Apprentice – AI Engineer

Job Description:

Salary: 26,255

Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours

Location: VHQ, Crawley, hybrid 3 days a week in the office

Contract: Fixed Term Contract 24 months

Closing Date: 20th July 2025

In a nutshell

Are you passionate about the potential of artificial intelligence and ready to turn that passion into impact? As our AI Engineer – Apprentice (Level 6), you’ll dive headfirst into the fast-evolving world of machine learning and data science at Virgin Atlantic.

Guided by experienced data scientists and engineers across our central Data & AI team, you’ll apply cutting-edge techniques to real-world challenges – from predictive modelling to natural language processing, from AI operations to ethical deployment. Alongside this, you’ll gain a recognised qualification through the Cambridge Spark apprenticeship programme, with full support to help you develop your technical skills and business acumen. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to help shape the future of travel while launching a meaningful career in AI.

Day to day

Support the development and deployment of machine learning models using Python and Databricks
Conduct data preparation and exploratory analysis to understand structures, trends, and anomalies
Collaborate with data scientists and engineers to select appropriate modelling techniques
Communicate technical insights through visualisations and business storytelling
Apply best practices for responsible and ethical AI, including fairness and transparency
Contribute to model explainability through tools such as SHAP and feature importance plots
Engage with Databricks and supporting cloud platforms like Azure and adopt MLOps practices for scalable AI workflows
Explore automation using Microsoft Copilot and OpenAI tooling
Apply learnings from the Level 6 apprenticeship directly to project work at Virgin Atlantic

About you

You’re curious, analytical, and eager to build a career in AI and data science
Comfortable with Python and basic SQL, with a keen interest in modelling and automation
You may have explored machine learning through online courses or personal projects
Able to explain complex topics in simple terms – and keen to keep improving that skill
Excited to work in a collaborative, agile environment with real business challenges
Organised, self-motivated, and ready to learn from some of the best in the field
Eligible to enrol in a Level 6 apprenticeship and ready to commit to the programme

Our recipe for leadership

At Virgin Atlantic, our leaders empower teams to thrive through collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Explore our Leadership Recipe and discover the 20 core ingredients that define what it means to lead with us, driving our mission to be the most loved travel company and achieve sustainable profit. Want to learn more? Click here

Be yourself

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do our colleagues. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. At Virgin Atlantic, we believe everyone can take on the world - no matter your age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We celebrate difference and everything that makes our colleagues unique by upholding an inclusive environment in which we can all thrive. So that everyone at Virgin Atlantic can be themselves and know they belong.

To make your journey with us accessible and individual to you, we encourage you to let us know if you’d like a little extra help with your application, or if you have any individual requirements at any stage along your recruitment journey. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team, (recruitmentfly.virgin.com) feeling confident that we’ve got your individual considerations covered.

Job Ident #: 2841

Company Details

Virgin Atlantic

Fleming Way
Crawley, England United Kingdom, International RH10 9DF International
www.virginatlantic.com/us/en

Virgin Atlantic uses a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft and operates to destinations in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia from its main hub at London–Heathrow, and its secondary hub at Manchester

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Job Info

Location

Crawley , England, United Kingdom

Type

Contractor

Company Details

Virgin Atlantic

Fleming Way
Crawley, England United Kingdom, International RH10 9DF International
www.virginatlantic.com/us/en