AI Software Engineer - Outside IR35

AI Engineer – Government Department | Outside IR35 | 6 Months+ | Hybrid (London)We are seeking experienced AI Software Engineers to support a government department on a high-profile programme of work. The role will involve leading the design and build of advanced agentic AI systems, applying cutting-edge research, and developing solutions that can scale across complex environments.Key Responsibilities

• Lead the requirements, design, and implementation of agentic AI systems.
• Architect and implement autonomous agents with planning, reasoning, and execution capabilities.
• Design and prototype multi-agent systems that can coordinate and collaborate effectively.
• Develop agent memory systems and knowledge management approaches.
• Build robust error handling and recovery mechanisms for agentic systems.
• Implement human-AI interaction patterns to ensure oversight, assurance, and transparency.
• Optimise AI model performance for cloud-based environments.
• Evaluate and select appropriate AI technologies for experimental use cases.
• Apply open standards for interoperability (e.g. MCP).

Skills & Experience

• Strong expertise in Python for AI/ML development.
• Proven experience designing and implementing agentic or autonomous AI systems.
• Hands-on exposure to modern AI frameworks and large language models.
• Background in experimental AI research and prototyping.
• Ability to apply innovation and problem-solving skills in complex, unstructured environments.
• Familiarity with cloud deployment and optimisation (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Knowledge of open standards and interoperability frameworks.

Contract Details

• Location: Hybrid – London
• Length: 6 months initial contract (extensions likely)
• IR35: Outside IR35