Lead / Principal AI Engineer

London
Technology

About the Role

At AKQA in the Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations space, Design and innovation transforming ideas into world-changing impact.

<p>At AKQA (part of WPP), we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to design a better future. Our Technology teams combine engineering excellence, creativity and innovation to build intelligent digital products, platforms and experiences for some of the world's most ambitious brands.</p>

<p>As a Lead / Principal AI Engineer, you'll design, build and deliver production-grade AI systems, intelligent workflows and agentic solutions that power modern digital experiences. From consumer-facing applications and connected digital products to intelligent marketing platforms and bespoke enterprise tools, you'll turn emerging AI capabilities into reliable, scalable and commercially valuable solutions.</p>

<p>This is a highly hands-on engineering role within AKQA's London studio, combining deep technical expertise with architecture and technical leadership. You'll spend the majority of your time designing and building solutions, while also working closely with clients, creative teams, strategists and engineers to translate ambitious ideas into production-ready technology.</p>

<p>You'll bring a strong background in backend or platform engineering, alongside recent, practical experience delivering generative AI and agentic systems into live environments. You'll understand that building a successful AI solution goes far beyond a prototype, requiring robust architecture, evaluation, security, observability and careful management of cost, performance and reliability.</p>

<p>ROLE REQUIREMENTS</p>

<ul data-spread="false">

<li>Architect, develop and deploy production-ready AI systems, including agentic workflows, multi-agent orchestration, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and intelligent automation solutions.</li>

<li>Lead the technical design and implementation of AI-powered digital products, applications and platforms, ensuring solutions ar

Want to learn more about what it's like to work at AKQA? View our full profile.

What It's Like to Work at AKQA

What It's Like to Work Here

Lightbulb Pioneering Innovation
Users Collaborative Trust
Compass Purpose-Driven Work
Zap Flexible Empowerment
Heart Inclusive Community
Target Growth Ownership

Frequently Asked Questions About Working at AKQA

Common questions candidates ask about this role and AKQA's workplace

AKQA is a design and innovation company that employs over 6,500 professionals across 20 countries. Awarded the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Digital Craft in 2023 and named by Gartner as one of the world’s leading marketing agencies in 2021. Winner of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas in 2022, and recognised as a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators in 2020.

Please review the specific job listing or contact AKQA's recruiting team for details on remote or hybrid work options for this role.

Salary information may vary by role and location. Please check the specific job listing or discuss compensation during the interview process.

AKQA is an established organization in its industry. The company focuses on maintaining a supportive workplace culture for all employees.

Key benefit categories include: Health & Wellbeing, Work-Life Balance, Financial & Discounts, Professional Development, Inclusion & Community. You can view more details on their CertCheck profile.

The day-to-day environment is guided by core values such as Pioneering Innovation and Collaborative Trust and Purpose-Driven Work.

The company has committed to inclusive practices including: Empower Through Trust and Accountability and Champion Inclusive Growth and Diversity.

AKQA has a supportive and collaborative culture, recognized as a loved place to work by its team members.

AKQA currently has 29 open positions. They are hiring across departments like Client Services, Creative, Strategy. You can view all current openings at certcheck.mostlovedworkplace.com/companies/akqa/jobs.

The interview process typically involves an initial recruiter screen followed by team interviews. Please contact AKQA's recruiting team for specific details on this role's process.

Apply for Lead / Principal AI Engineer

Submit your application directly to the AKQA team. Let them know why you'd be a strong addition to their team.

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