Lead AI Engineer

Join Us

At Vodafone, we’re not just shaping the future of connectivity for our customers – we’re shaping the future for everyone who joins our team. When you work with us, you’re part of a global mission to connect people, solve complex challenges, and create a sustainable and more inclusive world. If you want to grow your career whilst finding the perfect balance between work and life, Vodafone offers the opportunities to help you belong and make a real impact.

What you’ll do

As a Lead AI Engineer specializing in Generative AI, you will spearhead the design, development, and deployment of cutting-edge GenAI solutions across various business domains. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams including data science, product management, and business stakeholders to drive innovation and scalability in AI initiatives. In this leadership role, you will be responsible for mentoring senior and junior AI engineers and aligning technical strategy with business goals.

You will also act as a business translator, ensuring that AI initiatives are closely aligned with business needs and that technical concepts are clearly communicated to non-technical stakeholders. A strong understanding of business processes, value creation, and AI’s strategic impact is essential for success in this role.

Key Responsibilities
Lead the design and implementation of Generative AI models (, LLMs, diffusion models) tailored to business needs
Architect scalable and secure AI pipelines leveraging cloud/on-prem infrastructure
Guide the development and fine-tuning of LLMs using PEFT, prompt engineering, or RAG
Evaluate and integrate open-source and proprietary GenAI tools
Collaborate with product and domain teams to identify and prioritize impactful GenAI use cases
Translate business requirements into technical solutions and vice versa
Act as a liaison between technical teams and business stakeholders to ensure alignment and understanding
Ensure AI solutions comply with responsible AI, privacy, and security standards
Mentor and coach AI team members, supporting their technical growth
Monitor emerging trends in GenAI and proactively suggest innovative applications

Who you are

MSc or PhD in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or a related field (PhD preferred)
6+ years of experience in AI/ML, with at least 2 years in Generative AI projects
Proficiency in Python and ML libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face
Strong understanding of transformer architectures and LLM frameworks
Experience deploying AI solutions in production environments
Familiarity with vector databases, RAG pipelines, LangChain, or similar tools
Strong business acumen and the ability to understand and shape business value through AI
Proven ability to translate business problems into AI solutions and communicate results clearly
Excellent communication and leadership skills
Experience in telecom or regulated industries is a plus