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Machine Learning Developer Hiring Trends in Manchester, United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Jun 22, 2025

Bence Gedai / Founder

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

  • The Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineer job market in United Kingdom Manchester presents a talent pool facing significant challenges, with only one new position opened and 14 closed in the last 12 weeks, reflecting a concerning net loss of opportunities.
  • Key companies currently hiring for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers in Manchester include Harnham, Meta, and Huawei Technologies Research & Development (UK) Ltd, underscoring the competitive landscape and limited availability of positions.
  • With limited job openings, hiring for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers in the United Kingdom, particularly in Manchester, remains tough, necessitating strategic recruitment initiatives from CTOs and hiring managers to attract talent.
  • London remains the leading city for Artificial Intelligence Engineer job opportunities, holding 63% of the market share, while Manchester accounts for only 3%, indicating potential challenges in sourcing talent within this region.
  • The median time to hire for Artificial Intelligence Engineers in the United Kingdom is currently 27 days, suggesting an urgent need for efficient recruitment processes as demand for skilled professionals continues to rise.
Number of roles opened and closed for Machine Learning Engineers in Manchester in the last 3 months

Number of roles opened and closed for Machine Learning Engineers in Manchester in the last 3 months

Over the past 12 weeks, the Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineer job market in United Kingdom Manchester has shown a concerning trend. Only one new position was opened, while a total of 14 jobs were closed during the same period, resulting in a net loss of opportunities. This trend starkly contrasts with other tech roles in the region, indicating a potential challenge for hiring managers seeking to recruit talent. Compared to other European countries, where job openings for similar positions have seen a more balanced flow, the recruitment landscape in Manchester for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers currently displays significant demand-supply imbalance.

Who else is hiring for ai Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name Country Industry Founded # Job openings
Harnham logo Harnham United Kingdom Staffing & Recruiting 2006 18
Meta logo Meta United States Information Technology & Services 2004 11
Huawei Technologies Research & Development (UK) Ltd logo Huawei Technologies Research & Development (UK) Ltd null null null 10
Oliver Bernard logo Oliver Bernard United Kingdom Staffing & Recruiting 2010 8
Mistral AI logo Mistral AI France Information Technology & Services 2023 8
PhysicsX logo PhysicsX United Kingdom Software Development null 7
Canonical logo Canonical United Kingdom Information Technology & Services 2004 6
SR2 | Socially Responsible Recruitment | Certified B Corporation™ logo SR2 | Socially Responsible Recruitment | Certified B Corporation™ United Kingdom Information Technology & Services 2017 5
Graphcore logo Graphcore United Kingdom Semiconductors 2016 4
Better Placed Ltd - A Sunday Times Top 10 Employer! logo Better Placed Ltd - A Sunday Times Top 10 Employer! United Kingdom Staffing & Recruiting 2001 4

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Talent pool vs job openings for Artificial Intelligence Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers in United Kingdom

The talent market for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers across Europe reveals noteworthy trends, notably when examining data from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. In the United Kingdom, with numerous job openings compared to its available talent pool, the ratio suggests a competitive hiring landscape for CTOs and hiring managers; talent acquisition appears challenging. In Germany, a similar high demand leads to a strained supply of qualified professionals, while France shows slightly better conditions with a more favorable job-to-talent ratio. This disparity highlights the need for strategic recruitment approaches tailored to the nuances of each country's market demands.

Seniority distribution of Machine Learning Engineer job openings in Manchester

Seniority Distribution of Machine Learning Engineering Jobs in Manchester

In the United Kingdom Manchester, the distribution of Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineering roles reflects a varied landscape. The Mid-Senior level positions constitute 42% of the job market, while Entry level roles make up 35%, followed by Associate positions at 10%. These percentages indicate a strong demand for experienced professionals, highlighting the recruitment strategies that CTOs and hiring managers should consider when filling positions in this competitive sector.

Chart about preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the employment landscape for engineering roles reveals a strong preference for full-time positions, accounting for 91% of the total jobs available. Contract roles represent 8% of the market, while part-time positions make up just 2%. This distribution highlights the necessity for hiring managers, particularly CTOs and Engineering Managers, to focus on full-time talent to meet the growing demands in the Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning job market in United Kingdom Manchester.

Time to Hire Distribution for Artificial Intelligence in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers

In the competitive landscape of the Artificial Intelligence job market within the United Kingdom, particularly in Manchester, the time to hire distribution reveals crucial insights for hiring managers. Notably, the majority of candidates are secured within the 25 to 35-day range, with 287 and 325 counts respectively. This indicates a pronounced demand for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers, leading to quicker recruitment cycles. Additionally, there is a noticeable decline in hiring activity beyond 40 days, with significantly lower counts observed at 72 and below for extended time frames. These trends underline the urgency for CTOs and Engineering Managers to refine their recruitment strategies in light of the rising demand for highly skilled Machine Learning Developers.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers

In the United Kingdom, the distribution of Artificial Intelligence Engineers job openings reveals that London dominates the market with 63% of the total opportunities. Following London, Leeds accounts for 8%, and Cambridge contributes 4%, while Manchester holds a share of 3%. These statistics underscore London’s preeminence as a hub for AI talent within the country, as depicted in the accompanying chart.

Most sought after technologies in Manchester for Machine Learning

Key technologies for Machine Learning Engineers

In the current job market for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers, certain technologies stand out due to their prevalence in job descriptions. Python leads the way with a frequency of 11,455 occurrences, showcasing its essential role in AI and ML development. This is closely followed by Machine Learning itself at 6,456 and SQL at 4,727, emphasizing the importance of data manipulation and database management. Other notable technologies include Data Analysis at 2,937 and Python-related frameworks such as Deep Learning and NLP, with frequencies of 875 and 900 respectively. For a comprehensive view of these technology trends, please refer to the attached chart.

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