Gen AI Developer - Contract

Overview We're looking for a skilled Generative AI Engineer to help build and scale a modern AI platform within a large, complex enterprise environment. This role combines hands-on Python development with DevOps practices and the integration of large language models into secure, production-grade systems. You'll be working on emerging technologies, solving real-world engineering challenges, and contributing to the evolution of AI capabilities in a regulated setting. Key Responsibilities • Design, build, and maintain backend services and APIs that provide secure access to AI capabilities • Develop Python-based components for prompt orchestration, output validation, and evaluation workflows • Integrate LLMs into existing enterprise systems, ensuring alignment with security and observability standards • Implement and manage CI/CD pipelines in line with engineering best practices • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, platform, and operations) to ensure reliable deployment and scaling • Support experimentation, benchmarking, and cost/performance analysis of AI models • Contribute to retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions and data integration patterns • Establish reusable API standards, frameworks, and documentation to support wider adoption • Troubleshoot and optimise distributed systems and cloud-based services Core Skills & Experience • Strong background in backend engineering using Python (additional exposure to Node.js or similar is beneficial) • Hands-on experience working with Generative AI and large language models • Understanding of prompt engineering challenges and model evaluation techniques • Solid DevOps capabilities, including CI/CD pipelines and monitoring practices • Experience operating in secure, regulated environments with strict governance controls • Proven track record of integrating AI into production applications or workflows • Knowledge of authentication, secrets management, and secure system design Nice to Have • Experience with API gateways, service meshes, or GitOps tooling • Familiarity with cloud platforms and services (compute, containers, storage, messaging) • Experience building RESTful APIs (FastAPI or similar) and microservices architectures • Exposure to infrastructure-as-code and automated deployment workflows • Knowledge of prompt evaluation tooling • Experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases • Understanding of vector search and retrieval-based AI patterns Ways of Working • Takes initiative and solves problems without needing heavy direction • Comfortable navigating ambiguity in a fast-evolving technical landscape • Strong communicator who can work effectively across technical and non-technical teams • Curious and proactive in exploring new AI approaches responsibly • Focused on automation and efficiency to improve delivery What Good Looks Like • High-quality, secure AI services delivered into production • Improved team productivity through automation and streamlined processes • Reliable, observable systems with performance and evaluation built in • Solutions that are easy for other teams to adopt and build upon • Clear, accessible documentation supporting rapid onboarding