Lead Developer - Applied AI Engineering

Job summary

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.

We are part of the Darlington Economic Campus, a pioneering new cross-government hub which brings people together to play an active role in the most important issues of the day whilst working closer to the communities we serve. The campus provides the opportunity for people from all over the UK to help shape the future of the country, and our flexible working practices ensure you can collaborate effectively with our partners. It’s central government, made more accessible to you!

Job description

We are looking for a technical lead developer to lead technical delivery of applied AI engineering projects in support of the Finance and Performance Data Integration Service programme and . The initial project will likely focus on the use of AI and other technologies to automatically extract, structure, and visualise key metrics from unstructured finance and performance data contained in PDFs and PowerPoints, providing data quality assurance and source-based data linkage. Other projects could be very varied e.g. using AI for forecasting or risk identification.

We are looking for someone who has a strong background in software development. We are open to shaping the roles with successful candidates to help ensure that we strike the right balance of skills.

The post holders will be part of a growing community of data and digital professionals and will be expected to champion excellence in AI data, and digital and help grow data & digital skills across HM Treasury.

The key responsibilities of the post holders will be:

Technical Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end technical design, development, and implementation of AI solutions. This would involve development and maintenance of analytic products in our preferred tech stack (Python, Plotly Dash and Azure) and experimentation with and use of other applications.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to data engineers, analysts and non-technical staff working on the broader FPDIS programme.
• Document AI architectures, models, and agent behaviours to ensure transparency, governance, and continuous improvement.

Solution Design & Delivery

• Lead technical delivery of an experimental Agile project to extract finance and performance data from PDFs and other documents.
• Integrate AI capabilities with enterprise platforms and services, including low-code environments, APIs, and data pipelines, and cloud-based data integration platforms.

Technology Evaluation

• Assess and select appropriate AI models, platforms, and tools (e.g. OpenAI, Copilot Studio).
• Stay current with emerging AI technologies, particularly developments in agent-based systems, and evaluate their applicability to FPDIS.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with stakeholders to translate business needs into AI-enabled solutions, incorporating agent-based architectures where appropriate.
• Support the training and upskilling of HMT staff in AI literacy, responsible use of intelligent systems, and adoption of AI-enabled tools.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all AI solutions are ethical, secure, and aligned with HMT’s strategic objectives and regulatory obligations, and wider DSIT guidance.

Required Skills:

1. Programming:

• Strong proficiency in Python

2. Systems Design (Skill level: practitioner)

• Design AI systems and agent-based architectures that are scalable, secure, and aligned with business needs.
  • Select and apply appropriate design standards, methods, and tools.
  • Review and guide the designs of others to ensure integration and efficiency.

3. Information Security (Skill level: practitioner)

1. • Embed security controls in AI and agent-based solutions.
   • Design with threat mitigation and data protection as core features.

4. Modern Standards Approach (Skill level: practitioner)

• • Apply appropriate standards and practices for AI development and deployment.
  • Promote maintainability, reusability, and compliance in solution design.

Candidate Drop-In Session

We will be running a candidate drop-in session for this role to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury and the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at 13:30 – 14:30 on Tuesday 7 April Click the Link to Join

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact james.aitken@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

Application Stage

Application Form

Applications should consist of a CV including your employment history, and a 1,000-word setting out how you meet the shortlisting criteria below. Your CV and employment history won’t be scored. It’s used to give context to your application and support discussions at interview.

The panel will review applications and invite those that best demonstrate evidence of the shortlisting criteria for interview. Please keep this in mind when writing your application.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

• Technical leadership of applied AI projects Describe your experience of technical leadership of AI projects. How did you break down a complex problem into engineering deliverables and how did you deal with constraints?
• Designing of AI solution to a business problem. Demonstrate using knowledge of AI and machine learning to design an AI based solution to solve a business problem; including systems design, security and standards skills. Experience of using LLMs to extract unstructured data from documents is preferred, but not necessary.
• Technical Application of LLMs in a Digital Product. Demonstrate experience of developing digital products that embedded LLMs, including programming skills (e.g. python), working with cloud system (e.g. Microsoft Azure), prompting techniques and evaluation methods. Experience with our tech stack of Python and Microsoft Azure is preferred, but not necessary.
• Working as a team Demonstrate your experience of effective team working, including forming effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds.

Interview Stage

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Experience- past projects linked to personal statement
• Technical
  • Programming and build (software engineering)
  • Systems design
• Behaviours:
  • Changing and Improving
  • Working Together

Interview Task / Presentation

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a task that the interview panel would like you to complete as part of the assessment. The exact details will be communicated to you nearer the time. The task will test your technical abilities on programming and build software engineering)and systems design.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Programming and build (software engineering)
• Systems design

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,670, HM Treasury contributes £16,706 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.• Generous Annual Leave – 25 days (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus public holidays and the King’s birthday.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme – Defined Benefit pension with employer contributions of 28%
• Parental Leave Packages – Including 6 months’ occupational pay for maternity/adoption, shared parental leave options.
• Flexible & Hybrid Working – Options include part-time, job-share, compressed hours, flexitime, and hybrid working (where business needs allow).
• Advance Schemes & Discounts – Rental deposit, cycle-to-work, SmartTech, season ticket loans, and access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal for a wide range of discount codes.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidate Guidance

Please review our candidate guidance for an overview of the Success Profiles and STAR approach, along with top tips for applications and interviews.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 19th April 2026
• Shortlisting: From 20th April 2026
• Interviews: From 6th May 2026

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline.

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a post immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be approached for roles in merit order according to the first preferred location stated on your application form.

Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer. We would still encourage you to apply for other HM Treasury opportunities that you are interested in. If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or you are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Those on the reserve list may also be approached for similar roles at a lower grade. If you are offered a role at a lower grade and choose to decline, you can remain on the reserve list.

Eligibility Statement

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Checks will be performed as part of pre-employment checks in line with this. Please refer to the Candidate FAQ document attached to the advert for more information.

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, individuals appointed to the Treasury group will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. In exceptional circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case-by-case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

Please read the Vetting Charter for information on what to expect during the vetting process and what will be expected from you. Many areas of your life may be explored during your vetting journey, and it is important that every individual, regardless of their background and experiences, should feel comfortable going through this personal process, whilst having confidence that it is fair, proportionate, and inclusive.

These short videos address common concerns and preconceptions which applicants may have about national security vetting. If you have questions relating to security clearances, please contact HMTSecurityVetting@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : James Aitken
• Email : james.aitken@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints Process: Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email at: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

Role Profile 452785_ Opens in new window (pdf, 170kB)HM Treasury Guidance on Pay 2024 October 2024 (24) Opens in new window (pdf, 74kB)