Principal Machine Learning Engineer

AI Chopping Block; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited Annual Leave Policy

Private healthcare and dental

Enhanced parental leave

Flexible working & Family-Friendlyhyb

Sanctus Coaching

Hybrid Working

Job summary

Faculty is seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to act as a technical authority, shape software architectures, and drive innovation across high‑impact projects. You will mentor teams, align ML/DS initiatives with global client needs, and lead complex cross‑project engineering efforts in a defence context.

You will solve high‑level challenges, define architecture and requirements, and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure scalable, reliable systems while growing the engineering team.

Qualifications

• Deep technical authority in machine learning, statistics and data science with a Defence focus.
• Proven ability to design large-scale, scalable systems and guide architectural decisions.
• Experience leading teams and mentoring with minimal supervision.
• Track record of translating complex problems into robust software architectures.

Responsibilities

• Steer technical direction on flagship ML and data science projects across the organisation.
• Define functional and non-functional requirements for large-scale platforms.
• Architect and guide scalable system designs that integrate with enterprise software.
• Provide expert guidance to senior stakeholders and client teams.
• Contribute to company strategy by spotting emerging technologies and practices.
• Mentor engineers and foster growth within the team.

Skills

ML Expertise

Statistical Methods

Architectural Leadership

Defence Domain Focus

Technical Advisory

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

Our Defence team is focused on building and embedding human-centered AI solutions which give our nation a competitive edge in the defence sector. We collaborate with our clients to bring ethical, reliable and cutting-edge AI to high-stakes situations and maintain the balance of global powers essential to our liberty.

Because of the nature of the work we do with our Defence clients, you will need to be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) and willing to work between 2 to 4 days per week on-site with these customers which may require travel to locations throughout the UK.

When not required on client sites, you’ll have the flexibility to work from our London office or remotely from elsewhere within the UK.

About the role

As a Principal Machine Learning Engineer at Faculty, you will serve as a technical authority driving innovation, setting architectural direction, and steering our flagship systems. You will solve complex problems that span multiple projects and business units, acting as a trusted expert to both internal teams and external clients. In this high-impact role, you will shape software architectures, ensure systems scale seamlessly within broader frameworks, and leverage your deep expertise to help define company strategy while mentoring and fostering the growth of the engineering team.

What you'll be doing:

• Steering technical direction on flagship machine learning and advanced data science projects across the organisation.
• Designing scalable, complex systems that integrate smoothly with existing software and enterprise architectures.
• Defining robust functional and non-functional requirements alongside the software architecture for large-scale platforms.
• Solving high-level, cross-project technical challenges that span multiple business units and client ecosystems.
• Providing authoritative, expert advice on major strategic initiatives to guide teams and senior stakeholders.
• Contributing directly to company strategy by identifying and leveraging emerging technologies and innovative practices.

Who we're looking for:

• You possess deep technical authority in machine learning, statistics, and advanced data science methodologies and have a specific focus on the Defence domain.
• You have a proven track record of designing large, complex, and scalable systems that fit organisational frameworks.
• You demonstrate strong architectural leadership, with experience defining both functional and non functional software requirements.
• You are a respected peer and collaborative problem solver capable of delivering expert guidance across multiple initiatives.
• You are an experienced technical leader who enjoys the challenge of guiding teams and turning real world problems into architecting system architectures with minimal oversight.
• You thrive when setting strategic technical direction and influencing high impact engineering projects.
• You bring an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for fostering team growth and pushing technological boundaries.

The 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