Lead AI Engineer

£560 per day (Inside IR35) | 12-Month Contract | Remote with Occasional London Travel
We are seeking an experienced Lead AI Engineer to join a high-profile government programme, leading the design and delivery of AI-enabled digital services and platforms.
This role will provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams, shaping architecture, engineering standards, and AI implementation strategies while supporting the development of scalable, secure, and user-focused solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the design and delivery of AI-enabled digital products, platforms, and services
Provide technical leadership to front-end, back-end, and AI engineering teams
Define and implement solution architecture, engineering standards, and best practices
Drive the integration of Generative AI, LLMs, and machine learning capabilities into production services
Work closely with senior stakeholders, product teams, architects, and delivery leads to align technical solutions with business objectives
Mentor and develop engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement
Ensure solutions meet government requirements for security, accessibility, scalability, and resilience
Support technical governance, architecture reviews, and delivery planning activities
Essential Skills & Experience
Significant experience in a Lead Engineer, Principal Engineer, Technical Lead, or AI Engineering Lead position
Proven experience delivering AI-enabled products and services in complex enterprise environments
Strong software engineering background across modern front-end and back-end technologies
Experience designing and implementing cloud-native architectures within Azure, AWS, or GCP
Strong understanding of Generative AI, LLMs, AI orchestration frameworks, and enterprise AI integration patterns
Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through the full software delivery lifecycle
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
Previous experience delivering technology solutions within UK Government or Public Sector environments (essential)
Eligible to obtain and maintain BPSS clearance
Desirable Experience
Experience delivering AI-enabled mobile applications
Knowledge of MLOps, DevSecOps, CI/CD, and Infrastructure as Code
Experience with vector databases, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and AI agent frameworks
Exposure to GDS standards and government digital delivery practices
Contract Details
Role: Lead AI Engineer
Rate: £560 per day
IR35: Inside IR35
Duration: 12 months
Location: Remote, with occasional travel to London
Clearance: BPSS Eligible
Start Date: ASAP
LA International is an award-winning partner of choice for many of the world's most influential companies and government organisations. Holding Enhanced Government Security Accreditation, we are recognised as the European market leader in the delivery of Security Cleared talent to organisations that demand the very highest levels of security, compliance and assurance.
A multiple award-winning organisation, having secured the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade over consecutive years. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background or identity, and we encourage candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to still apply. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure a fair and accessible experience.
Please Note: If a high volume of applications is received, only candidates shortlisted will be contacted.

Work arrangement
Yes