Principal AI Engineering Manager

Job category

IT&S

Experience level

Senior

Relocation available

This role is not eligible for relocation

Job type

Professionals

Travel required

Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role

Job code

RQ112403

Entity:

Technology

Job Family Group:

IT&S Group

Job Description:

Join us in creating, growing, and delivering innovation at pace, enabling us to thrive while transitioning to a net zero world. All without compromising our operational risk management.

Working with us, you can do this by:

Deploying our integrated capability and standards in service of our net zero and safety ambitions

Driving our digital transformation and pioneering new business models

Collaborating to deliver competitive customer-focused energy solutions

Originating, scaling and commercialising innovative ideas, and creating ground-breaking new businesses from them

Protecting us by assuring management of our greatest physical and digital risks

Because together we are: Originators, builders, guardians and disruptors. Engineers, technologists, scientists and entrepreneurs. Empathetic, curious, creative and inclusive.

What you will do...

This role leads AI engineering capability across Upstream and Downstream business domains within bp's central digital delivery organisation. The Principal AI Engineer is responsible for managing a team of AI focused software engineers, owning the end-to-end delivery of AI-powered solutions from design through to production, and contributing to the broader AI engineering strategy for the function.

The role exists to accelerate bp's adoption of applied AI by embedding technical leadership close to business domains, ensuring AI solutions are fit for purpose, scalable, and aligned with enterprise standards. As a senior leader in a growing AI capability, this individual plays a key role in shaping how AI engineering is practised across the organisation, in growing the talent pipeline for the discipline and line managing a team of high performing software engineers.

Key Accountabilities

Lead and develop the skills of a team of software engineers, setting technical direction, fostering a culture of engineering excellence, and ensuring the team delivers high-quality AI solutions aligned to business domain needs.

Own the end-to-end delivery of AI engineering programmes within assigned business domains, driving definition of requirements, solution design, iterative development, and production deployment.

Partner with business stakeholders and product managers to translate domain challenges into well-scoped AI engineering initiatives, prioritising efforts that deliver measurable business value.

Contribute to the overall AI engineering strategy for the function, establishing and promoting practices, standards, and patterns that improve the consistency and quality of AI solutions across teams.

Manage relationships with internal and external engineering resources, including contracted and offshore teams, ensuring delivery quality and alignment with technical standards.

Collaborate with platform, data, and architecture teams to ensure AI solutions are built on sound foundations and integrate appropriately with the broader enterprise technology landscape.

What you will bring...

Demonstrable experience leading and managing software or AI engineering teams in a production environment, with accountability for team performance, technical quality, and delivery outcomes.

Strong software engineering background, including proficiency in modern programming languages and software development practices (e.g., version control, CI/CD, automated testing).

Hands-on experience delivering AI or machine learning solutions at scale, including model development, deployment, and ongoing operations (MLOps).

Experience with large language models (LLMs), generative AI techniques, or agentic AI frameworks applied to real-world business problems.

Track record of managing multi-stakeholder programmes, balancing business priorities with technical constraints and engineering quality.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical concepts clearly to non-technical partners and senior leadership.

Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, or a related technical subject area.

Desirable Criteria

Experience operating in the energy sector or another complex industrial or commodities environment.

Familiarity with enterprise data platforms, SaaS integration, or data mesh/fabric architectural patterns.

Prior exposure to AI applications in operational, trading, or engineering domains (e.g., optimisation, forecasting, natural language interfaces to enterprise data).

Formal training or certification in AI/ML (e.g., AWS Machine Learning Specialty, Google Professional ML Engineer, or equivalent).

Why join us?

We’re committed to supporting leaders who want to make an impact. At bp, you’ll have the chance to shape and influence outcomes across businesses. You’ll be part of an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and where your contribution to performance and integration matters. We invest in the growth and wellbeing of our people, providing the resources, networks, and development opportunities needed to thrive.

Our total rewards package includes competitive pay, bonuses, share options, and a range of flexible benefits designed to meet your needs — from healthcare and retirement plans to paid time off and agile working. We recognise that people have multifaceted lives, and we strive to offer a career experience that reflects that.

Location

This position is based in our Sunbury office. Please note however that this will move to Southwark, London by end 2027.

Travel Requirement

Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance:

This role is not eligible for relocation

Remote Type:

This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills:

Agility core practices, Agility core practices, API and platform design, Cloud Platforms, Collaboration, Communication, Configuration management and release, Continuous deployment and release, Creating a high performing team, Database Design, Digital Project Management, Documentation and knowledge sharing, Emerging technology monitoring, Facilitation, Information Security, Mentoring, Metrics definition and instrumentation, NoSql data modelling, Problem Solving, Relational Data Modelling, Risk Management, Scripting, Secure development, Service operations and resiliency, Software Design and Development {+ 7 more}

Legal Disclaimer:

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.

Legal Disclaimer:

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.

Our innovative Energize recognition points programme and spot awards translate exceptional performance into tangible rewards, to motivate our high performers.

Pay

bp offers competitive pay in line with industry standards, making us an employer of choice.

Discretionary bonus

We offer discretionary bonuses to reward strong company, business unit and individual performance, and recognition awards, including those related to long service to recognize commitment to the company.

Retirement & savings

We offer a range of discretionary retirement and savings plans to help provide you and your family with financial security.

Insurance benefits

To give you additional peace of mind, bp provides valuable insurance benefits in some countries. These are designed to provide financial assistance to employees and their families if employees become unwell or die in service.

Equity

Depending on your location and job level, there may be equity (stock and share) options you are eligible to join so you can be part of bp’s success.

Disclaimer

This is a high-level summary only of terms and current discretionary benefits applicable to certain roles. Some rewards, benefits and policies are at managers’ discretion and vary depending on where you work within the business. All terms subject to contract and all discretionary benefits subject to policy and eligibility.