Job Description

Salary

The starting salary will be from 43,482 on Grade F, depending on qualifications and experience.

Contractual hours

36.5

Package

Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable).

Job category/type

Admin, Professional, Managerial

Date posted

01/12/2025

Job reference

Q12359

IT Services

This new full time role is available from19/01/2026 - 17/01/2028 on a fixed term basis and offers the opportunity for hybrid working - some time on campus in Exeter and some from home (one day per week at St. Luke's campus).###

Shape the Future of AI at the University of Exeter

Are you passionate about the transformative power of AI and digital technology? Do you want to help shape the future of higher education, research, and professional services? We're looking for a Senior Agentic AI Engineer to join our Digital Engineering Team and play a key role in delivering the University of Exeter's 2030 strategy.

As a Senior Agentic AI Engineer, you'll lead the design, development, and optimisation of AI and agentic applications that enhance productivity, streamline services, and enrich education and research. You'll work collaboratively across education, research, and operations, delivering initiatives aligned with our Enabling AI Strategy and AI Policy.###

What You'll Do

Lead the development and optimisation of AI applications and agentic tools that enhance university services and operations. Embed AI agents into existing platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Moodle) using secure APIs and integrations. Collaborate with IT and Digital colleagues, academic leads, service owners, and external partners to create innovative AI solutions. Maintain clear documentation for agent design, logic, inputs/outputs, and monitoring processes. Support ongoing monitoring of technology performance, identifying risks and opportunities for improvement. Contribute to technical documentation, risk assessments, and data protection impact assessments. Test for performance, inclusivity, accessibility, and compliance, working closely with Security, Information Governance, and HR. Communicate the value and impact of complex AI and digital services to senior stakeholders. Mentor and coach team members, sharing knowledge and expertise. Stay up to date with industry advancements and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.


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We're Looking For...

Degree-level education (or equivalent experience) in a relevant field. Strong experience with at least one cross-platform development framework (React Native or Flutter preferred). Demonstrable coding and digital development abilities. Understanding of prompt engineering, fine-tuning foundation models, and responsible AI principles. Experience developing with AI tools such as CoPilot Studio, AWS Bedrock, OpenAI, or similar platforms. Experience embedding AI agents into platforms and maintaining technical documentation. Strong communication skills and the ability to explain complex AI concepts to non-technical audiences. Proven ability to work in agile teams and contribute to iterative delivery. Commitment to ethical AI use, user empowerment, and community engagement.

Desirable:

Industry-standard IT certification or professional qualification. Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), DevOps workflows, and accessibility/inclusive design in AI/UX. Experience in higher education, academic research, or complex public-sector environments.

Please ensure you read the and Person Specification for full details of this role.

We reserve the right to close the job early if sufficient applications are received, so apply today to avoid disappointment.

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About the University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world's most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research - Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

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We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

Benefits

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We offer some fantastic benefits including: 41 days leave per year options for flexible working numerous discounts at leading retailers onsite gyms on all of our campus' and a cycle to work scheme sector leading policies around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to six weeks full pay) and a Fertility Treatment Policy stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England

Further information

Please contact Lead Developer David Hyde, d.hyde@exeter.ac.uk

Additional background screening may be required