Senior Software Engineer (Machine Learning)

Worky; West of England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Personal & professional development

BUPA private health care (via salary-s

Company Cashplan

Cycle to work scheme

Referral Program

Regular social events

Job summary

digiLab, a formative AI company, seeks a Senior Software Engineer to own backend development for The Uncertainty Engine from our Exeter or Bristol offices. You will collaborate across teams to design, build, and maintain scalable services, extending ML capabilities through the backend while embracing security and modern DevOps practices.

Ideal candidates have strong Python, FastAPI experience, and familiarity with ML libraries, Git, Linux, and Scrum.

Qualifications

• Significant industry experience in (scientific) software development.
• Proven experience building production APIs with FastAPI (or similar async Python frameworks).
• Strong working knowledge of modern machine learning; able to extend ML functionality in libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, PyTorch or scikit-learn.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to lead the design, development, and maintenance of high-quality software solutions.
• Consume and extend our internal machine learning library to surface ML functionality to users through the backend.
• Design and build scalable, high-performance backend services and APIs, applying security best practices.

Skills

Python

FastAPI

ML libraries

Git/GitHub

Linux

DevOps

Agile/Scrum

API design

Security best practices

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Docker

GitHub

Job description

digiLab is a formative AI company with world-leading specialists in uncertainty quantification, applied where the stakes are highest and the margin for error is smallest.

Our customers are among the largest and most advanced engineering and science-led organisations in the world, and they're using our technology to tackle some of society's biggest challenges. How do we make fusion energy a commercial reality? Can we drive down the cost of renewable energy and accelerate the transition to a sustainable future? How do we support coral reef restoration, or strengthen Britain's national security? These are just a few of the critical questions our technology is helping to answer.

At the heart of our work is the Uncertainty Engine, digiLab's trustworthy and explainable AI platform, enabling our customers to accelerate innovation, reduce risk, and deliver real value through more confident decisions.

We are looking for ambitious team members to help shape our pioneering technology and tackle some of the world's most impactful problems.

Summary:

The Senior Software Engineer is a full-time position (Monday to Thursday), reporting directly to the Lead Software Engineer. This role is central to the ongoing development and maintenance of digiLab's core product, The Uncertainty Engine. It encompasses a broad range of responsibilities that leverage expertise in software engineering and machine learning, with a strong focus on Python development within a fast-paced, collaborative, and dynamic engineering environment.

The role:

As a Senior Software Engineer at digiLab, responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to help lead the design, development, and maintenance of high-quality software solutions
• Consume and extend our internal machine learning library to surface ML functionality to users through the backend
• Design and build the scalable, high-performance backend services and APIs that deliver functionality to users, applying security best practices throughout
• Implement software design patterns, SOLID principles, and architectural best practices
• Own CI/CD pipelines and deployments, keeping production systems reliable and performant
• Provide technical support and lead incident investigations
• Champion Scrum and contribute to team process improvements
• Collaborate with product management to translate business requirements into technical solutions
• Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented environment within the team
• Adopt AI tools to assist and accelerate your work

Duties may evolve, and you may be asked to take on other reasonable responsibilities within your competence to support our growth.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Significant industry experience in (scientific) software development
• Proven experience building production APIs with FastAPI (or similar async Python frameworks)
• Strong working knowledge of modern machine learning — able to understand, integrate, and extend the functionality of an ML library (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, and frameworks such as scikit-learn or PyTorch)
• Understanding of core ML concepts — model training, evaluation, and production trade-offs — enough to design robust interfaces around them
• Experience with DevOps and MLOps
• Degree-level qualification in computer science or related field
• Deep understanding of Python
• Familiarity with Linux, bash, and the command line
• Ability to write logical, consistent, self-explanatory code
• Understanding of software design patterns, SOLID and DRY principles, and architectural patterns
• Experience with Git/GitHub and best practices
• Knowledge of the software testing pyramid and types of automated testing (smoke, component, unit, performance, load, end-to-end)
• Experience with Docker and other containerisation platforms
• Proven ability to collaborate in a fast-paced, agile team, preferably using Scrum

Nice to Have:

• A Master’s-level qualification in a STEM field.
• Experience with front-end development: HTML; CSS; React; Javascript/Typescript.
• Experience with UI/UX design principles.
• Experience deploying cloud infrastructure as code (e.g. AWS).
• An understanding of Bayesian statistics.
• Experience with accessibility, inclusive design or motion design.

Location:

This role is on-site at either our Exeter or Bristol office.

As an ambitious, rapidly-growing start-up, we’re looking for proactive, adaptable people who thrive in a fast-paced environment. Our standard working hours are 9.00–5.30pm, Monday to Thursday, though some flexibility outside these hours may be required to meet business needs.

Our Culture and Values

At digiLab, we're building something we truly believe in, and we're looking for like-minded people.

We foster a culture of innovation, trust, and collaboration. Our values include:

• Creativity & Agility: Encouraging innovation and flexibility in goal achievement.
• Trust & Responsibility: Supporting each other in taking calculated risks for bold innovation.
• Open & Honest Collaboration: Ensuring transparent communication and alignment.
• High-Performance Standards: Continuously challenging ourselves to excel in delivery.
• Value-Driven Work: Regularly assessing our contributions toward company goals.

Benefits:

We value enthusiasm and loyalty, and we’re committed to offering a great work-life balance. Along with the exciting challenges this role provides, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Competitive Salary
• Personal & professional development
• BUPA private health care (via salary sacrifice)
• Company Cashplan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Referral Program
• Regular social events such as pizza nights, kayaking, bouldering and bake offs

Equal Opportunities:

digiLab is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fair, inclusive, and legally compliant. We take equality, dignity, and non-discrimination seriously.

Final Note:

We aim to respond to every applicant, but due to high application volumes, we may not be able to respond individually. Thank you for your interest in joining the digiLab team. The information you provide will be stored and used in line with our Privacy Notice.