Lead Software Engineer

• Leading the design, development, and evolution of intelligent, distributed systems
• Architecting and building AI-driven capabilities, including Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), AI agents and orchestration workflows
• Designing and maintaining backend services and APIs (primarily Python, FastAPI/Flask)
• Building and scaling data pipelines and search systems using ElasticSearch, Weaviate, Pinecone, and other vector databases
• Engineering secure, containerised architectures using Docker and Kubernetes
• Ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and performance for mission-critical workloads
• Providing technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers
• Contributing to technical strategy, tooling choices, and engineering best practices

Technologies:

• AI
• Backend
• CI/CD
• DevOps
• Docker
• ETL
• ElasticSearch
• FastAPI
• Flask
• Kubernetes
• Python
• Security
• microservices

• Active SC clearance and British nationality (no dual nationality)
• Degree in Computer Science, AI, or a related field or equivalent industry experience
• Strong background in Python or similar languages
• Significant experience with backend development, microservices, and distributed systems
• Hands-on experience with AI/ML systems, including LLMs, RAG, or vector databases
• Solid understanding of containerisation and orchestration (Docker/Kubernetes)
• Experience delivering secure, on-premise or regulated systems
• Proven ability to lead technically, mentor others, and take ownership of complex problems
• (Desirable) Experience in defence, government, healthcare, or other regulated domains
• (Desirable) Familiarity with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure as code
• (Desirable) Exposure to data engineering, ETL pipelines, or high-volume data processing
• (Desirable) Experience working in SME or start-up environments, comfortable wearing multiple hats

We are an innovative UK technology company building a next-generation AI platform for defence and health applications. Our systems operate in highly regulated, mission-critical environments where reliability, security, and performance truly matter. We offer a genuine ground-floor opportunity for a Lead Software Engineer to shape both the technology and the engineering culture within a growing, mission-driven business. The role includes hybrid working with one day per week onsite in either Winchester or Basingstoke and a competitive salary between £90,000 - £100,000 (DOE) plus bonus and benefits.