AI Engineer – Pharmaceutical Logistics

Location: Hybrid, London (approximately 2-3 days onsite per week)

Engagement: Contract, outside IR35

Duration: 6 months, with extension subject to business need and satisfactory delivery

Rate: Day rate to be confirmed, dependent on experience

Sector: Pharmaceutical logistics / supply chain

Start: ASAP

About the role

We are seeking an experienced AI Engineer to design, build, and deliver AI-enabled solutions that improve the reliability, visibility, and efficiency of pharmaceutical logistics operations. You will work closely with supply-chain, operations, data, and technology stakeholders to turn complex logistics challenges into production-ready AI and automation capabilities.

This is a delivery-focused engagement with clearly defined outcomes. You will be expected to bring specialist AI engineering expertise, work independently within an agreed statement of work, and provide recommendations and deliverables that the client team can operate and maintain.

What you will deliver

• Design and develop AI/ML solutions for pharmaceutical logistics use cases, such as demand and inventory forecasting, shipment-delay prediction, route and capacity optimisation, exception detection, and document/data extraction.
• Build production-grade Python services, APIs, data pipelines, and integrations with systems such as ERP, WMS, TMS, and cloud data platforms.
• Develop LLM-powered tools where appropriate, including document intelligence, intelligent search, structured data extraction, and decision-support assistants for logistics teams.
• Design robust data pipelines that ingest, validate, reconcile, and prepare operational data from multiple sources.
• Build evaluation, monitoring, and observability for AI models and AI-enabled workflows, including accuracy, latency, drift, exception rates, and business-impact measures.
• Apply appropriate controls for data quality, security, privacy, auditability, and validation, particularly where solutions support regulated pharmaceutical operations.
• Produce clear technical documentation, architecture diagrams, deployment runbooks, test evidence, and handover materials.
• Work with business stakeholders to understand operational requirements, test solutions with users, and iterate based on feedback.
• Provide pragmatic technical guidance on AI architecture, model selection, responsible AI, and scalable deployment.

Example deliverables

• An AI forecasting or exception-detection service integrated with logistics data sources.
• A document-intelligence workflow for shipping, customs, or quality documentation.
• A data pipeline and dashboard supporting supply-chain KPIs and operational decision-making.
• An LLM-based assistant or workflow automation with human-in-the-loop approval where required.
• Technical documentation, deployment artefacts, test evidence, and a handover pack.

What we are looking for

• Significant experience as an AI Engineer, ML Engineer, Data Scientist, or Software Engineer delivering AI/ML systems in production.
• Strong Python engineering skills, including clean, tested, version-controlled code.
• Experience with machine-learning workflows, model deployment, APIs, and cloud platforms.
• Practical experience with LLMs, RAG, embeddings, prompt engineering, function/tool calling, or agentic workflows.
• Strong SQL and data-pipeline experience; familiarity with cloud data platforms is desirable.
• Experience integrating systems through REST APIs and working with enterprise data sources.
• Ability to translate ambiguous operational problems into practical, measurable AI solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder management and the ability to work autonomously within an agreed scope.

Desirable experience

• Pharmaceutical, life-sciences, healthcare, logistics, or supply-chain domain experience.
• Experience with GxP, GDP, data integrity, validation, or regulated-system environments.
• Experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP; Docker; CI/CD; and infrastructure-as-code.
• Experience with time-series forecasting, optimisation, anomaly detection, or computer vision.
• Experience building AI solutions that combine structured and unstructured data.
• Familiarity with MLOps, model governance, responsible AI, and secure-by-design practices.

How we will work

The engagement will be governed by a statement of work defining deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria, and reporting requirements. You will be expected to manage your own working methods, bring specialist expertise, and deliver agreed outcomes rather than work under direct supervision.

This role is advertised as outside IR35. The client will assess employment status for tax based on the contract and actual working arrangements, and will provide a Status Determination Statement where required. For a medium or large private-sector client, the client is responsible for making that determination and communicating its reasons.gov+3

Essential attributes

• Strong ownership and delivery mindset.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, commercially focused environment.
• Clear communicator with both technical and operational stakeholders.
• Practical, pragmatic approach to AI: focused on reliable business outcomes rather than proof-of-concept demos.
• High standards for documentation, testing, security, and maintainability.

Application process

Please apply with an up-to-date CV highlighting relevant AI engineering, pharmaceutical/logistics, and contract-delivery experience. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a technical discussion or practical assessment.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.

Sheikh Salem