AI Data Engineer - University Students - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

McKinsey & Company, Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 47,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Continuous learning

Global community

World-class benefits

Job summary

McKinsey & Company, Inc. in Toronto is seeking a student in an engineering program to join our data engineering team.

You will build scalable data infrastructure powering AI applications, design and maintain data pipelines, and collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and clients to deliver production-ready data solutions. This role emphasizes hands-on learning across Databricks, Snowflake, and cloud platforms, with mentorship and opportunities to contribute to R&D in agentic AI.

Qualifications

• Enrollment in a Bachelor's or Master's program with an engineering discipline and graduation between Dec 2026 and Aug 2027.
• Experience in data-focused roles (internships or projects) is acceptable.
• Ability to write clean, well-documented code in Python and SQL.

Responsibilities

• Build scalable data infrastructure powering AI applications and pipelines.
• Collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and clients to deliver AI solutions.
• Design data components for machine learning and agentic AI systems.
• Translate hypotheses into engineered features and ensure data quality.

Skills

Python

SQL

Data engineering

Communication skills

Time management

Git

CI/CD concepts

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering or related field

Tools

Databricks

Snowflake

BigQuery

Pandas

Spark

dbt

LangChain

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

You are eligible for this role if your graduation date is December 2026-August 2027 and in a Master's or Bachelor's program with a degree an engineering discipline.

• Toronto

You will build the foundational data infrastructure that powers cutting-edge AI applications leveraging LLMs, retrieval systems, workflows, and emerging agentic architectures.

You will design and maintain scalable data pipelines, manage secure data environments, and prepare data for AI-driven systems while collaborating with cross-functional teams and clients. You’ll tackle real-world challenges by contributing to the development of next-generation AI systems and grow as a technologist by working alongside diverse experts across industries.

You will design and build the scalable, reproducible data components essential for machine learning, agentic, and autonomous AI systems. You’ll assess data landscapes, apply data quality fundamentals, and prepare data for AI solutions. Additionally, you’ll learn to translate simple hypotheses into engineered features, manage secure data environments, and contribute to R&D initiatives focused on innovating and scaling next-generation AI capabilities.

Your work will help solve some of the most complex and high-impact challenges facing clients across industries. Collaborating across QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and QuantumBlack Labs teams, you’ll help develop innovative AI capabilities and scalable enterprise solutions. You’ll help build robust data foundations for scalable, production-ready AI systems. Your contributions will directly support the firm’s ability to accelerate AI adoption, solve complex business problems at scale, and enable clients to achieve meaningful, lasting impact.

You’ll be based in Toronto as part of our global Data Engineering community. Working in cross-functional Agile teams, you’ll collaborate closely with Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, and industry experts to deliver AI solutions. By partnering with clients from data owners to C-level executives you’ll help solve complex problems that drive tangible business value and begin to build your skills as a client-facing technologist.

Your work offers a unique opportunity to grow at the forefront of AI, data engineering, and emerging agentic technologies. You’ll develop expertise at the intersection of technology and business by tackling diverse challenges in the evolving AI landscape. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams, you’ll gain a holistic understanding of how data engineering enables advanced AI while collaborating with leading AI and data experts in the industry.

In accordance with Ontario law:

This job posting is for an existing vacancy.

Artificial intelligence systems (AI) may be used to assist recruiters in the screening and/or assessment of candidates for this role. AI is neither the sole determinative factor at any stage of the application process nor the decision-maker. All AI-generated assessments are reviewed by a McKinsey recruiter before any decision is made regarding a candidate's candidacy.

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else.

When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning:Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters:From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community:With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World-class benefits:On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.
• Upcoming graduation between December 2026-August 2027 with a degree in an engineering discipline
• Experience in a data-focused role (internships, academic projects acceptable)
• Ability to write clean, well-documented code in a modern programming language, with a strong preference forPython and SQL
• Interest in or exposure todata engineering in the context of Agentic AI, Generative AI, Machine Learning, or Business Intelligence across different types of data formats (structured vs unstructured) and processing methods (streaming vs batch)
• Familiarity with commonly used data platforms (Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery, PSQL, etc.), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and engineering tools (Pandas, Spark, dbt, LangChain, etc.)
• Exposure to modern software development practices, including version control (Git) and foundational concepts in DevOps and MLOps/LLMOps and CI/CD principles
• Exceptional time management in a complex and largely autonomous work environment
• Willingness to learn quickly and adapt to different project situations and tech stacks
• Experience using coding agents (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, etc.) is a plus
• Ability to travel up to 80% and contribute with regular in-office presence
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and local office language(s)