Senior Data/AI Engineer – Manager

Senior Data/AI Engineer – ManagerLocation: ManchesterSalary: Up to £77,000 + BonusEmployment Type: PermanentSecurity Clearance: Must be eligible to obtain SC clearanceSponsorship: Unfortunately, visa sponsorship is not available for this position.The OpportunityWe are looking for an experienced Senior Data/AI Engineer to join a leading Technology & Transformation consultancy, delivering complex data, analytics and AI solutions for major clients.This is an opportunity for a technically strong Data Engineer or AI Engineer who enjoys solving complex problems and wants to take on greater technical leadership responsibility. You will lead technical workstreams, shape solutions, mentor junior engineers and work closely with stakeholders to deliver practical, high-quality outcomes.The role sits at the intersection of Data Engineering, AI and Generative AI, giving you the opportunity to work across modern data platforms, scalable data pipelines, machine learning and LLM-enabled solutions.You must currently come from, or have recent experience working within, a consultancy or professional services environment, with experience delivering technical solutions directly for external clients.The RoleAs a Senior Data/AI Engineer, you will:Lead technical workstreams within larger data and AI transformation programmes.Design, build and maintain scalable data pipelines, datasets and data models.Develop solutions that support analytics, reporting, machine learning and AI use cases.Work with both structured and unstructured data from multiple sources.Develop and implement AI and machine learning solutions where appropriate, including prediction, classification, automation and insight generation.Build Generative AI-enabled solutions using Large Language Models, prompt engineering and context engineering techniques.Provide technical direction to project teams, ensuring high-quality, scalable and reliable delivery.Mentor and support junior engineers, promoting best practices and supporting their technical development.Work closely with Business Analysts, Data Analysts, Product teams and senior stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into effective technical solutions.Implement testing, validation and monitoring to ensure data accuracy, model performance and solution reliability.Optimise data processing, storage and AI workloads for performance, scalability and efficiency.Produce clear technical documentation covering pipelines, data models, solution logic and technical assumptions.Ensure solutions adhere to appropriate data governance, security and privacy standards.Work as part of Agile, multidisciplinary delivery teams.What We're Looking ForWe are looking for someone with a strong background in Data Engineering, AI Engineering or a similar technical discipline, who has experience taking ownership of technical delivery and leading others.You should be able to demonstrate:Experience working as a Data Engineer, Data Developer, AI Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer or similar.Strong programming skills in Python and SQL.Experience designing and building scalable data pipelines and working with structured and unstructured data.Experience leading technical workstreams or taking ownership of significant elements of project delivery.Experience mentoring, coaching or providing technical guidance to junior team members.The ability to engage confidently with stakeholders and translate business requirements into practical technical solutions.Experience working in complex delivery environments, ideally within a consultancy or professional services organisation.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering clean, reliable and maintainable solutions.Experience working within Agile delivery environments.Desirable Technical ExperienceExperience in some of the following areas would be highly beneficial:Machine Learning and AI EngineeringGenerative AI and Large Language ModelsPrompt engineering and context engineeringscikit-learn, PyTorch or TensorFlowLangChain or similar AI frameworksCloud data platforms and services across AWS, Azure or GCPData warehouses and modern data platformsBig data and distributed processing technologiesData integration, data quality and data governanceModel testing, evaluation and monitoringYou do not need to be an expert across every area. We are open to candidates with either a stronger Data Engineering or AI Engineering background, provided you have an interest in developing your skills across the wider Data and AI landscape.About YouYou will be someone who enjoys getting into the technical detail but is also comfortable taking responsibility for delivery.You will have the ability to lead a workstream, support and mentor other engineers, and work directly with stakeholders to understand the challenges they are trying to solve.You will also have a pragmatic approach to technology, understanding how to select the right combination of data, analytics and AI tools to deliver genuine business value.What's on OfferSalary up to £77,000Performance-related bonusManchester-based roleThe opportunity to work on complex Data, AI and Generative AI transformation programmesTechnical leadership and mentoring responsibilitiesExposure to modern cloud, data engineering and AI technologiesExcellent opportunities for technical development and career progressionTraining, qualifications and certification opportunitiesPlease note: This role requires candidates to be eligible for and successfully obtain UK Security Check (SC) security clearance. Candidates must also have the right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.