Senior AI Engineer

Hugh James is continuing to invest in responsible, enterprise-grade AI to support our people, clients and communities. Our Skunk Works and IT teams lead the firm's innovation agenda, developing secure, scalable AI solutions that enhance productivity, streamline legal processes and differentiate our client offering. The Senior AI Engineer role is a key position, responsible for shaping and delivering the firm's AI strategy while building a strong technical foundation and capability across the business., We are seeking an experienced AI Engineer to oversee the design, development and delivery of AI-powered tools and platforms across Hugh James. You will provide technical leadership across multiple AI initiatives, mentor a growing team of AI Engineers, and work closely with senior stakeholders to ensure AI solutions deliver measurable business value. This role combines hands-on technical expertise with strategic thinking and people leadership., As a Senior AI Engineer, you will:

• Oversee the development, deployment and maintenance of AI-powered tools and integrations that enhance operational efficiency and reduce manual processes
• Ensure AI systems are secure, scalable, cost-effective and compliant with internal governance and external regulatory requirements
• Lead strategic AI initiatives that improve productivity across business units and deliver measurable value
• Provide guidance on AI tooling, architecture and technology investment to support long-term digital transformation
• Drive the development of advanced AI solutions that enhance client delivery, including intelligent automation, knowledge retrieval and workflow optimisation
• Work with business leaders to identify opportunities where AI can improve client experience and support new business acquisition
• Champion AI projects that differentiate the firm and demonstrate innovation in the legal market
• Help set standards for engineering quality, documentation, testing and deployment
• Oversee the design and implementation of advanced AI pipelines, including RAG, LLM orchestration and API-driven workflows
• Monitor system performance, identify optimisation opportunities and implement best-practice methodologies
• Support training and upskilling across the business through workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate: Significant experience in AI engineering or advanced software engineering Strong understanding of AI architectures, data pipelines and enterprise integrations Experience designing and delivering RAG and LLM-based solutions Knowledge of security, compliance and governance in regulated environments Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills A strategic mindset combined with a hands-on, delivery-focused approach Commitment to continuous professional development and staying current with emerging AI technologies

Birthday day off Death in service equivalent to twice annual salary Auto enrolment pension scheme Hybrid working Employee Assistance Programme Discounts for local businesses Professional fees paid (subject to requirement for your role) Employee recruitment incentive scheme We reserve the right to close our vacancies earlier than the given deadline if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Thank you for taking the time to consider this opportunity. If you have questions, please contact Jo Herbert. Hugh James is an equal opportunities and disability confident committed employer. You must create an Indeed account before continuing to the company website to apply

We are a leading, full-service UK law firm. Since our beginning, we have been led by the things that matter. We care about fighting for the right outcomes. Solving the seemingly unsolvable. Protecting businesses, individuals and livelihoods. Supporting our people, our communities. Safeguarding our planet. Looking for a way forward? At Hugh James, challenges - of all sizes - are readily accepted. The Hugh James difference Our law firm has always been guided by the idea that self-belief is just as important as skillset. Our pursuit of righting wrongs and protecting what's important keeps us driving forwards. It's in our roots! We won't stop until we find the answers; the outcomes that are needed. We are focused on the work we do, the business we run, and our culture. Our entrepreneurial spirit has taken us from humble beginnings to a strong presence across the UK with offices in Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Plymouth - servicing clients from businesses, individuals and banks to public sector organisations, property companies, education establishments and utilities providers. Our collegiate culture, our forward-looking ethos, our values serve to make us bigger, better, bolder than ever before. A positive force in the community Our work with charities on a local and national level plays a huge part in our day-to-day lives. We work with a large range of charities, some of which we support through fundraising, donations, volunteering and others we partner with where our areas of work cross paths. Staff, clients everyone comes together through a shared passion to do good in the community and support those in need. Some of our benefits on offer include