Technology & Innovation Developer

Technology and Services

• Ref: 13187 Innovation Engineer £80,000 per annum plus £5,688 per annum car allowance, bonus and benefits. 12 month fixed term contract Our reputation as the UK’s largest newspaper and magazine wholesaler speaks for itself. Behind every nightly miracle is a team of dedicated people carrying out more roles than you realise – we’re the unseen force that delivers. The iLAB is Smiths News' Innovation Lab, run from Enterprise Architecture. It builds and develops innovative solutions for the business, working in 90-day cycles. This exciting role is the Lab's builder. You will use AI coding agents and assistants as your primary build method, so that one engineer delivers at a pace that would conventionally need a small team. What we can offer you Not only do we offer free onsite parking, 4x salary life assurance and 5% match pension but you’ll also have access to:
• £5,688 per annum car allowance
• Company bonus
• Company funded Health Cash Plan – providing cash back for everyday healthcare costs such as dental, optical and physiotherapy
• 25 days holiday plus holiday buy scheme
• 24/7 E-Learning modules, Training and Development opportunities
• Sharesave Scheme, Cycle to work schemes, Health cash plan
• Private medical insurance
• Colleague Assistance Programme & Colleague referral scheme

Strong full-stack web development: a modern JavaScript or TypeScript framework, API design, and at least one backend language such as Node.js or Python.
Demonstrable, current use of AI coding tools to deliver working software at speed. Hands-on experience with large language model APIs, prompt design, retrieval-augmented generation, structured evaluation, and ideally fine-tuning.
A track record of shipping fast. Prototypes, side projects, hackathons, start-up or agency delivery all count as evidence.
Degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience. Evidence of building matters more than certification.