Principal AI Engineer

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Time left to apply: End Date: August 17, 2025 (17 days left to apply)

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About Us

Hastings Direct is a fast-growing, agile, digitally focused general insurance provider serving over 2.8 million customers in the UK, with more than 3,400 colleagues. Our vision is to be the best and biggest digital insurance provider in the market.

We are different because of our attitude and how we run our business. We focus on doing right by our colleagues, customers, company, and community. Our environment is dynamic, flexible, fun, and ever-changing. We offer opportunities to make a real difference, influence our company, benefit our communities, and enjoy the journey.

Role Overview: 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 organization.

Collaborating closely with Data Science, Engineering, Product, and Business teams, you'll understand complex challenges and identify AI opportunities. You will manage the entire lifecycle of AI projects-from problem framing and data exploration to model 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 (e.g., Git), CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing for ML code.

What we offer

Join us and experience a different way of doing things-our 4Cs culture focuses on our colleagues, customers, company, and community. We support your growth with training, recognition, and opportunities to implement your ideas.

• Salary: Attractive salary based on experience + car allowance (annual pay reviews)
• Flexible Working: We promote a hybrid approach; discuss details with your recruiter.
• Bonus Scheme: Annual performance bonus based on company and personal performance.
• Physical Wellbeing: Private medical insurance (PMI) coverage.
• Financial Wellbeing: Life assurance (4x salary), income protection, pension match up to 10%, and various discounts and financial support services.
• Mental Wellbeing: Support programs including Thrive mental health app, 24/7 assistance, mental health first aiders, and support groups.
• Additional Benefits: 27 days annual leave + bank holidays, health plans, dental plans, schemes, onsite facilities, social events, and more.

We are committed to inclusivity. If you need adjustments during recruitment, please let us know to ensure a fair process.