Principal Machine Learning Engineer / Team Lead

ZipRecruiter; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading-edge AI company is seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to lead a high-performing team in creating innovative ML solutions. The ideal candidate will transition from research to real-world applications and influence company strategy in a dynamic environment. This role offers the chance to work collaboratively on complex challenges while shaping the technical direction of the organization.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of ML experience with a strong record of production transition.
• Proven leadership in technical or research settings.
• Expertise in Python and PyTorch is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor ML engineers and researchers.
• Drive innovation and implement research solutions.
• Oversee end-to-end model development.

Skills

Machine Learning

Team Leadership

Python

PyTorch

Communication

Data Preparation

Model Evaluation

Job description

Job Description

Principal Machine Learning Engineer / Team Lead

Location: UK-based (Hybrid/Flexible Working Options)

Job Type: Permanent

Salary: Highly Competitive + Benefits + Equity Options

Overview:

A leading-edge AI company is seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to take on a technical leadership role, guiding the development of high-performance ML systems from research to real-world deployment. This is an ideal role for someone who has successfully moved from research into commercial ML applications and is ready to lead a high-performing team and shape strategic direction.

Join a mission-driven, technically elite team solving complex ML challenges in a collaborative, high-growth environment. You’ll work closely with leadership, contribute directly to company direction, and enjoy strong support for career progression.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor a team of ML engineers and researchers.
• Drive innovation and translate research into deployable solutions.
• Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders including executives, partners, and media.
• Oversee end-to-end model development, from data preprocessing to evaluation.
• Influence company strategy and technical direction.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• 7–10 years of ML experience, with a strong record of transitioning research into production.
• Proven team leadership in a technical or research setting.
• Expert in Python and PyTorch; JAX is a plus.
• Strong foundation in data preparation, feature engineering, and model evaluation.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to adapt messaging for different audiences.
• Strategic mindset and leadership potential at the executive level.

Desirable:

• Background in analog or general electronic engineering is a bonus.
• Experience with high-performance or low-latency ML systems.

If you’re a principle machine learning engineer / team leader, or hold the relevant experience and are interested in this exciting opportunity, please do apply!

If you are interested in another other AI/ML and Computer vision roles, please reach out to Oscar Harper at IC Resources.