Principal AI Engineer

Were a digital insurance provider with ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. Over the past few years weve made significant investments in our data and tech capabilities particularly within our CIO function. Our CIO team is at the forefront of driving innovation and ensuring our technology infrastructure supports our ambitious goals. Weve nurtured our 4Cs culture fostering collaboration creativity and continuous improvement.

Were proud of the journey were on as a company and know that our continued success will rely on the contribution of our talented colleagues. The CIO team plays a crucial role in this journey working on cutting-edge projects that enhance our digital presence and improve customer engagement.

As a Principal AI Engineer you will be part of the Technology Engineering team within CIO leading the design development and deployment of advanced AI and machine learning solutions that drive innovation efficiency and strategic value across the organisation.

You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Data Science Engineering Product and Business stakeholders to understand complex business challenges and identify opportunities where AI can deliver measurable impact. You will lead the end-to-end lifecycle of AI initiatives - from problem framing and data exploration to model development deployment and monitoring - ensuring solutions are scalable ethical and aligned with enterprise goals.

Skills we would love you to have:

• Extensive experience in AI/ML engineering data science or applied machine learning roles.

• Proven track record of delivering production-grade AI solutions in complex data-rich environments.

• Proficiency in Python and key ML libraries (e.g. Semantic Kernel Langchain and Agentic frameworks).

• Experience deploying models into production using APIs containers or cloud-native services.

• Familiarity with Azure and infrastructure-as-code tools.

• Strong knowledge of data engineering principles including data wrangling feature engineering and pipeline orchestration.

• Experience with version control () CI/CD pipelines and automated testing for ML code.

What we offer

Join us and youll find a different way of doing things. We call it the 4Cs. We focus on getting it right for our colleagues customers company and community. As one of our colleagues youll be helping to drive our growth so in return well give you all the support training and development you need. Not to mention plenty of recognition and rewards and the scope to voice your ideas and put them into practice.

Reward

• Salary Attractive salary based on experience car allowance (pay reviews also completed each year)
• Flexible Working We champion a flexible and hybrid working approach so please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail including days in the office and at home.
• Competitive Bonus Scheme- All colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus which is usually paid in March. The scheme is based on Hastings performance against our business goals and your own personal performance.
• Physical Wellbeing as a Band 4 colleague Hastings pay for you to receive private medical Insurance (also known as PMI) This gives you flexibility and convenience to see a specialist or consultant and allows you to decide when and where you will be seen.
• Financial Wellbeing As well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover and income protection at no extra cost pension contribution match up to 10% we are proud to provide you with an AWARD WINNING package which includes discounts and cashback at everyday retailers and on our own products fee free independent mortgage advice and free access to financial wellbeing support.
• Mental Wellbeing programme At Hastings Direct we understand that mental health cannot not be scheduled thats why we have a range of support to help you keep yourself well. We have the thrive mental health app our colleague assistance programme available 24/7 our own in-house mental health first aiders support groups and a dedicated team to make sure we are covering your needs
• Theres more! 27 days annual leave bank holidays with the option to buy or sell one of your contracted weeks access to our health care cash back plans dental plans discounted health assessments Cycle to work and tech schemes discounted and free onsite facilities social events throughout the year and much more .
• Our 4Cs principles are simple: we believe by creating the right culture for our colleagues and giving them the right tools to do their job well deliver good outcomes for every customer helping us to grow the company profitably and sustainably and allowing us to invest in the communities we serve

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender age race disability ethnic background religion/belief sexual orientation gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process which includes credit and criminal record checks.

At Hastings Direct were committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.

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