VP of Engineering — AI

Experis; England; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A high-growth technology company in the UK is seeking a hands-on VP of Engineering (AI) to lead the development of innovative AI products. This role demands significant coding and technical decision-making, suitable for a high-calibre engineer with startup experience. Candidates should have an exceptional background in Python and Node.js, coupled with a strong academic record. The position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of applied AI in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Deep-level experience in Python is required.
• Significant experience with Node.js and modern backend architecture.
• Experience in a hands-on VP role, not as a manager.
• Clear, demonstrable AI build examples: what you shipped, how you built it, stack, architecture, outcomes.
• Founder, co-founder, or product-ownership mindset — full accountability.

Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and ship AI products.
• Write code daily (~80%) and make technical decisions independently.
• Operate with a founder's mindset.
• Write code daily (~80%) and make technical decisions with autonomy.
• Operate like a founder rather than a traditional VP.

Skills

Exceptional Python engineering

Strong background in Node.js

Clear AI build examples

Startup or scale‑up experience

Ownership mindset

On-site availability

Education

Degree from Russell Group / Top 20 UK university

Degree from Top 100 global university

Job description

VP of Engineering — AI

A high-growth technology company is searching for an exceptional hands‑on VP of Engineering (AI) to lead and build next‑generation AI products. This is not a people‑manager or advisory role — it’s a deep technical, founder‑style position for someone who wants to build, ship, and own AI systems end‑to‑end.

This opportunity is ideal for a high‑calibre engineer who thrives in fast‑paced startup environments, enjoys taking full ownership, and wants to shape the next wave of applied AI.

What You’ll Be Building

You’ll architect, build, and ship real AI products including:

• LLM‑driven applications (generation, reasoning, orchestration)
• RAG pipelines, vector search, knowledge systems
• Multi‑agent / agentic AI workflows
• High‑performance backend systems in Python & Node.js

You’ll be expected to write code daily (~80 %), make technical decisions with autonomy, and operate like a founder rather than a traditional VP.

What We’re Looking For

• Recent startup or scale‑up experience — ideally 0→1 or 1→10 environments.
• Top academic background:
• UK: Russell Group / Top 20 with strong academics (First or similar).
• Overseas: Top 100 global university.
• Exceptional Python engineering — deep‑level experience required.
• Strong background in Node.js and modern backend architecture.
• Clear, demonstrable AI build examples: what you shipped, how you built it, the stack, the architecture, the outcomes.
• Founder, co‑founder, or product‑ownership mindset — full accountability, small‑team execution.
• Happy working 5 days per week on‑site for the immediate future.

Strong Pluses

• Ex‑founder or early founding team member.
• Experience working in lean teams, not large enterprise engineering groups.
• Track record of building products quickly and iterating fast.

Seniority level: Director

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Information Technology

Industries: IT Services and IT Consulting and Software Development