Northern Trust

Principal, AI Engineer

Northern Trust$137K — $233K *
Finance & Insurance
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related field.
  • 10+ years of experience in data engineering or integration, preferably in financial services or banking.
  • Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, and data integration tools (e.g., SQL, Pyspark) with cloud platform experience (Azure, AWS, GCP).
  • Solid SQL and PostgreSQL skills; experience with a vector database (e.g., PGVector, Pinecone, Neo4j).
  • Hands-on experience building production-grade LLM/GenAI applications and AI patterns.

Responsibilities

  • Lead development of client-facing AI capabilities, ensuring alignment with validation and responsible AI standards.
  • Architect and implement data pipelines integrating structured and unstructured data for AI/ML use cases.
  • Drive engineering specifications for AI model data requirements across various business units.
  • Ensure compliance with metadata management, data lineage, and audit trails for AI data assets.
  • Collaborate with multiple stakeholders, including data scientists and risk teams, to optimize data integration processes.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension).
  • Health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision), with spending accounts and disability coverage.
  • Paid time off and parental/caregiver leave options.
  • Life and accident insurance, along with other voluntary and well-being benefits.
Full Job Description

Job Description Summary

As a key member of our AI Engineering team who builds, ships, and owns production-grade generative AI systems, the lead the design and implementation of secure, scalable, and compliant AI platform powered by LLM’s-powered on Azure AI Foundry, working across multiple model providers (Claude / AnthropicGPT / OpenAI, and others), applying modern AI design patterns (RAG, agents, tool use, orchestration) to solve real business problems in a highly regulated financial environment.

Job Description

1.    Lead development of a portfolio of client-facing AI capabilities and integration methods, embedding them into client front ends and interactive dashboards to ensure these capabilities are well aligned and meet required validation and responsible AI standards.

2.    Develop and oversee business unit wise approach to integrate structured and unstructured data into NT’s enterprise AI framework in collaboration with the AI architecture, AI engineering, and data platform engineering teams.

3.    Develop and lead the practice of data pipeline engineering, rationalizing custom data integrations over time to establish common methods and approaches.

4.    Architect and implement data pipelines that integrate structured and unstructured data from internal banking systems, external feeds, and cloud platforms for AI/ML use cases.

5.    Drive our semantic architecture and engineering approach for Northern Trust intelligence to advance enterprise context engineering and architecture disciplines.

6.    Collaborate with the AI consulting team, business units, data scientists, model risk teams, and other stakeholders to understand data requirements for AI models supporting key use cases such as portfolio management, quants & research, reconciliations, and customer intelligence; drive engineering specifications and delivery for these capabilities.

7.    Ensure sound practices are executed to deliver and maintain metadata management, data lineage, and audit trails for AI data assets as development and data teams expand AI data access.

8.    Provide leadership to multiple Technical Delivery teams to prioritize and refine critical data deliverables based on business use cases and high-value data assessments.

9.    Work closely on vendor negotiations and guide data solutions with procurement and transformation teams to enable scalable consumption with favorable and appropriate terms and capabilities, including understanding support or vendor SLA requirements.

10.    Provide guidance for regulatory compliance processes, audits, and internal reviews.

11.    Act as End-to-End Data Integration Product Management Vision and Roadmap leader in support of AI transformation programs.

12.    Support real-time and batch data ingestion from asset management vendor platforms i.e. Aladdin, Eagle, iCapital, and third-party APIs.

13.    Optimize data workflows for performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency across hybrid cloud environments.

14.    Partner with cybersecurity and compliance teams to ensure data privacy, encryption, and access controls are enforced.

15.    Contribute to the development of enterprise-wide AI architecture standards and governance frameworks, ensuring secure and efficient data consumption.

16.    Provide indirect leadership across lateral teams of data analysts focused on improving data accountability, access control, and user enablement.

17.    Provide mentoring and coaching to senior, mid-level, and junior engineers, product managers, and architects; function as a team lead as required as the AI and AI data integration practice is scaled.

Knowledge
•    Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, VS Code, GitHub Copilot, and data integration tools (e.g., SQL, Pyspark, experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) and container architecture.

•    Hands-on experience building LLM / GenAI applications production grade AI patterns like MCP, Agentic AI, RAG, NLP2SQL etc.

•    Solid SQL and PostgreSQL skills; experience with PGVector or a comparable vector database (Pinecone, Neo4j etc.).

•    Comfort designing and consuming REST APIs; understanding of authentication, rate limiting, and error handling.

•    Working knowledge of at least one major model provider API—Anthropic (Claude) and/or OpenAI (GPT)—including prompt design, function/tool calling, and streaming.

•    Experience with AI/ML frameworks and AI concepts.

•    Familiarity with financial data providers (e.g., Bloomberg, Refinitiv, Factset etc.). 
•    Deep understanding of and asset management domain, data governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management in banking. 
•    Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. 
•    Understanding of SQL, Oracle, Exadata, Snowflake, Data Bricks, etc..
•    Understanding of development Languages: Python , .NET/C#, React, and Java

•    Understanding of operating systems: Unix/BASH Shell, Windows, Linux OS
•    Proficient in generative AI and LLM data preparation for financial use cases. 

 Experience
•    Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related field. 
•    10+ years of experience in data engineering or integration, preferably in financial services or banking. 

Salary Range:

$137,400 - 233,600 USD

Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.

About Northern Trust

Northern Trust is a global leader in delivering innovative investment management, asset and fund administration, and fiduciary and banking solutions to corporations, institutions, and affluent individuals. They have evolved with the changing needs of their clients and their world.

Northern Trust Careers

Joining Northern Trust means becoming part of a global financial services institution that is dedicated to providing expert guidance and innovative solutions to its clients. At Northern Trust, we pride ourselves on fostering a culture of leadership, diversity, and innovation, which makes us a premier destination for career growth in the financial industry.

Work You’ll Do

At Northern Trust, you will collaborate with some of the most talented professionals in the financial sector. Our team is committed to excellence and equipped with a diverse range of skills that contribute to our dynamic environment. Here, you will have the opportunity to lead projects that transform our services and drive significant value for our clients across the globe.

Explore Job Opportunities and Internships

Whether you are starting your career or looking to make a significant impact in the financial industry, Northern Trust offers a variety of job opportunities and internships that will help you achieve your professional goals. From entry-level positions to leadership roles, our company is actively hiring individuals who are passionate, curious, and driven to excel.

Innovative Work

Northern Trust is at the forefront of financial innovation. Our employees are encouraged to think creatively and leverage cutting-edge technologies to solve complex problems. By joining our team, you will work on pioneering solutions that redefine the standards of financial services.

Be Part of a Great Team

Our team at Northern Trust is more than just a group of employees – we are a community. We value collaboration, and our culture is built on mutual respect and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Working with us, you will experience a supportive network that is passionate about sharing knowledge and ideas.

Future-Proof Your Career

Northern Trust is dedicated to your professional development. We offer comprehensive benefits, diversity training, and numerous resources to help you grow your career. With our support, you can expand your skills, gain valuable experience, and achieve professional certifications that will enhance your career trajectory.

Stay Connected

Join Our Team

Discover the perfect role for you at Northern Trust by exploring our current job openings that match your skills and interests. We are looking for professionals who are solution-driven and eager to contribute to our legacy of financial excellence.

Keep Up to Date

Stay informed with the latest career tips, industry insights, and professional growth opportunities—all available through our careers blog. At Northern Trust, we ensure that our team members are always ahead in the industry.

Job Alert Emails

Customize your experience by subscribing to job alerts and insider tips tailored to your preferences. At Northern Trust, exciting and rewarding opportunities are always on the horizon, and we are eager to see where your talents can take us. Join Northern Trust today and be part of a company that values innovation, leadership, and a diverse and inclusive workplace. Here, every position is a chance to contribute to something bigger and to turn your job into a meaningful career.
Learn more about Northern Trust
Size
21,100 employees
Market Cap
$18.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
$1.2 billion
Founded
1889
5 Year Trend
+4.9%
Revenue
$6.1 billion
NASDAQ

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