Principal Software Engineer (AI Strategy)

Ocho People Ltd.; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocho People Ltd. is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead AI strategy and enablement across our engineering organisation in Belfast.

The role blends hands-on technical authority with mentoring, standards creation and architectural guidance to accelerate AI adoption. You will define and deliver high-impact AI initiatives across product, developer productivity, quality engineering, operations and platform modernization.

Qualifications

• Hands-on engineering background building and scaling production software and AI-powered products.
• Experience with AI and ML operational practices, such as CI/CD, automation and data governance.
• Understanding of responsible AI, including governance, security, privacy, testing, monitoring and human oversight.
• Experience resolving performance and scalability issues across distributed architectures and databases.
• Solid software design grounding, including databases, design patterns and web services such as SOAP and REST.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management, with Agile Scrum or Lean Kanban experience.
• Degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the AI strategy across product, developer productivity, quality engineering, operations and platform modernisation.
• Build standards, reusable patterns and reference architectures that enable teams to adopt AI with confidence.
• Grow internal AI communities and coach engineers to think AI first, championing responsible, secure adoption.
• Shape AI at scale while remaining hands on and building a profile as a recognised AI leader.

Skills

Hands-on engineering

AI-powered products

CI/CD

Data governance

Governance & security

Distributed architectures

SOAP/REST

Agile/Scrum or Lean Kanban

Communication & mgmt

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / AI or related field

Job description

Principal Software Engineer (AI Strategy and Enablement)

Ocho People | Technology Recruitment

At a Glance

• Principal level role leading AI strategy and AI enablement across an engineering organisation
• Identify and deliver the AI initiatives that change how teams build software
• Hands on technical authority, mentor and change agent
• Hybrid working, Belfast based

Why This Organisation

AI is changing how software gets built. This is a chance to decide how a major engineering organisation responds.

Our client is a global payments technology company running high throughput, mission critical systems where 100% uptime is the standard. They are creating this role to get AI adopted properly: pragmatically, securely and with measurable results, with a remit across the whole engineering organisation.

The Role and What It Can Do For Your Career

You will define and lead the AI strategy, then make it real, identifying and prioritising high impact AI initiatives across product, developer productivity, quality engineering, operations and platform modernisation.

AI enablement is the heart of the role. You will build the standards, reusable patterns and reference architectures that let teams adopt AI with confidence, grow internal AI communities, coach engineers to think AI first and champion responsible, secure adoption.

Few roles let you shape AI at this scale while staying hands on. You will build a profile as a recognised AI leader.

What you will need:

• Strong hands on engineering background building and scaling production software and AI powered products
• Experience with AI and ML operational practices, such as CI and CD, automation and data governance
• Understanding of responsible AI, including governance, security, privacy, testing, monitoring and human oversight
• Experience resolving performance and scalability issues across distributed architectures and databases
• Solid software design grounding, including databases, design patterns and web services such as SOAP and REST
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management, with Agile Scrum or Lean Kanban experience
• Degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or a related field

Why You Should Apply Now

Principal-level roles that combine AI strategy, hands-on engineering and genuine organisational scope are rare in Belfast. If you want to lead how AI is adopted, not just use it, this is the one.