Tech Lead - ML Platform

Lightricks; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI technology firm in Greater London is seeking an ML Platform Tech Lead to drive the development of its AI infrastructure. This hands-on leadership role involves managing and mentoring backend engineers while collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams. Candidates should have substantial backend development experience, ideally with some technical leadership roles, and a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. The position offers competitive benefits and a hybrid working environment.

Benefits

Stock Options

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance

Transport Allowance

Wellbeing & Professional Development Allowance

Free lunches and snacks

Pension Contributions

25 days Holiday

Enhanced Parental Leave

Cycle-to-work Scheme

Volunteering Opportunities

Frequent social activities

Season Ticket Loan

Volunteering Opportunities

Social activities

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in backend systems, including 2 years in a technical leadership role.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex projects in high-scale environments.
• Exposure to ML model serving or GPU-based systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of AI infrastructure and mentor backend engineers.
• Collaborate with ML research teams and stakeholders.
• Own the full development lifecycle, from architecture to deployment.

Skills

Backend development

Technical leadership

Cloud infrastructure

APIs and distributed systems

Cross-functional communication

Mentoring

Interest in ML

ML model serving understanding

Education

B.Sc. in Computer Science

Job description

Who we are

Lightricks, an AI-first company, is revolutionizing how visual content is created. With a mission to bridge the gap between imagination and creation, Lightricks is dedicated to bringing cutting‑edge technology to the creative and business spaces.

Our advanced AI photo and video generation models, including our open‑source LTXV model, power our apps and platforms including Facetune, Photoleap, Videoleap, and LTX Studio, allowing creators and brands to leverage the latest research breakthroughs, offering endless control over their creative potential. Our influencer marketing platforms, Popular Pays and Content Lab, provide influencers with the ability to scale their content and monetize their work, while offering brands opportunities to expand their reach through tailored creator partnerships.

What you will be doing

As the ML Platform Tech Lead, you’ll be responsible for leading the development of Lightricks’ AI infrastructure, driving the team’s technical direction while also taking an active role in managing and mentoring backend engineers directly.

This is a hands‑on leadership position that blends system design, technical strategy, and team leadership. You will be expected to work closely with our ML research teams, product, and engineering stakeholders to take cutting‑edge AI models into production, powering features across our creative apps used by millions worldwide.

You will own the full development lifecycle, from system architecture through deployment and operation, while also being accountable for team delivery, collaboration, and growth. Although previous management experience is not a must, this role includes direct management responsibilities, and is suited for candidates who are eager to take that step as part of their growth into senior leadership.

Your skills and Experience

• 6+ years of experience in backend systems, including at least 2 years in a technical leadership role (e.g., tech lead or senior engineer with leadership responsibilities)
• Demonstrated ownership of complex projects from design to production in high‑scale environments
• Strong backend development skills with focus on scalable APIs, distributed systems, and observability
• Deep understanding of cloud infrastructure and deployment strategies
• Excellent cross‑functional communication and stakeholder alignment abilities
• Experience mentoring team members and fostering a culture of technical excellence
• Exposure to (or strong interest in) ML model serving, GPU‑based systems, or ML platform tooling – a plus
• Comfortable working in distributed teams and across time zones
• B.Sc. in Computer Science or equivalent technical background
• Open to tech leads who are ready to take on direct management as part of their next step

Benefits

• Stock Options.
• Private Medical Insurance (Optical & Dental cover) including your loved ones.
• Life Assurance.
• £3,000/p/a Transport Allowance.
• £750p/a allowance for Wellbeing & Professional Development.
• Free on‑site lunches, coffee, breakfast & snacks.
• Pension Contributions (7%).
• Holiday (25 days).Seasonal & Anniversary Vouchers.
• Hybrid & Flexible working.
• Cool office space in central London.
• Enhanced Parental Leave.
• Cycle‑to‑work Scheme.
• Season Ticket Loan.
• Volunteering Opportunities.
• Frequent social activities - away‑days, happy hours, team building, yoga, creative workshops.