Overview

This is a Principal Machine Learning Engineer role based in London with a hybrid working pattern. The company is a fast-growing, Series A-backed technology company leveraging data and AI to solve complex, real-world problems. They are building a world-class data organisation focused on measurable business impact.

Note: Pay ranges are provided by NearTech Search; actual pay will be based on skills and experience.

Role

Principal Machine Learning Engineer – London | Hybrid

£100,000 – £130,000 (exceptional candidates considered above range)

This role focuses on building production-grade ML systems that directly drive business outcomes. You will thrive in a fast-moving environment and apply rigorous statistical and engineering thinking to solve real-world problems.

What you’ll be doing

• Own the end-to-end ML lifecycle: from design and experimentation through deployment and post-deployment monitoring
• Build forecasting, optimisation, and classical ML models that deliver measurable impact (not just prototypes)
• Collaborate with engineers, designers, and product managers to embed ML into core product features
• Implement monitoring and retraining processes for long-term model reliability (drift detection, KPI tracking, retraining pipelines)
• Contribute to a strong data culture, sharing learnings and raising the bar for applied ML

Who you are

• You’ve repeatedly shipped ML systems into production that made a measurable impact
• You’re pragmatic, combining modelling expertise with robust engineering and monitoring practices
• You thrive in a flat, collaborative team, taking proactive ownership and driving solutions without heavy layers of management
• You’re motivated by outcomes, not just technical novelty

You will need

• Several years of commercial experience building and deploying production ML systems
• Strong expertise in classical ML methods: time-series forecasting, regression/classification, optimisation, feature engineering, evaluation
• Excellent Python skills, with proficiency in Scikit-learn, LightGBM, Pandas and related tooling
• Experience with data/ML infrastructure (Snowflake, DBT, cloud services, CI/CD pipelines)
• Proven experience with model monitoring and retraining in production environments

Note: This role is not focused on NLP or LLMs. While familiarity is a plus, the emphasis is on strong fundamentals in applied, classical ML.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary plus equity
• 25 days annual leave (rising with service) + bank holidays
• Dedicated L&D / training budget
• Remote-first setup from the UK

Please note

• Candidates must be based in the UK
• Candidates must not require visa sponsorship now or in the future
• This is a permanent role, not a contract

Seniority level

• Not Applicable

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Information Technology

Industries

• Engineering Services and Technology
• Information and Media