Royal Bank of Canada

Lead AI Engineer

Royal Bank of Canada$125K — $150K *
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in building and operating large-scale software systems
  • 2-4 years of hands-on experience with LLMs and generative AI
  • Expertise in .NET/C#, Java, Python, SQL, Git, and CI/CD
  • Deep knowledge of architectural concepts and design patterns
  • Expert-level in API architecture (REST/SOAP)
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills
  • Understanding of security, data governance, and responsible AI practices

Responsibilities

  • Evaluate and recommend enterprise AI solutions to senior management
  • Lead and mentor team members in AI product reviews and projects
  • Conduct analysis of business requirements for mission-critical projects
  • Design robust technical solutions based on feasibility studies
  • Drive adoption of AI practices across engineering teams
  • Design and implement integration of AI automation solutions
  • Collaborate on governance for responsible AI practices

Benefits

  • Comprehensive Total Rewards Program with competitive compensation
  • Development-focused leadership committed to employee growth
  • Opportunity to impact enterprise AI adoption meaningfully
  • Dynamic and collaborative high-performing team environment
  • World-class training in financial services and emerging technologies
Full Job Description
Job Description

Lead AI Engineer

What is the Opportunity?

We are seeking an accomplished Lead AI Engineer to design, develop, and implement AI-driven solutions within our software development lifecycle. You will lead enterprise-scale AI integration initiatives, establish best practices, and advance the technical maturity of our engineering organization. This role actively contributes to improving our Agile, Engineering, and DevOps practices.

This position demands exceptional problem-solving skills, deep AI expertise, and proficiency in modern development technologies (.NET/C#, Java, Python). You will effectively communicate and collaborate with engineering teams, business stakeholders, and senior management across multiple projects and organizational boundaries.

Role Level and Responsibilities

As a Lead AI Engineer, you are an expert professional with deep technical expertise who contributes to organizational objectives through innovative solutions to complex business challenges. Your primary focus is identifying root causes and implementing solutions to critical business problems while assessing and communicating the technological impact on the business.

Key Activities
  • Evaluate enterprise software packages and AI platforms, recommending solutions to senior management
  • Lead and mentor colleagues in AI product reviews, pilot projects, and technology adoption
  • Conduct in-depth analysis of business requirements for large-scale, mission-critical projects
  • Perform feasibility studies and translate complex requirements into robust technical designs
  • Drive adoption of AI-driven practices across engineering teams

What You'll Do

AI Engineering & Implementation
  • Lead the design and development of MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers and tools for seamless AI integration
  • Design and implement AI-driven automation solutions, including LLM-powered automation, prompt engineering, and conversational AI
  • Develop ML model integration solutions and AI orchestration workflows with monitoring and evaluation
  • Integrate UiPath with enterprise AI platforms and APIs
  • Support implementation of agentic automation and advanced AI use cases

AI/ML Expertise & Governance
  • Integrate LLM APIs and apply advanced prompt engineering techniques
  • Design and maintain AI workflow orchestration systems
  • Implement Intelligent Document Processing and NLP solutions
  • Develop model evaluation, tuning, and governance frameworks
  • Design and manage vector databases and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems
  • Support responsible AI practices and governance models

AI-Driven Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
  • Implement AI spec-driven development practices for your squad
  • Contribute to AI/ML solutions that enhance code generation, testing, deployment, and monitoring
  • Integrate AI technologies into existing SDLC workflows and development tooling
  • Collaborate on governance and responsible AI implementation

Technical Leadership & Collaboration
  • Lead technology evaluation and assessment for organizational adoption
  • Collaborate with enterprise architecture, security, and compliance teams on AI integration
  • Contribute to technical training and knowledge-sharing initiatives across the organization

What You Need to Succeed

Must Have
  • 10+ years of experience building and operating production software systems at scale
  • 2-4 years of hands-on experience with LLMs and generative AI in production environments
  • Expert proficiency in .NET/C#, Java, Python, SQL, Git, and CI/CD pipelines
  • Deep knowledge of design patterns (MVC, MVVM), SOA, and architectural concepts; hands-on development experience with Azure Integration Services
  • Expert-level expertise in API architecture (REST/SOAP)
  • Advanced working knowledge of agentic AI patterns: tool use, agent orchestration, ReAct, multi-step reasoning, memory and context management
  • Proven proficiency in LLM API integration, prompt engineering, and RAG systems (vector databases, embeddings, retrieval strategies)
  • Demonstrated experience designing and building MCP servers and tools with agent-tool integration frameworks
  • Cloud platform expertise (AWS, Azure, or GCP), including containers (Docker/Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills; comfortable with code reviews, design discussions, and pair programming
  • Ability to communicate technical decisions clearly to both technical peers and business stakeholders
  • Understanding of security, data governance, and responsible AI practices

Nice-to-Have
  • Experience with agentic automation and advanced AI solutions in production
  • Open-source contributions to automation or AI/ML projects
  • Microsoft Azure certification (Azure Developer Associate or Azure Solutions Architect Expert)
  • Experience building and training machine learning models (regression, classification, clustering) using frameworks like Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch

What's In It For You?

We thrive on the challenge to be our best, embrace progressive thinking, and work together to deliver trusted solutions that help our clients and communities prosper. We are committed to supporting each other's growth and creating mutual success.
  • Comprehensive Total Rewards Program including competitive compensation, bonuses, flexible benefits, commissions, and stock options where applicable
  • Development-focused leadership committed to your growth through coaching and career opportunities
  • Opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting impact on enterprise AI adoption
  • Dynamic, collaborative, and high-performing team environment
  • World-class training programs in financial services and emerging technologies


#LI-POST

#TechPJ

Job Skills
Application Development, Application Integrations, Application Maintenance, Applications Architecture, Detail-Oriented, Enterprise Application Delivery, Group Problem Solving, Programming Languages, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), System Applications

Additional Job Details

Address:

180 WELLINGTON ST W:TORONTO

City:

Toronto

Country:

Canada

Work hours/week:

37.5

Employment Type:

Full time

Platform:

TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS

Job Type:

Regular

Pay Type:

Salaried

Posted Date:

2026-08-26

Application Deadline:

2026-09-24
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above

About Royal Bank of Canada

Royal Bank of Canada Careers

Join the dynamic team at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), a global leader in financial services and a company committed to excellence and innovation. At RBC, we offer a wide range of job opportunities that empower professionals to shape their career paths with leadership, diversity training, and continuous growth.

Work You’ll Do

At Royal Bank of Canada, we are not just hiring; we are building a culture of innovation and leadership. Our team members are at the forefront of the financial industry, driving transformation and delivering targeted solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients and communities.

Explore Job Opportunities and Employment at RBC

Whether you are starting your career or looking to take it to the next level, RBC offers positions that challenge your skills and fuel your ambition. From entry-level positions to leadership roles, our job opportunities span across various functions and regions. Join us and be part of a team that values professional growth and diversity.

Internship and Professional Development

Kickstart your career with an internship at Royal Bank of Canada. Our internships provide invaluable hands-on experience, networking opportunities, and insights into the financial services industry. Interns at RBC gain the skills necessary to excel and are often considered for full-time positions within the company.

Benefits and Culture

At RBC, we prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of our employees. Our benefits package is designed to support our team members at every stage of their life and career. RBC’s culture is built on a foundation of respect, integrity, and responsibility, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

Career Growth and Innovation

We believe in nurturing the potential of our employees through continuous learning and career development programs. At RBC, you will find endless opportunities to grow professionally through on-the-job experiences, formal training programs, and leadership development initiatives. Our commitment to innovation means we are constantly seeking out new ideas and perspectives, making RBC a perfect place for those who aim to lead and innovate.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity is our strength. At Royal Bank of Canada, we are committed to building an inclusive workplace where every employee feels valued and respected. Our diversity training programs are designed to educate and inspire, creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Join Our Team

Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We look for passionate, curious, creative, and solution-driven team players. Start your journey with RBC today and be part of a world-class team known for its commitment to client service, community involvement, and innovation.

Stay Connected

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Personalize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding career opportunities awaiting you at RBC. Explore the possibilities with Royal Bank of Canada, where your future is filled with potential and the path to success is paved with countless opportunities for professional and personal growth. Join us and shape not just your career but the future of the financial industry.
Learn more about Royal Bank of Canada
Size
86,007 employees
Market Cap
$130.3 billion
Industry
5 Year Trend
+8.7%
NASDAQ

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