Principal Machine Learning Engineer

James Fisher Energy; Westhill; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy services company in the UK is seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to design and implement advanced machine learning solutions. You will lead projects in the Digital Innovation team, focusing on ML infrastructure for offshore wind and large-scale energy projects. Strong expertise in Python and cloud platforms is essential, along with leadership skills. This role offers an opportunity to impact the future of energy with innovative ML strategies.

Qualifications

• Expertise in Python and key data science libraries.
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms and infrastructure tools.
• Proven ability to implement MLOps practices.
• Strong background in distributed computing and real-time data streaming.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and deployment of machine learning solutions.
• Define and implement MLOps best practices.
• Architect and optimise ML infrastructure.
• Research and prototype advanced ML models.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Mentor junior ML engineers and data scientists.
• Establish documentation and monitoring standards.
• Engage senior stakeholders and influence AI strategy.

Skills

Python

Machine Learning/AI knowledge

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

MLOps practices

Communication skills

Leadership

Tools

NumPy

Pandas

Scikit-Learn

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Terraform

Kubernetes

Docker

Kafka

Spark

Ray

Job description

Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Join us at James Fisher Energy as a Principal Machine Learning Engineer. You will work within the Digital Innovation team, designing and deploying advanced machine learning solutions across real‑world environments such as offshore wind, subsea engineering and large‑scale energy infrastructure.

Role Accountabilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end design, development and deployment of scalable, secure machine learning solutions in production.
• Define and implement MLOps best practices across the ML lifecycle, including CI/CD, monitoring, automated testing and model governance.
• Architect and optimise ML infrastructure and cloud‑native environments to improve scalability, maintainability and cost efficiency.
• Research, prototype and productionise advanced ML models for time‑series, streaming and sensor data, driving measurable performance improvements.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to align ML solutions with business objectives, regulatory requirements and ethical standards.
• Mentor and coach junior ML engineers and data scientists, fostering technical excellence and a culture of innovation.
• Establish rigorous documentation and monitoring standards to ensure reliability, transparency and compliance in deployed ML systems.
• Engage senior stakeholders, translating complex ML concepts into clear business value and influencing enterprise AI strategy.

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience

• Expertise in Python and key data science libraries (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit‑Learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow) with strong ML/AI knowledge, including deep learning, time‑series modelling and LLMs (fine‑tuning, RAG).
• Hands‑on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and infrastructure tools (Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker) plus software development best practices (testing, version control, CI/CD).
• Proven ability to implement MLOps practices and manage the ML lifecycle, including reproducibility, monitoring, automated pipelines and model governance.
• Strong background in distributed computing and real‑time data streaming (Kafka, Spark, Ray) and experience with time‑series/sensor data optimisation.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts into business outcomes and influence senior leaders.
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring teams, problem‑solving and delivering measurable business impact in regulated environments.

About Us

James Fisher is a global engineering services company with over 50 years of experience delivering complex offshore energy projects in some of the world’s most challenging environments. We operate across Energy, Defence and Maritime Transport, leveraging cutting‑edge technology and deep expertise to support the full lifecycle of our customers’ assets.

In the Energy Division we provide safe, efficient solutions across oil & gas and renewables – from well support and full‑field decommissioning to integrated services for offshore wind and expert subsea inspection, repair and maintenance. Our work helps operators extend asset life, reduce downtime and respond rapidly to operational challenges, driving the global shift toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Our One James Fisher strategy unites our capabilities under a single vision, building a stronger, more cohesive business within the Blue Economy.

Equal Opportunity Employer

James Fisher and Sons are committed to taking positive action on diversity and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and recognise that our success depends on our talented and diverse workforce.

Location: Westhill, Scotland, United Kingdom.