Data science/AI/ML engineer

About the Role Outside IR35 £200 - £300Initial 6 month contract - high possibility of 18 monthsOur client is hiring a Data Scientist – AI/ML Engineer to join our Core AI Services team. You’ll be at the forefront of designing and scaling cloud-native AI platform services and APIs that enable enterprise-wide AI adoption. Working within a collaborative Scrum team, you’ll help build secure, reliable, and production-grade AI solutions that are ethical, scalable, and future-ready.This is a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI systems in a global R&D environment, contributing to the development of trustworthy AI services.What You’ll Do

• Build scalable, fault-tolerant cloud-native services on Microsoft Azure, including Azure Functions, AKS, and API Management.
• Develop secure, well-documented RESTful APIs and SDKs, managing their full lifecycle.
• Deliver end-to-end data pipelines, orchestration, and service APIs.
• Deploy and manage AI models and tooling for enterprise-scale adoption.
• Embed security best practices around authentication, authorization, and data privacy.
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and architecture discussions.
• Use AI orchestration tools like AI Foundry or Semantic Kernel.
• Apply prompt engineering and leverage tools like GitHub Copilot for development.
• Ensure responsible AI practices aligned with NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act, and other ethical standards.
• Mentor junior developers and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

Skills & Experience

• 10+ years in software engineering, with strong experience building cloud-native or platform services using Microsoft and .NET.
• 4+ years in a Data Scientist or AI/ML Engineer role.
• Proficiency in Python, including libraries like pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch.
• Deep understanding of ML algorithms: regression, classification, clustering, and deep learning.
• Hands-on experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and techniques such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), agent orchestration, prompt engineering, and tool calling.
• Familiarity with AI standards like Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent2Agent (A2A).
• Experience with automated testing and validation of AI outputs.
• Strong problem-solving mindset and ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Agile team experience and a collaborative approach to leadership.

What You’ll Gain

• Be part of a team building cutting-edge AI systems at enterprise scale.
• Work in a global, collaborative R&D environment with domain experts.
• Contribute to the development of ethical and trustworthy AI services.
• Competitive day rates with a contract Outside IR35.