Senior Backend Engineer (Python/GCP) - Enterprise AI Platform

£800/day | Inside IR35 | 3 month contract with extensions (3 year programme)

Hybrid – 2 days/week from Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Birmingham or Edinburgh

We're looking for Senior Backend Engineers to help build a greenfield enterprise AI platform for a major UK bank.

You'll build the backend services that securely connect enterprise systems and data to conversational AI, knowledge retrieval and agentic AI capabilities.

This is a hands-on backend engineering role, approximately 80% Python / 20% Java, with no frontend development required.

What we're looking for

• Experience designing and building REST APIs and microservices
• Cloud-native engineering experience, must have GCP
• Kubernetes and containerised application development
• Experience integrating complex enterprise systems
• CI/CD, automated testing and Git
• Understanding of distributed and event-driven architectures

Useful, but not essential

• GCP services including GKE, GCS or Vertex AI
• Kafka or Pub/Sub
• OAuth, SAML, SSO or API gateways
• AI platforms, AI-agent orchestration or enterprise search
• Banking, fintech or other regulated enterprise environments

You don't need to tick every box. Strong Python backend engineering is the priority, and previous AI experience isn't essential.

You'll work alongside AI engineers, data engineers, architects and security specialists, with the opportunity to help shape a major new platform from the ground up.

Why consider it?

• Greenfield engineering rather than BAU support
• Modern Python/GCP engineering environment
• Exposure to Vertex AI and agentic AI
• Long-term programme with significant engineering scope