AI Engineer Leader

Dufrain is a pure-play data consultancy specialising in helping businesses unlock the true value of their data by providing market-leading data solutions and services which includes developing strategies for AI readiness, improving data literacy and culture, enhancing real-time reporting, and managing data from mergers and acquisitions.

We are seeking an AI Engineering Leader who combines strong consulting, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills with deep technical expertise. You will translate complex AI concepts into clear, actionable direction for senior business and technical audiences, shaping client thinking and ensuring solutions deliver real business value

.
In this role, you will lead and grow a high‑performing AI engineering team, setting engineering standards, guiding delivery quality, and providing hands‑on technical leadership across multiple projects. You will ensure solutions are robust, scalable, responsibly designed, and aligned to client needs, acting as a trusted advisor to help clients understand AI opportunities and make confident delivery decision

s.
This is a client‑facing, engineering‑led position suited to someone with strong curiosity, a passion for emerging technologies, and a proven track record of taking AI solutions into producti

on.
Consulting & Communication Sk

• illsProven ability to engage, influence, and build trust with senior stakeholders, both technical and nontechni
• cal.Exceptional communication skills, able to simplify complex concepts and guide discussions with clarity, empathy, and author
• ity.Experience leading workshops, shaping solution options, and supporting decision-making in ambiguous or high stakes environme
• nts.Strong consulting mindset: structured problem-solving, ability to frame challenges, articulate trade-offs, and align teams around a shared appro

ach.
Leadership & Del

• iveryExperience overseeing the technical delivery of projects, guiding engineers, and holding delivery teams to high-quality engineering stand
• ards.A proactive, accountable mindset with the ability to structure work, identify risks early, and drive solut

ions.
Technical Exp

• ertiseProven experience delivering AI solutions into production, ideally in enterprise or regulated environ
• ments.Strong software engineering fundamentals (Pythonessen
• tial).Experience with cloud AI services and modern data platforms (e.g. Azure AI Foundry, Azure ML, Databricks, Amazon SageMaker, Bedrock,
• etc.).Practical understanding of MLOps practices, including CI/CD, IaC, model monitoring, and operational observab

ility.
Personal Att

• ributesStrong consulting presence with the ability to command a room, communicate with clarity, and guide client decision-making with confidence and e
• mpathy.Passion for learning, particularly emerging AI techno
• logies.Collaborative team player who enjoys mentoring

others.
Practice & Lea

• dership Define and uphold engineering standards across the AI cap
• ability.Coach and mentor AI engineers, shaping a high-performing and collaborati
• ve team.Contribute to capability strategy and the development of reusable patterns and accel

erators.
Client & Consulting Responsi

• bilities Act as a trusted advisor to clients, translating complex AI and technical concepts into clear, business relevant language that supports confident decisio
• n-making.Lead client conversations, workshops, and architecture/design sessions, ensuring objectives are clarified, expectations aligned, and stakeholders guided through tr
• ade offs.Shape solution options and delivery approaches with a consulting mindset, ensuring recommendations are grounded in value, risk awareness, and responsible AI pr
• inciples.Support AI roadmap development and contribute to pre‑sales and accoun

t growth.
Technical Delivery & En

• gineering Architect, build, and deploy AI/ML and agentic solutions into production env
• ironments.Provide hands‑on technical leadership across delivery teams, ensuring engineering quality, security, scalability, and mainta
• inability.Implement production-grade patterns: CI/CD, testing frameworks, model registries, observability, and responsible AI g
• uardrails.Design and implement robust model evaluation and monitoring processes, covering performance, drift detection, data quality, safety, and operational re
• liability.Introduce and operate human-in-the-loop (HITL) mechanisms for higher risk workflows, ensuring appropriate oversight and continuous im
• provement.Integrate solutions with cloud and data platforms and enterpris

e systems.
Innovation & Continuou

• s Learning Rapidly onboard new AI technologies, frameworks, and techniques and share knowledge acros
• s the team.Evaluate new tools (e.g. agent frameworks, prompt engineering patterns, vector databases, orchestration tools) and driv

e adoption.
What

• You'll GainOpportunity to shape and deliver cutting-edge AI solutions across multi
• ple sectors.Exposure to Microsoft Azure ecosystem, Databricks, AI Foundry, and the newest agentic/LLM
• approaches.Leadership opportunities within a growing AI practice that values continuous learning, experimentation, and responsible