About the Client We are sourcing on behalf of Ozone API, the leading standards-based platform that handles the complexity of open banking, making it easy for financial institutions to meet both regulatory and commercial requirements for open APIs. Banks using Ozone API can accelerate their implementation of open APIs and bring new commercial services to market ahead of the competition. The company has been recognized as one of the UK's most loved companies to work for by The Breakthrough Culture Awards.
As part of Ozone’s continued growth and AI adoption strategy, they are seeking a Lead Engineer – Backend (AI) to drive the design, development, and intelligent evolution of the Ozone API platform. This role combines deep backend engineering expertise with practical experience in building and integrating AI capabilities into scalable, high-performance systems.
You will lead backend development efforts for Ozone’s Open Finance platform while exploring opportunities to leverage Large Language Models (LLMs), intelligent automation, and data-driven insights to enhance platform intelligence, developer experience, and customer value. This role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader who can design complex systems, guide engineers, and help shape Ozone’s AI-driven backend roadmap.
Key Responsibilities Lead the design, development, and maintenance of core backend components that power the Ozone API platform. Architect and implement scalable, secure, and resilient APIs aligned with global Open Banking and Open Finance standards. Identify and embed AI capabilities within backend services — such as intelligent data enrichment, anomaly detection, adaptive routing, or context-aware API responses. Collaborate with product and AI/Tools teams to design AI-enabled microservices, connectors, and orchestration flows. Design and lead proof-of-concept implementations for AI-powered features Implement clean, testable, and maintainable code with an emphasis on reliability, performance, and observability. Mentor and guide engineers on backend design principles, AI integration, and best practices in modern backend architecture. Participate in architecture reviews and technical design discussions across teams. Work closely with Dev Ops and Tools Engineers to ensure smooth CI/CD, deployment, and monitoring of AI-integrated components. Contribute to continuous improvement of Ozone’s backend engineering and AI adoption frameworks.
Skills & experience10+ years of experience in product development. Must have experience in Typescript and Node JS ecosystem, and the ability to adapt to new technologies quickly. Strong understanding of version control and Git Ops practices. Proven experience with CI/CD tools and modern deployment pipelines. Familiarity with containerisation principles (Docker, Kubernetes) and related tools. Exposure to AI concepts and hands-on experience with AI/LLM-based integrations, APIs, or agent frameworks. Understanding of AI engineering concepts such as prompt design, embeddings, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and vector databases is desirable. Experience working in an agile environment and strong understanding of Dev Ops and automation principles. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, capable of handling complex projects independently. Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical teams.
Preferred AI Exposure Experience with any of the following would be an added advantage:Experience with n8n, Git Hub Copilot, Claude Code, or similar AI-assisted development tools. Understanding of AI observability, MLOps, or data pipeline automation. Familiarity with cloud-based AI services (AWS Bedrock, Azure Open AI, GCP Vertex AI, etc.).
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