Lead Python Engineer - Security Cleared

Searchability; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Searchability is seeking a Lead Python Engineer with security clearance experience to lead backend architecture and delivery for AI-enabled applications in a defence-focused environment. You will own design decisions, collaborate with data scientists, and drive scalable, production-ready software across cloud platforms using Docker and Kubernetes.

The role emphasizes hands-on leadership, architecture, and mentoring, with a hybrid London on-site pattern and a salary up to £130,000 base.

Qualifications

• Extensive commercial experience developing backend applications and services using Python.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals; design of robust, reusable and maintainable systems.
• Proven experience with technical leadership, software architecture and decision-making.
• Experience building APIs, integrations and scalable backend services.
• Knowledge of machine learning concepts and production ML model ops.
• Experience with ML frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch.
• Hands-on cloud experience (AWS, Azure or GCP) and modern deployment practices.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes and scalable deployment pipelines.
• Understanding of security, infrastructure and production-grade design.
• Confident with clients and advising senior stakeholders; mentoring engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and design of scalable Python backend applications.
• Build production-grade APIs, integrations and supporting infrastructure.
• Collaborate with data scientists to operationalise ML models in production.
• Develop reusable components and engineering standards for AI apps.
• Make architectural decisions across cloud, security, scalability and performance.
• Work with AWS/Azure/GCP and containerized deployments (Docker/Kubernetes).
• Promote best practices in code quality, testing and deployment.
• Partner with stakeholders to scope solutions and deliver complex projects.
• Serve as technical point of contact for clients; translate tech to business value.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to team development.

Skills

Python

Technical leadership

API design

Cloud platforms

ML concepts

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Docker

Kubernetes

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

LEAD PYTHON ENGINEER – DV PREFERRED

NEW PERMANENT OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE FOR A SECURITY CLEARED LEAD PYTHON ENGINEER

• Salary: Up to £130,000 base
• Location: London
• Working Pattern: Hybrid – 2–4 days per week on-site
• Clearance: DV Preferred but happy to accept SC Clearance

I'm currently working with an organisation delivering innovative AI and software solutions within the UK Defence sector, who are looking for an experienced Lead Python Backend Engineer with knowledge of machine learning to join their growing team.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role focused on designing and building scalable backend systems and infrastructure that support AI and machine learning solutions. You'll take ownership of technical architecture and engineering decisions, working alongside data scientists and other engineers to turn ML capabilities into robust, production-ready software.

THE ROLE

• Leading the technical design and architecture of scalable backend applications and services using Python.
• Building production-grade software, APIs, integrations and infrastructure to support AI and machine learning solutions.
• Working alongside data scientists to integrate and operationalise ML models within production environments.
• Developing reusable software components and engineering standards to improve the delivery of AI-enabled applications.
• Making architectural decisions across cloud infrastructure, application security, scalability and performance.
• Working with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure or GCP.
• Using Docker and Kubernetes to build, deploy and manage applications at scale.
• Driving engineering best practices around code quality, testing, maintainability and deployment.
• Collaborating with engineers, data scientists and client stakeholders to scope solutions and deliver complex technical projects.
• Acting as a technical point of contact for clients, translating complex technical concepts into practical solutions.
• Mentoring engineers and contributing to the development of the wider engineering team.

WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR

• Extensive commercial experience developing backend applications and services using Python.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals, with experience designing robust, reusable and maintainable systems.
• Proven experience with technical leadership, software architecture and engineering decision-making.
• Experience building APIs, integrations and scalable backend services.
• Knowledge of machine learning concepts and experience integrating and operationalising ML models in production.
• Experience working with ML-enabled applications or frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch.
• Strong hands-on experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure or GCP.
• Extensive experience with Docker, Kubernetes and modern deployment practices.
• An understanding of infrastructure, application security and production-grade system design.
• Confidence engaging with clients and advising both technical teams and senior stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring engineers and driving engineering best practices.
• Existing DV clearance preferred. SC Clearance accepted.