Principal AI Engineer, Production-Scale Agent Systems

Indicium; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Indicium AI seeks a Principal FDE to shape multiple AI engagements, owning architecture and delivery while maintaining strong client relationships. You will work hands-on in code, set strategic direction, and grow a team of engineers across engagements.

You will also balance technical decisions with commercial outcomes, manage scope and margins, and contribute to pre-sales and architecture strategy with clients and partner teams.

Qualifications

• Takes AI systems from problem to production in real organisations.
• Owns technical direction of projects, makes architecture calls.
• Hands-on coder who can pair with engineers on critical work.
• Leads delivery teams with planning, sequencing and blockers.
• Acts as technical face of work, even in challenging moments.
• Mentors and grows other engineers through coaching and reviews.
• Navigates security reviews, compliance, legacy systems and cross-team incentives.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the technical direction for complex AI engagements.
• Set patterns for agentic systems at scale, including state and memory design.
• Design and build production agentic AI systems and tooling.
• Develop and deploy RAG pipelines and evaluation frameworks.
• Manage engagement health: scope, burn and margin; ensure delivery quality.
• Coach Senior and Lead FDEs towards next career steps and help hiring.

Skills

Hands-on coding

Production deployment

Architectural design

Client leadership

Mentoring engineers

Job description

Indicium AI seeks a Principal FDE to shape multiple AI engagements, owning architecture and delivery while maintaining strong client relationships. You will work hands-on in code, set strategic direction, and grow a team of engineers across engagements.

You will also balance technical decisions with commercial outcomes, manage scope and margins, and contribute to pre-sales and architecture strategy with clients and partner teams.