Lead Software Engineer
SKILLS
FULL DESCRIPTION
Lead Software Engineer in Southampton
Southampton
Full-Time
72000 - 108000 £ / year (est.)
Home office (partial)
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At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of innovative AI solutions and automate workflows using cutting-edge technologies. - Company: Dynamic alternative credit hedge fund with a focus on AI innovation. - Benefits: Competitive salary, bonuses, flexible working, and daily catered lunches. - Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping AI strategy in a growing investment firm. - Qualifications: 8-12 years of experience in Python, SQL, and AI integration. - Other info: Join a high-calibre team that values technical excellence and creativity.
What You'll Do
- Technical Delivery (80%) - Build end-to-end automation workflows using Python, SQL, Streamlit, and FastAPI - Design and implement LLM-powered applications with foundation model APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Gemini) - Develop complex prompt engineering and agentic workflows - Build and optimise RAG pipelines using vector databases and embedding models - Implement MLOps best practices across AWS and Azure cloud platforms - Leverage agent frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, CrewAI) to orchestrate complex AI workflows - Develop model fine-tuning, evaluation frameworks, and observability tools - Business & Leadership (20%) - Partner with teams to scale AI capabilities and establish best practices - Translate business problems into technical solutions with measurable ROI - Lead hands-on training and workshops to drive AI adoption - Build business cases that prioritise initiatives based on commercial impact
What they're Looking For
- Essential - 8-12 years of production experience with advanced Python and SQL - Hands-on experience with LLM integration, prompt engineering, and RAG architecture - Proven use of AI coding assistants (GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor) to accelerate development - Evidence of applying technology beyond your day job – side projects, open source contributions, or building tools that solve real problems - Someone who naturally gravitates toward using technology to make things better - Nice to Have - MSc or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field - Experience in financial services, particularly credit markets or investment management - Classical ML/AI capabilities (gradient boosting, time series forecasting, anomaly detection)
What They Offer
- Competitive Package - Base salary, discretionary bonus, generous pension, comprehensive benefits, and daily catered lunches - True Flexibility - Hybrid working with four weeks "work from anywhere" annually - Direct Impact - Shape AI strategy at a growing investment firm where your solutions drive real business decisions - Innovation Freedom - Autonomy to experiment with emerging AI tools, with budget and support to explore what's next - High-Calibre Team - Work alongside driven professionals who value both technical excellence and commercial pragmatism
Lead Software Engineer in Southampton employer: [Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk]
Join a forward-thinking Alternative Credit Hedge Fund in London, where you will be at the forefront of AI innovation. With a competitive salary, generous benefits, and a culture that promotes flexibility and autonomy, this role offers you the chance to make a direct impact on business decisions while collaborating with a high-calibre team. Embrace the opportunity for professional growth and the freedom to experiment with cutting-edge AI technologies in a supportive environment.