Tech Lead - ML Platform

Lightricks Ltd.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A cutting-edge tech company in London seeks a Tech Lead for the ML Platform. This hands-on leadership role involves leading the development of AI infrastructure and managing backend engineers. Candidates should have over 6 years of backend experience, with strong skills in scalable APIs and cloud deployment. Benefits include stock options, medical insurance, and professional development allowances. The company fosters a creative workspace and emphasizes growth into senior leadership roles.

Benefits

Stock Options

Private Medical Insurance (Optical & Dental cover)

Life Assurance

£750p/a allowance for Wellbeing & Professional Development

Free on-site lunches, coffee, breakfast & snacks

Pension Contributions (7%)

Holiday (25 days)

Seasonal & Anniversary Vouchers

Cool office space in central London

Enhanced Parental Leave

Cycle-to-work Scheme

Season Ticket Loan

Frequent social activities - away-days, happy hours, team building, yoga, creative workshops

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in backend systems, with at least 2 years in a technical leadership role.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex projects in high-scale environments.
• Deep understanding of cloud infrastructure and deployment strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of AI infrastructure and manage backend engineers.
• Drive technical direction and work with ML research teams.
• Own the full development lifecycle from architecture to deployment.

Skills

Backend development skills

System architecture

Cloud infrastructure

Cross-functional communication

Mentoring team members

Education

B.Sc. in Computer Science or equivalent

Job description

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

Apply for Tech Lead - ML Platform

London

The UK team is situated in the heart of London. The office is our next up‑and‑coming location and is expected to attract talent across all teams. Our plan is to continue growing our Marketing, Customer Experience, and R&D teams (including the team behind the incredible Photoleap app!) and take it from there.

Our brilliant minds in R&D take our products to the next level. Our areas of expertise include computer vision, machine learning, rendering, deep learning, computational photography, and augmented reality. Our tech team also boasts a leading research team, allowing Lightricks to remain an industry leader.