AI Engineer

Overview

The consultancy with an anti-consulting ethos

FOIL is a data and AI consultancy with a difference – we prioritise building technology solutions; sustainable teams and capabilities that make our clients self-sufficient.

Our mission is simple: help organisations own their data and AI evolution and become independent from consultancy dependence.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for an AI Engineer to join an experienced team working at the forefront of generative AI and intelligent application development on Microsoft Azure.

You will work on high-profile projects with well-known clients across multiple sectors, collaborating with senior engineers, data scientists and solution architects. The role combines strong hands-on engineering with solution design input and a commitment to quality delivery in a fast-moving AI environment.

If you are an engineer who thrives at the frontier of generative AI, loves crafting production-ready applications and takes real pride in the quality and reliability of what you build, this is the perfect opportunity.

We are based in London and welcome applicants from across the UK who are happy to travel to client sites and our office on a regular basis.

What You'll Do

• Implement AI solutions using Microsoft Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service and Azure AI Search, working within established architectures and best practices.
• Develop well-structured backend services and REST APIs in Python, following clean code principles and established design patterns.
• Build AI applications and agents using frameworks such as Semantic Kernel, LangChain or Microsoft Agent Framework for orchestration and tool calling.
• Integrate Azure Foundry Tools — including Document Intelligence, Speech, Vision and Language — into client solutions for document processing, content extraction and natural language understanding.
• Write clean, testable code with appropriate unit and integration tests, and participate in code reviews to maintain quality standards.
• Deploy AI solutions to Azure Container Apps or Azure App Service, implementing CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions.
• Work closely with clients to understand requirements, demonstrate progress and gather feedback throughout delivery.
• Contribute to solution design discussions, providing input on AI component architecture and integration approaches.

What We're Looking For

You could be a great fit if you bring:

• A solid software engineering background with experience in backend development, building APIs and writing production-quality code.
• Good experience building AI and data solutions on Azure, with hands-on knowledge of Microsoft Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service and related services.
• A good understanding of LLM application patterns including RAG, prompt engineering, embeddings and vector search.
• Hands-on experience with at least one LLM orchestration framework such as Semantic Kernel, LangChain or similar.
• Working knowledge of Azure AI Search including index design, vector configuration and integration with LLM applications.
• Experience with relational databases (SQL) and ideally NoSQL or vector stores such as Cosmos DB or PostgreSQL.
• Understanding of containerisation with Docker and deployment to Azure container services, with familiarity in CI/CD using Azure DevOps.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to engage confidently in client-facing environments.
• Experience with Databricks would be beneficial, and Microsoft Azure AI or Developer certifications (AI-102, AZ-204, AI-900) are a nice to have.

What We Offer

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer the following perks and benefits:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• BUPA health insurance (including dental) and Medicash cover
• Group life cover and income protection
• Discretionary bonus
• Regular team socials

About FOIL

FOIL is a team of seasoned strategic and technical experts with deep experience in data and AI transformation. Our founders previously built and led the UK\'s largest specialist Microsoft data and AI firm, which was acquired by Avanade in 2020.

We work with mid-size and large UK enterprises and PE-backed businesses on sustainable AI transformations - from AI-powered knowledge engines to board-level strategic transformation. Our projects go beyond proof-of-concepts: we build production-ready solutions using pioneering knowledge-based architectures that provide AI grounded in truth, with technology designed to adapt to change.

Through our unique FOIL Talent programme, we build teams by nurturing diverse technical talent who work alongside our consultants and can transition to join our clients long-term - helping organisations build sustainable capability, not dependency.

We put people first, infusing every project with creativity, empathy, and genuine connections. For us, it's not just about results; it's the relationships we create too.

Apply now to learn more about becoming part of FOIL’s growth story.

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