Senior Applied AI Software Engineer

Senior Software Engineer - Applied AI Manchester (Hybrid, 3 Days On-Site) | £65,000 - £80,000 + Equity Gravitas has partnered with a fast-growing Applied AI consultancy in Manchester to hire a Senior Applied AI Software Engineer. This is an exciting opportunity to join a business at the forefront of AI engineering, helping organisations turn ambitious AI ideas into secure, scalable systems that deliver real-world impact. You'll work on a diverse range of projects spanning innovative startups, enterprise organisations, policing, and secure government environments. The role is ideal for strong software engineers who are passionate about AI and want to be part of the next generation of AI-powered product development. The Opportunity This role sits at the intersection of software engineering and applied AI. You might currently be a Backend Engineer, Platform Engineer, Full Stack Engineer, or Software Developer who has started exploring LLMs, AI-assisted development, agents, RAG architectures, or machine learning applications. What matters most is a strong engineering foundation, curiosity about AI, and a desire to learn. You'll join client-facing teams designing, building, and deploying production-grade AI solutions. Working alongside experienced AI engineers, you'll help bridge the gap between experimentation and production, ensuring AI systems are reliable, scalable, and maintainable. What You'll Be Doing Designing and building production software around AI capabilitiesTaking AI prototypes and experiments into production environmentsDeveloping APIs, services, integrations, and data pipelinesWorking with LLMs, embeddings, RAG architectures, agents, and model APIsBuilding evaluation, testing, and monitoring approaches for AI systemsDeploying solutions using modern cloud and infrastructure toolingCollaborating directly with clients to understand requirements and solve complex challengesApplying strong software engineering principles within multidisciplinary AI teamsLeveraging AI-assisted development tools while maintaining engineering best practicesContributing to internal R&D, experimentation, and knowledge sharing What We're Looking For Essential Skills & Experience Strong experience building and operating production softwareExcellent Python development skillsExperience with software architecture, APIs, testing, debugging, and maintainable codeStrong understanding of cloud platforms and modern software delivery practicesExperience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps methodologiesProven ability to deliver software from development through to productionExcellent problem-solving skills and a passion for continuous learning Desirable Experience TypeScript, Java, Go, or C# development experienceExposure to LLMs, RAG, semantic search, agentic workflows, or AI integrationsExperience evaluating or monitoring AI systemsPersonal AI projects, open-source contributions, or experimentation with AI technologiesAn active interest in the evolving AI landscape and emerging technologies Commercial AI experience is beneficial but not essential. Strong engineering fundamentals and a genuine enthusiasm for AI are valued more highly than specific AI credentials. Why Join? Work on cutting-edge Applied AI projects with real-world impactInfluence how modern AI technologies are implemented in production environmentsSolve complex engineering challenges across multiple sectorsDedicated time for R&D, experimentation, and technical learningOpportunity to contribute to open-source projects and technical contentBe part of a growing engineering organisation with significant career progression opportunitiesGain exposure to both hands-on engineering and client-facing consulting work Package & Benefits Salary: £65,000 - £80,000Equity options availableHybrid working (3 days per week in Manchester office)25 days holiday, increasing to 30 days with service£500 annual learning and development budgetHealthcare cash planEnhanced family leave policiesCycle to Work schemePaid volunteering daysRegular company socialsModern Manchester city centre office with on-site gym Location & Eligibility Manchester-based hybrid roleSome occasional client-site travel may be requiredCandidates must have 3+ years UK residency due to clearance eligibility requirementsSuccessful applicants will be required to undergo government clearance checks Interested? If you're a software engineer who wants to work at the forefront of Applied AI and help build intelligent systems that deliver genuine business value, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now or get in touch with Gravitas Recruitment Group for a confidential discussion.