AI Engineer
First seen by Alion on Sep 4, 2026.
AI Engineer
GenAI | RAG | AI Agents | Python | SQL
Locations: Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh (preferred) | Birmingham & Bristol considered - hybrid working - 2 days per week in either of the above locations
Contract initially until Dec 2026.
Day rate: up to £800 inside IR35 via umbrella
The Opportunity
We're looking for an experienced AI Engineer to join a growing team delivering cutting-edge Generative AI solutions within a large-scale enterprise environment.
This is an opportunity to work on complex AI initiatives, building intelligent applications that enhance knowledge retrieval, automate business processes, and create real business value through the application of AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Agentic frameworks.
You'll play a key role in designing, developing, and deploying production-grade AI solutions, collaborating with technical and business stakeholders to bring innovative ideas into live environments.
Key Responsibilities
Design and develop AI-powered applications using Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs).
Build and optimise Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions.
Develop AI Agents and Agentic workflows to automate business processes.
Create effective prompts and implement prompt engineering best practices.
Integrate AI services with enterprise systems via REST APIs.
Develop scalable solutions using Python and SQL.
Test, evaluate, and improve AI model performance and reliability.
Work closely with engineering, data, and business teams to deliver innovative AI solutions.
Essential Skills & Experience
Commercial experience building Generative AI solutions.
Strong hands-on experience with RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).
Experience developing AI Agents or Agentic AI applications.
Strong Python development skills.
Strong SQL skills.
Experience integrating applications using REST APIs.
Proven prompt engineering experience.
Experience deploying AI solutions into production environments.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
Desirable Experience
Knowledge Graphs.
LangChain and/or LangGraph.
Vector Databases and Embeddings.
Multi-Agent Systems.
Azure, AWS or GCP cloud platforms.
Preferred Background
We're particularly interested in candidates who have worked within:
Banking
Financial Services
FinTech
ConsultingWhy Apply?
Work on high-profile AI transformation programmes.
Design and build enterprise-scale AI solutions.
Exposure to the latest GenAI, Agentic AI and LLM technologies.
Opportunity to influence architecture, engineering standards, and AI strategy.
Flexible location options across the UK.If you're passionate about building production-grade AI solutions and have hands-on experience with RAG, AI Agents, Python, and SQL, we'd love to hear from you