The environment is heavily aligned to Oracle technologies, so experience with Oracle’s cloud-native AI stack is strongly desired (but not essential).

Key Responsibilities/Experience

• Design, prototype and deliver AI/ML PoCs (RAG pipelines, LLM-powered services, agent-based automation, generative use cases) aligned to Defence workflows and mission needs.

• Build high-performance backend components to support AI workloads, including retrieval layers, vector pipelines, inference services and integrations with platform-native AI capabilities.

• Engineer, fine-tune and optimise ML/LLM models for training, inference, latency and cost efficiency in secure cloud environments.

• Oracle AI stack (OCI Language, Vision, Speech, Generative AI, AI Agents) to build demonstrators aligned to programme objectives and operational scenarios.

• Ensure all AI solutions comply with MOD security constraints, cloud governance, auditability requirements and responsible-AI principles.

• Work closely with data engineering teams, application/integration specialists and security SMEs across a geographically dispersed programme delivery organisation.

• Contribute to SDLC processes (Agile/Iterative), including JIRA-managed workflow tracking and stakeholder playback sessions.

Essential Skills

• Strong backend engineering background delivering high-scale systems with AI components (Python/Java, RAG frameworks, vector databases, API engineering).

• Demonstrable experience fine-tuning and optimising LLM/ML models and associated training/inference pipelines.

• Solid understanding of cloud security patterns and guardrails in regulated environments.

• Ability to communicate complex AI concepts to senior Defence stakeholders with varying technical backgrounds.

• UK Citizen with SC (minimum) or able to obtain clearance.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Oracle ADW, OAC, Fusion or Integration Cloud.

• Hands-on experience with OCI AI Services and Oracle’s emerging AI ecosystem.

• Prior experience in Defence, Central Government or other highly regulated sectors.