Application Guide

How to Apply for AI Engineer

at Octopus Energy

🏢 About Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy is revolutionizing the energy sector by combining transparency, AI, and renewable energy to create a sustainable, low-carbon future. Unlike traditional utilities, they leverage technology to optimize energy distribution and customer experience, making them a leader in climate tech innovation. Working here means contributing directly to meaningful environmental impact through cutting-edge AI solutions.

About This Role

This AI Engineer role focuses on building scalable AI platform services for GenAI models, knowledge retrieval pipelines, and agent workflows to support application teams. You'll design systems for monitoring AI output quality and platform observability, directly enabling Octopus Energy's mission to optimize renewable energy through intelligent automation. Your work will ground GenAI applications in real-world energy data, making AI reliable and impactful for both internal teams and customers.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day involves collaborating with application teams to design prompt templates and agent workflows, then refining knowledge retrieval pipelines by optimizing embedding generation and database queries. You might spend time implementing monitoring dashboards to track AI output quality and platform performance, followed by code reviews for scalable Python services in Git. Regular syncs focus on aligning AI systems with Octopus Energy's renewable energy goals, ensuring your work drives both technical innovation and environmental impact.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Octopus Energy

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Octopus Energy Is Looking For

  • Has hands-on experience designing and deploying Python-based AI/data products, specifically with LLMs and knowledge retrieval systems (e.g., RAG, embedding pipelines, vector databases).
  • Demonstrates expertise in AI evaluation frameworks, including monitoring for relevance, accuracy, safety drift, and cost optimization in production GenAI systems.
  • Is proficient in implementing observability tools (logging, tracing) for AI platforms and optimizing prompts/templates to improve model grounding and performance.
  • Shows a strong understanding of Git and collaborative development practices, with a focus on building reusable, scalable services for application teams.

📝 Tips for Applying to Octopus Energy

1

Highlight specific projects where you built knowledge retrieval systems (e.g., chunking strategies, embedding generation) or GenAI platforms, emphasizing scalability and reuse.

2

Quantify your experience with AI monitoring—mention metrics you tracked (e.g., latency, cost per query, accuracy rates) and tools you used (e.g., LangSmith, MLflow, custom dashboards).

3

Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description, such as 'prompt assembly,' 'agent workflows,' 'RAG integration,' and 'platform observability.'

4

Showcase your Python expertise with examples of data-intensive or ML systems you've developed, ideally in energy, climate tech, or similar domains.

5

Research Octopus Energy's AI initiatives (e.g., Kraken platform) and mention how your skills align with their focus on renewables and low-CO2 solutions.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Explain how your experience with GenAI and LLMs directly applies to building scalable AI services for energy optimization and transparency.', 'Describe a past project where you implemented monitoring/evaluation for AI systems, highlighting outcomes like improved safety or reduced drift.', "Emphasize your ability to design reusable platform components that empower application teams, aligning with Octopus Energy's collaborative tech culture.", "Connect your passion for sustainability to the company's mission, showing how your AI work can advance renewable energy goals."]

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Octopus Energy's Kraken technology platform and how it uses AI for energy grid management and customer solutions.
  • → Review their public commitments to renewables and low-CO2 initiatives, noting specific projects or partnerships mentioned in their blog or news section.
  • → Look into their tech stack or engineering blog posts for insights into Python, GenAI tools, or monitoring systems they might use.
  • → Understand their remote work culture and how AI teams collaborate across locations, possibly through LinkedIn or employee reviews.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through your approach to designing a knowledge retrieval pipeline for a GenAI application, including chunking strategies and database management.
2 How would you set up a framework to monitor AI output quality (e.g., relevance, safety) and platform metrics (e.g., latency, cost) in production?
3 Describe a time you optimized a GenAI model through prompt design or RAG integration. What challenges did you face, and how did you measure success?
4 How do you ensure scalability and reusability when building AI platform services for multiple application teams?
5 What experience do you have with Git and collaborative development in AI/data-intensive projects? Share an example of a team-based workflow.
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic resume without tailoring it to AI platform development, GenAI, or knowledge retrieval systems as specified in the role.
  • Failing to provide concrete examples of hands-on work with LLMs, RAG, or AI monitoring—avoid vague statements like 'familiar with AI tools.'
  • Overlooking the company's sustainability focus; not connecting your AI experience to environmental impact or energy sector applications.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Octopus Energy !

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →