD

Job description

T. Rowe Price Labs’ AI Engineering team in London seeks an experienced Lead Software Engineer to design and deliver production-grade AI systems.

You will mentor engineers, shape architecture, and drive scalable AI products across the firm, collaborating with product owners and business stakeholders. Based in London, you will lead cross-functional initiatives, advance reusable AI capabilities, ensure production readiness, and champion responsible AI practices while building toward long-term