AI and Automation Engineer

About the Devonshire Group

The Devonshire Group comprises the Devonshire family interests, charities and businesses throughout the UK and Ireland, including Chatsworth in Derbyshire, the Bolton Abbey Estate in North Yorkshire, the Lismore Estate in County Waterford, and the Compton Estate in Sussex.

Across our estates and businesses, we operate visitor attractions, shops, restaurants and luxury accommodation, alongside tenanted residential and commercial property, farming and forestry enterprises, and a significant property development pipeline. We employ around 1,400 colleagues across more than 65,000 acres.

We are committed to benefitting heritage, people and a shared future, preserving and enhancing our heritage assets, supporting our communities, and leading by example in how we do things.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Devonshire Group as our AI & Automation Engineer, helping to transform how technology supports colleagues and business operations across the Group.

Working alongside the Solutions Delivery & Automation Lead, you will identify, design, develop and support innovative automation and artificial intelligence solutions that improve efficiency, reduce manual effort and enhance access to information. You'll play a key role in exploring emerging technologies, developing proof of concepts and delivering production-ready solutions that create real business value.

As the Group's technical specialist for AI and automation, you'll work across a diverse range of projects, collaborating with stakeholders from across the business to develop intelligent, scalable and secure solutions that support our strategic objectives.

A valid UK driving licence and right to work in the UK are required for this role. Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

What you'll be doing

• Designing, developing and supporting automation, integration and AI solutions that improve business processes and operational efficiency.
• Building and maintaining workflows, applications, scripts and services using approved automation and development technologies.
• Developing AI-powered capabilities such as intelligent assistants, document processing solutions, knowledge management tools and decision-support systems.
• Creating and maintaining integrations between business systems, cloud services and third-party platforms using APIs and connectors.
• Researching emerging AI and automation technologies and identifying practical opportunities to apply them across the Group.
• Developing proof of concepts and prototypes to test and demonstrate the value of new technologies.
• Monitoring, troubleshooting and optimising solutions to ensure they remain secure, reliable and performant.
• Producing high-quality technical documentation, solution designs and support materials.
• Collaborating closely with the wider IT team, project stakeholders and business leaders to deliver agreed outcomes.
• Supporting the ongoing development of the Group's AI, automation and digital innovation capabilities

About you

You'll be naturally curious about technology and passionate about finding better ways of working through automation and artificial intelligence. You'll enjoy solving complex problems, learning new technologies and turning ideas into practical solutions that deliver measurable benefits.

You'll be comfortable working with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, able to explain technical concepts clearly and build strong relationships across the business. You'll also have a proactive mindset, taking ownership of your work and continually looking for opportunities to improve processes and services.

We're looking for someone who has:

• Experience designing, developing and supporting automation, integration or software solutions.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills and the ability to analyse complex processes.
• Experience with automation platforms, scripting languages or software development tools.
• Experience integrating systems through APIs, web services or connectors.
• Knowledge of artificial intelligence technologies and their practical business applications.
• Experience working with cloud-based platforms and modern technology architectures.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience creating technical documentation and solution designs.
• An understanding of information security, governance and data protection principles.
• A passion for learning and applying new technologies to solve business challenges.

It Would Be Beneficial to Have

• Experience with Microsoft Power Platform, including Power Automate and Power Apps.
• Experience with Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online and Teams.
• Experience with AI platforms, machine learning technologies or intelligent automation solutions.
• Experience with data and analytics technologies such as Power BI or Microsoft Fabric.
• Relevant Microsoft, AI, cloud or software development certifications.

In return

You'll join a supportive and friendly IT team within a values-led organisation that genuinely cares about its people. You'll play a key role in helping the IT function operate effectively and professionally across a diverse, multi-site organisation.

We offer a range of benefits including a wellbeing calendar of events, an onsite gym and swimming pool, and an Estate Pass providing free access to Chatsworth for you and your guests, plus discounts across Devonshire Group hotels, shops and restaurants.

Details of our employee benefits can be found here: https://devonshiregroup.co.uk/work-with-us/working-at-the-devonshire-group/

Our core values are Always Improving, Decency, and Being Inclusive. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences and are dedicated to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do.

Successful candidates will be invited to attend a 2-stage selection process.

Please see attached job description for further information about the role.