Artificial Intelligence Consultant

Principal AI Consultant / AI Solutions Architect | Outside IR35 Contract

Location: UK Remote

Contract: 3-6 months initially, with potential extension

Day Rate: £700 - £800 per day

Start Date: ASAP / Early November 2026

The Opportunity

We're working with an established Microsoft-focused Data & AI consultancy looking for an experienced Principal AI Consultant / AI Solutions Architect to join their team on an initial contract.

This is a senior, hands-on position combining AI solution architecture, technical delivery and client-facing consultancy .

You'll work with enterprise clients to identify high-value AI opportunities, design and deliver production-ready solutions, and help organisations understand where Generative AI and intelligent automation can make a genuine commercial difference.

We're looking for someone who can operate at both a strategic and technical level, equally comfortable leading an AI discovery workshop with senior stakeholders and getting hands-on with solution design and engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design and delivery of enterprise AI and Generative AI solutions.
• Build and deploy AI agents, RAG applications and LLM-powered solutions using Microsoft Azure technologies.
• Work directly with clients to identify, assess and prioritise commercially viable AI use cases.
• Lead technical discovery sessions, AI workshops and art of the possible discussions with senior stakeholders.
• Challenge client requirements and advise when traditional automation may be more appropriate than AI.
• Support pre-sales activities, including technical scoping, solution design, demonstrations and proposals.
• Work across Azure AI, Microsoft Fabric and Databricks environments to develop scalable solutions.
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams, providing technical direction and supporting solution delivery.
• Help clients move AI initiatives beyond proof-of-concept and into production.

The role will involve approximately 75-80% technical delivery and 20-25% pre-sales and consultancy.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience as a Principal AI Consultant, AI Solutions Architect, Lead AI Engineer or similar senior technical consultant.
• Strong hands-on experience designing and delivering production-grade Generative AI and Agentic AI solutions.
• Good understanding of the Microsoft Azure AI ecosystem , including Microsoft Foundry, Azure AI Search and Azure OpenAI.
• Experience working with LLMs, RAG architectures, AI agents and model selection.
• Strong Python development skills and experience building AI-powered applications and APIs.
• Solid understanding of data engineering principles and modern cloud data platforms.
• Demonstrable experience leading client workshops, technical discovery and pre-sales engagements.
• Ability to translate complex AI concepts into clear business outcomes and challenge clients on the suitability of AI use cases.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience engaging senior business and technical audiences.

Desirable Experience

• Microsoft Fabric and/or Azure Databricks.
• FastAPI, vector databases and AI orchestration frameworks.
• Experience across other cloud platforms, particularly GCP or AWS.
• Experience developing reusable AI frameworks or internal accelerators.
• Background working within a technology consultancy or professional services environment.
• Industry exposure across financial services, insurance, retail, legal or professional services.

What We're Looking For

We need someone who has personally designed and delivered AI solutions into production , understands the engineering involved, and can confidently lead conversations with enterprise clients.

You'll need to demonstrate strong commercial judgement, helping clients distinguish between genuine AI opportunities and problems better solved through conventional software or process automation.

Experience within a consultancy or client-facing delivery environment will be particularly valuable.

Apply with your latest CV

If you're an experienced Principal AI Consultant, GenAI Architect or AI Solutions Architect with strong Azure AI expertise, hands-on delivery experience and the confidence to lead client engagements, I'd be keen to speak.