VodafoneThree - AI Engineer

VodafoneThree; Newbury; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Hybrid work

Pension plan

Paid time off for charity

Job summary

VodafoneThree is looking for an AI Engineer to turn ambitious AI ideas into production-ready products across the business. You will work with Senior and Principal AI Engineers to build intelligent applications, from concept to deployment, including agentic AI, RAG and LLM integrations.

Join a hybrid team in Newbury, with flexible office presence and a focus on responsible AI, security and cost efficiency as you deliver high-quality software and measurable impact for VodafoneThree.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or MSc in Computer Science, AI, Software Engineering or related STEM discipline.
• Experience building AI-powered applications for real users or strong personal/open-source projects.
• Strong software engineering skills, Python preferred, secure and maintainable code.
• Understanding of LLM patterns: prompt/context engineering, RAG, agent frameworks.
• Experience across APIs, cloud, containers, CI/CD and system integration.

Responsibilities

• Turn AI ideas into production-ready products across VodafoneThree.
• Collaborate with senior engineers to build intelligent applications from concept to deployment.
• Implement RAG, context and prompt engineering, LLM integrations and safe AI practices.
• Build robust APIs and integrations with data platforms and business systems.
• Apply test sets, regression testing and LLM-as-judge techniques for quality.

Skills

Python

LLM concepts

Agent frameworks

Prompt engineering

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's or MSc in CS/AI

Tools

APIs

Cloud services

Containers

Kubernetes

Tool calling

Job description

Location: Newbury + Hybrid

Salary: Excellent basic salary plus bonus and Vodafone benefits

Working hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week – Monday to Friday

Hybrid

We believe that through collaboration and connection with our colleagues we can achieve great things. Our hybrid working approach allows our people to work both in the office and at home, providing the flexibility and resources you need to succeed in your role. We don't require you to be in on specific days; instead, we ask people to come into the office 2-3 days each week, for at least 8 days per month. You should work with your line manager to understand what their expectations are for you, your specific role and your team.

Who We Are

We’re here to build a network the UK can count on – one that connects people, places and potential. Because no matter where you live, what your background is, or how you get online – we think everyone deserves the same chance to stay connected, and with VodafoneThree, that future’s being built – today.

We’re creating more than the UK’s best network. We’re helping close the digital divide, empower communities and drive meaningful progress.

We believe that everyone should feel they belong. Whoever you are and whatever your story, there’s space for you here. We’re building a workplace where different perspectives are welcomed, voices are heard, and everyone feels safe to show up as themselves.

You’ll join a team that genuinely cares – about each other, about our customers, and about the future we’re building. From day one, you’ll be welcomed, valued and encouraged to bring your whole self to work.

Why VodafoneThree

Join us and you’ll be at the heart of change. That means building responsibly, investing sustainably and creating opportunities that last.

We’re not just expanding connectivity; we’re reimagining what a connected nation looks like. With £11bn invested in 5G and digital infrastructure, your work will directly power businesses, services, and communities across the country.

You’ll work on real challenges, with real impact, across every corner of the country. Wherever you join us, whatever your role, you’ll be helping to build a future that works better for everyone.

We move at pace, because what we’re building matters – and we’re learning as we go. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we’re just getting started.

Join us at the heart of our business in Corporate, one of the central support functions that underpin our business and keep us moving forward. We provide centralised support, expertise and guidance across our UK and Group operations, continuing to build on our success and trailblazing the way to our next stage of digital growth.

What You’ll Do

As an AI Engineer, you’ll turn ambitious AI ideas into production-ready products that make a real difference across VodafoneThree. Working alongside Senior and Principal AI Engineers, you’ll take ownership of building intelligent applications from concept through to deployment, gaining hands‑on experience with agentic AI, RAG, LLM applications and responsible AI while helping improve efficiency and reduce costs across the organisation.

• You’ll build and ship end-to-end AI-powered applications, working across front end, back end and data to deliver solutions that create measurable value
• You’ll design and develop agentic and multi-agent workflows, using tool calling, Model Context Protocol (MCP), memory and orchestration techniques
• You’ll implement RAG, context and prompt engineering, conversational interfaces and LLM integrations to create intuitive AI experiences
• You’ll build robust APIs and integrations that connect AI models with data platforms and existing business systems
• You’ll evaluate AI solutions using curated test sets, regression testing and LLM-as-judge techniques, helping ensure quality, accuracy and reliability
• You’ll embed responsible AI, security and safety through effective guardrails, content filtering, governance and data protection controls
• You’ll contribute clean, tested and maintainable code, support CI/CD and releases, and monitor performance, cost, latency and model behaviour in production
• You’ll work closely with users and stakeholders to understand their needs, gather feedback and continuously improve accessible, practical AI products

Who You Are

• You’ll bring a Bachelor’s or MSc degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering or another relevant STEM discipline related to AI development
• You’ll have experience building and shipping AI-powered applications for real users, or strong personal or open-source projects that demonstrate comparable hands‑on capability
• You’ll bring strong software engineering skills, ideally in Python or a similar programming language, with a focus on clean, secure and maintainable code
• You’ll understand modern LLM application patterns, including prompt and context engineering, RAG, agent frameworks, tool calling and orchestration
• You’ll understand how to evaluate LLM-based systems for quality, reliability and safety, and will take a thoughtful approach to responsible AI
• You’ll have experience or knowledge across APIs, application architecture, cloud services, containers, CI/CD and system integration
• You’ll be comfortable considering production factors such as latency, cost, security, safety and observability, while adapting pragmatically to an evolving technology landscape
• You’ll be a proactive and collaborative AI builder, curious about emerging technologies, comfortable experimenting with new ideas and ready to turn learning into high‑quality products at pace

Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly?

We know that everyone is unique, with multiple aspects to their identity and different experiences behind them. We are passionate about Inclusion for All and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another role, and our recruitment team can help you see how your skills fit in.

We believe that everyone has valuable contributions to make. As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage individuals with disabilities to apply for positions within our team. Through the ‘Offer an Interview’ scheme, we aim to offer interviews to a fair and proportionate number of applicants with disabilities who best meet the essential criteria for our vacancies. If you would like to participate in the scheme, you will have the opportunity to indicate this on your application.

What We Offer

We care about our people’s success by offering great pay, bonuses, up to 28 days off plus bank holidays, and paid time for charity work. You can personalise our benefits for you and your family, like discounts, vouchers, a pension plan and loads more. We help with your career through our amazing learning tools and top-notch parental leave policies.

Need to Know

We are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and all offers of employment for this role are subject to background checks, including criminal (DBS) and financial checks to meet the regulators standards.

If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks in between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, or assistive technology, please refer to the Accessibility section of our Careers website (https://careers.vodafone.com/uk/reasonable-adjustments/) for guidance.

We use AI in different parts of our business to boost innovation, improve efficiency, and create new opportunities. We know many candidates use AI to fine-tune their CVs or prepare for interviews, but what we really care about is your unique experiences and achievements.

During the interview, we want you rely on your own knowledge and skills to show us who you really are—your personality, creativity, and abilities. Above all, we’re looking for authenticity and can’t wait to get to know the real you.

VodafoneThree