Head of Applied AI Engineering 

Build the AI-native UK Government 

The Incubator for Artificial Intelligence is a team of ~60 entrepreneurial technologists and operators working at the centre of UK Government. We exist to do one thing: build and ship frontier AI systems that materially change how government works. 

We move at startup speed, operate under real-world constraints, and deploy at national scale. Our work sits directly behind the Prime Minister’s priorities and is used by Ministers, departments, and millions of citizens. 

The Role 

This role exists to own and drive the UK Government’s most ambitious applied AI products. 

As Head of Applied AI, you will have end-to-end ownership of AI  technical direction, and delivery across the Incubator. You will lead highly empowered  engineers, set the technical and cultural bar, and make the calls that determine what gets built, how it gets built, and where the UK places its biggest AI bets. 

You will operate at the intersection of frontier AI capability, real-world delivery, and national policy presenting directly to Ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office, and international governments. 

This is a builder’s role. Success means shipped systems, real users, and measurable national outcomes. 

What You Will Do 

You will: 

• Own the AI  engineering direction for the UK Government’s highest-impact use cases, from 0→1 prototypes to national-scale deployment. 

• Make high-stakes technical and product decisions under ambiguity, public scrutiny, and political pressure, balancing frontier capability with delivery that actually lands. 

• Lead  exceptional teams of AI engineers , creating an environment where speed, rigour, and ambition are the norm. 

• Build and scale an exceptional engineering team. You'll grow a high-performing group of AI engineers who are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in government, attracting top talent and creating an environment where technical excellence thrives. 

• Translate messy political priorities into crisp technical direction, turning unclear mandates into systems that work in practice. 

• Set the standard for applied AI in government, influencing how AI products are built, deployed, and governed across the public sector. 

• Step into priority work for the Prime Minister, from shaping the next round of AI “big bets” to direct submissions to No10 on future AI strategy. 

Who This Is For 

We are looking for a high-agency, entrepreneurial AI leader who wants their work to matter at national scale. 

You are likely someone who: 

• Has repeatedly been trusted with the hardest technical and organisational problems. 

• Enjoys ambiguous problem spaces and takes responsibility for creating clarity. 

• Cares deeply about engineering quality and real-world outcomes. 

• Is motivated by impact, ownership, and the chance to build things that will be used by millions. 

We care far more about what you have built and shipped than where you have worked. 

Essential Experience 

• Deep technical expertise in applied machine learning (e.g. GenAI, LLMs, NLP, computer vision, or adjacent fields). 

• Hands-on experience taking AI systems from concept to production in real-world settings. 

• Proven leadership of high-performing engineering teams. 

• Strong technical judgement where you’re able to assess trade-offs, anticipate failure modes, and make calls with incomplete information. 

• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to senior non-technical stakeholders. 

• Strategic, first-principles thinker with a strong intuition for where AI capability is heading. 

Highly Desirable 

• Experience working with frontier models (LLMs, agents, multimodal systems), including fine-tuning, evaluation, and deployment. 

• Experience running or evaluating AI agents in production environments. 

• Track record of making build / buy / partner decisions under startup-like constraints. 

• Familiarity with data protection, privacy, and responsible AI frameworks (e.g. UK GDPR). 

• Experience working in open, user-centred, iterative product environments. 
• Contributions to open source, published research, or public technical writing. 

Leadership Profile 

You are a: 

• Pragmatic visionary - excited by what’s possible, disciplined about what actually ships. 

• High-agency operator - you take ownership and move things forward without waiting for permission. 

• Collaborative leader - able to influence across organisational boundaries and bring others with you. 

• Builder of trust - comfortable working in the open and under scrutiny. 
• Public-interest technologist - motivated by applying AI where it genuinely improves people’s lives. 

Why This Role  

Opportunities to build frontier AI systems with real power, real users, and real consequences are rare. 

In this role, you will help define what “AI-native government” looks like. The decisions you make will shape public services, democratic processes, and how the state uses AI for years to come. 

If you are the kind of engineering  leader who wants disproportionate responsibility and disproportionate impact, this role offers a platform few people ever get.

What we offer 

Career-defining projects with outsized impact 

• Backing from the Prime Minister and No10 to scope and build transformative AI projects.  

• Unique opportunities to apply technology that could transform the public sector and impact citizens’ lives. 

• Talented, supportive and mission-driven colleagues. 

Resources & access 

• Access to frontier models and ample compute. 

• Extensive operational, product, strategy, design and delivery support so you can focus on shipping. 

• Work with experts across national security, policy, AI research and adjacent sciences. 

Growth & empowerment 

• A team culture and development support that prioritises personal growth. 

• Opportunities to own important products early and develop them in small empowered teams. 

• 5 days off learning and development, annual stipends for learning and development and funding for conferences and external collaborations. 

Life & family* 

• Opportunity to work from London, Manchester or Bristol offices. 

• Contract Type: Fixed-term (24 months) please feel free to ask about this. 

• Hybrid working, flexibility for occasional remote work abroad and stipends for work-from-home equipment. 

• Generous annual leave - 25 days plus one additional day for each year of service 

• Generous paid parental leave (up to 39 weeks full pay + option for additional unpaid time). 

• On top of your salary, we contribute 28.97% of your base salary to your pension. 

• Discounts and benefits for cycling to work, dental insurance, donations and retail/gyms. 

*These benefits apply to direct employees. Benefits may differ for people joining through other employment arrangements such as secondments. 

Salary 

Annual salary is aligned to role scope and relevant experience. Most offers land between £105,000 and £145,000 made up of a base salary plus a technical allowance (take-home salary = base + technical allowance). An additional 28.97% employer pension contribution is paid on the base salary. 

The full range of salaries are below: 

• Level 5: £105,000- £115,000 (Base £58,040 + Technical Allowance £46,960- £56,960) 

• Level 6: £125,000- £135,000 (Base £71,525 + Technical Allowance £53,475- £63,475) 

• Level 7: £145,000 (Base £71,525 + Technical Allowance £73,475) 

Selection Process 

Appointment is conditional on successfully completing UK Government SC clearance. Prior clearance is not required—we will sponsor and support you. You should normally have been resident in the UK for 2 of the past 5 years. Employment is conditional on obtaining and maintaining the required clearance(s). More detail on clearance eligibility can be found on the UK Government website: National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK 

In accordance with the Civil Service Commission rules, the following list contains all elements of the selection process. 

Candidates should expect to go through some or all of the following stages once an application has been submitted: 

• A short initial conversation 

• Technical take home test 

• Second interview in which we’ll review the technical test 

• Third interview with wider representation from the team 

• Final interview with members of the senior team

Diversity and Inclusion