Lead ML & AI Engineer — Hybrid, Azure & MLOps Leader

1st Central; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Central is seeking a Lead Machine Learning & AI Engineer to join our Data & Analytics function, guiding the creation and improvement of ML/AI operations frameworks that drive real-world applications across the organisation.

You’ll lead a small team of ML Ops Engineers, Analytics Engineers and AI Engineers, collaborating with Data Science, Pricing, Data Engineering and Software Development to ensure models are production-ready and tightly integrated with business processes.

Qualifications

• Expertise in Microsoft Azure cloud services (Azure ML, Synapse, Data Factory).
• Fluency in Python and ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience applying MLOps in production environments.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
• Proven track record in leading and developing a team of engineers.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver ML/AI frameworks and production-ready tooling.
• Coach and guide a small team of ML Ops Engineers and AI Engineers.
• Collaborate with Data Science, Pricing, Data Engineering and Software Development teams to deploy models.

Skills

Azure Cloud & AI Platform

Python

MLOps

Analytical thinking

Troubleshooting

People leadership

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

1st Central is seeking a Lead Machine Learning & AI Engineer to join our Data & Analytics function, guiding the creation and improvement of ML/AI operations frameworks that drive real-world applications across the organisation.

You’ll lead a small team of ML Ops Engineers, Analytics Engineers and AI Engineers, collaborating with Data Science, Pricing, Data Engineering and Software Development to ensure models are production-ready and tightly integrated with business processes.