Salary for Senior-level / Expert Engineer in United Kingdom during 2024

Salary details

The average senior-level / expert Engineer salary lies between USD 81,250 and USD 150,000 in the United Kingdom. It represents the overall compensation/gross salary amount for the working year (before deductions like social security, taxes and other contributions), not including equity/stock options or similar benefits.

Region represents the primary country of residence of an employee during the year (or residence for tax purposes). All data shown are full-time equivalent (FTE) salaries. Part-time salary information has been extrapolated to its FTE value.

Last updated: Dec. 15, 2024

Top 20 Job Tags for Senior-level / Expert Engineer roles

The three most common job tag items assiciated with senior-level / expert Engineer job listings are Engineering, Python and Machine Learning. Below you find a list of the 20 most occuring job tags in 2024 and the number of open jobs that where associated with them during that period:

Engineering | 28025 jobs Python | 27099 jobs Machine Learning | 20609 jobs Computer Science | 17203 jobs Architecture | 16061 jobs Pipelines | 15145 jobs AWS | 15061 jobs SQL | 14824 jobs Security | 11918 jobs Testing | 11185 jobs Java | 9994 jobs Azure | 9975 jobs Agile | 9763 jobs Spark | 9328 jobs Data pipelines | 8881 jobs Research | 8457 jobs GCP | 8234 jobs ETL | 8020 jobs Big Data | 7800 jobs CI/CD | 7647 jobs

Top 20 Job Perks/Benefits for Senior-level / Expert Engineer roles

The three most common job benefits and perks assiciated with senior-level / expert Engineer job listings are Career development, Health care and Equity / stock options. Below you find a list of the 20 most occuring job perks or benefits in 2024 and the number of open jobs that where offering them during that period:

Career development | 25566 jobs Health care | 14134 jobs Equity / stock options | 11258 jobs Flex hours | 9223 jobs Competitive pay | 8392 jobs Startup environment | 8103 jobs Salary bonus | 6892 jobs Flex vacation | 6818 jobs Team events | 6780 jobs Insurance | 6121 jobs Medical leave | 6048 jobs Parental leave | 5811 jobs Wellness | 3936 jobs 401(k) matching | 3627 jobs Conferences | 1761 jobs Relocation support | 1696 jobs Home office stipend | 1644 jobs Transparency | 1397 jobs Flexible spending account | 1279 jobs Unlimited paid time off | 1246 jobs

Salary Composition

In the United Kingdom, the salary composition for a Senior-level or Expert Engineer in AI/ML/Data Science typically includes a combination of a fixed base salary, performance-based bonuses, and additional remuneration such as stock options or equity, especially in tech companies or startups. The fixed base salary often constitutes the majority of the total compensation package, ranging from 70% to 85%. Bonuses can vary significantly depending on the company and industry, often ranging from 10% to 20% of the base salary. Additional remuneration, such as stock options, is more common in larger tech firms or startups and can be a significant part of the compensation package, especially in high-growth companies. The exact composition can vary based on the region, with London typically offering higher salaries due to the cost of living and concentration of tech companies, and the industry, with finance and tech sectors generally offering more competitive packages.

Increasing Salary

To increase your salary further from a Senior-level position, consider the following strategies:

• Specialization: Develop expertise in a niche area of AI/ML, such as natural language processing, computer vision, or reinforcement learning, which can make you more valuable to employers.
• Leadership Roles: Transition into leadership or managerial roles, such as a team lead or head of data science, which often come with higher compensation.
• Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest technologies and methodologies in AI/ML through courses, workshops, and conferences.
• Networking: Build a strong professional network to learn about new opportunities and gain insights into industry trends.
• Consulting or Freelancing: Consider consulting or freelancing, which can offer higher hourly rates and the flexibility to work on diverse projects.

Educational Requirements

For a Senior-level or Expert Engineer position in AI/ML/Data Science, most employers require at least a master's degree in a relevant field such as computer science, data science, statistics, or mathematics. A Ph.D. is often preferred, especially for roles that involve research or the development of new algorithms. The educational background should provide a strong foundation in machine learning, data analysis, and programming.

Helpful Certificates

While not always mandatory, certain certifications can enhance your profile and demonstrate your expertise to potential employers. Some valuable certifications include:

• Certified Data Scientist (CDS)
• TensorFlow Developer Certificate
• AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
• Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
• Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer

These certifications can validate your skills in specific tools and platforms commonly used in the industry.

Required Experience

Typically, a Senior-level or Expert Engineer in AI/ML/Data Science is expected to have at least 5 to 10 years of relevant experience. This experience should include hands-on work with machine learning models, data analysis, and software development. Experience in leading projects, mentoring junior team members, and collaborating with cross-functional teams is also highly valued.

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