Lead Forward Deployed Engineer

Faculty; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited Annual Leave Policy

Private healthcare and dental

Enhanced parental leave

Family-Friendly Flexibility & Flexible

Sanctus Coaching

Hybrid Working

Job summary

Faculty is seeking a Lead Forward Deployed Engineer to steer the technical direction and delivery of complex AI projects for clients in regulated and dynamic markets. You will serve as a technical expert across AI strategy, client deployments, and architecture, while mentoring engineers and guiding reusable solutions.

The role requires deep ML/AI expertise, strong Python coding, extensive experience with cloud platforms (Azure/AWS/GCP), and hands-on Docker/Kubernetes proficiency.

Qualifications

• You are a technical expert, capable of deep topic knowledge and broad problem solving.
• Strong Python skills with experience operationalising models using Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.
• Expert in at least one major Cloud Provider (Azure, AWS, GCP) and led teams to build full-stack web applications.
• Hands-on experience with containerisation and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience coaching and leading engineers to improve client delivery.
• Excellent communication to align technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical direction for complex ML projects and guide team priorities.
• Design, implement, and maintain scalable ML/software systems and justify architectural decisions.
• Define project problems, roadmap and oversee delivery across multiple streams in high-risk environments.
• Develop shared resources and libraries and mentor engineers contributing to them.
• Lead hiring processes and mentor team members to foster growth.
• Proactively adopt new technologies and modernise ways of working.
• Act as technical expert and coach for customers, estimating large work-streams and defending rationale.

Skills

Python

Scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Azure

AWS

GCP

Docker

Kubernetes

Leadership

Communication

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Why Faculty?

We established Faculty in 2014 because we thought that AI would be the most important technology of our time. Since then, we’ve worked with over 350 global customers to transform their performance through human-centric AI. You can read about our real-world impact here.

We don’t chase hype cycles. We innovate, build and deploy responsible AI which moves the needle - and we know a thing or two about doing it well. We bring an unparalleled depth of technical, product and delivery expertise to our clients who span government, finance, retail, energy, life sciences and defence.

Our business, and reputation, is growing fast and we’re always on the lookout for individuals who share our intellectual curiosity and desire to build a positive legacy through technology.

AI is an epoch-defining technology, join a company where you’ll be empowered to envision its most powerful applications, and to make them happen.

About the team

In our Professional and Financial Services Business unit, we bring everything we have learned in more than a decade of Applied AI, and use it to help our clients navigate a rapidly changing landscape.

We develop and embed AI solutions which help financial institutions become more efficient, enhance customer experience, and find the commercial upside in uncertain markets. Within the constraints of a highly regulated industry, we see so much opportunity for impactful innovation and are proud to set the gold-standard for marrying technical excellence with safe deployment.

About the role

Join us as a Lead Forward Deployed Engineer to spearhead the technical direction and delivery of complex, innovative AI projects. You will act as a technical expert, applying your skills across various projects from AI strategy to client-side deployments, while ensuring architectural decisions are sound and reliable.
This role demands a balance of deep technical expertise and strong leadership, focusing on driving innovation, fostering team growth, and building reusable solutions across the organisation. If you're ready to manage high-risk projects and deliver practical, innovative outcomes, this is your chance to shape our future.

What you'll be doing

• Setting the technical direction for complex ML projects, balancing trade-offs, and guiding team priorities.

• Designing, implementing, and maintaining reliable, scalable ML/software systems and justifying key architectural decisions.

• Defining project problems, developing roadmaps, and overseeing delivery across multiple work-streams in often ill-defined, high-risk environments.

• Driving the development of shared resources and libraries across the organisation and guiding other engineers in contributing to them.

• Leading hiring processes, making informed selection decisions, and mentoring multiple individuals to foster team growth.

• Proactively developing and executing recommendations for adopting new technologies and changing our ways of working to stay ahead of the competition.

• Acting as a technical expert and coach for customers, accurately estimating large work-streams and defending rationale to stakeholders.

Who we're looking for

• You are a technical expert among your peers, capable of going deep on particular topics and demonstrating breadth of knowledge to solve almost any problem.

• You possess strong Python skills and practical experience operationalising models using frameworks like Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.

• You are an expert in at least one major Cloud Solution Provider (e.g., Azure, GCP, AWS) and have led teams to build full-stack web applications.

• You have hands‑on experience with containerisation tools like Docker and orchestration via Kubernetes.

• You can successfully manage and coach a team of engineers, setting team-wide development goals to improve client delivery.

• You find novel, clever solutions for project delivery and take ownership for successful project outcomes.

• You're an excellent communicator who can proactively help customers achieve their goals and guide both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.

Our Interview Process

1. Talent Team Screen (30 minutes)

2. Introduction to the role (45 minutes)

3. Pair Programming Interview (90 minutes)

4. System Design Interview (90 minutes)

5. Commercial & Leadership Interview (60 minutes)

Our Recruitment Ethos

We aim to grow the best team - not the most similar one. We know that diversity of individuals fosters diversity of thought, and that strengthens our principle of seeking truth. And we know from experience that diverse teams deliver better work, relevant to the world in which we live. We’re united by a deep intellectual curiosity and desire to use our abilities for measurable positive impact. We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, religions and sexual orientations.

Some of our standout benefits:

• Unlimited Annual Leave Policy

• Private healthcare and dental

• Enhanced parental leave

• Family-Friendly Flexibility & Flexible working

• Sanctus Coaching

• Hybrid Working