Lead Data and AI Architect

ODAIA; Toronto; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total rewards program

Coaching and leadership development

Opportunities to grow and lead

Job summary

RBC is seeking a Lead Data and AI Architect to collaborate with the Director, AI and Technology Strategy, to design and implement RBC's integrated AI and data strategy. You will lead architecture for AI platforms, data foundations, and reusable services across IT groups, ensuring scalable, governed data foundations and measurable business value.

You will partner with engineering and AI teams to deliver scalable infrastructure, model gateways, and data access patterns, while guiding governance

Qualifications

• 5+ years in architecture, data engineering, AI engineering, or platform engineering with deep understanding of AI/ML fundamentals, frameworks, and programming languages (SQL, Python, Java).
• Experience managing App Code in LeanIX as lead architect or delegate, and Athena certification process.

Responsibilities

• Define target-state architecture for enterprise AI platforms and AI-enabled solutions aligned with TEO strategy.
• Develop reusable architecture blueprints and drive design/evolution of enterprise AI platforms.
• Design solution architectures for ML, GenAI, and agentic AI; define data ingestion, knowledge retrieval, vector stores, APIs, metadata management, and data products.
• Collaborate with engineering to deliver scalable AI infrastructure and data access patterns for self-service AI development.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and translate trends into architecture roadmaps and strategic recommendations.
• Establish architecture standards, guardrails, and governance for AI and data solutions; support LeanIX–App Code governance.
• Coordinate with RBC AI teams to ensure enterprise-wide architecture consistency.

Skills

Applications Architecture

Architectural Modeling

Critical Thinking

Enterprise IT Architecture

Information Technology Consulting

Multi-Level Communication

Platform Architecture

Software Product Design

System Applications

Transitional Architecture

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Data Engineering knowledge

Job description

Job Description

What is the opportunity?

As Lead Data and AI Architect, you will collaborate closely with the Director, AI and Technology Strategy, TEO, to design and implement TEO's integrated AI and data strategy. The AI and Technology Strategy team holds primary accountability for driving the adoption and value creation of data and AI across TEO, in partnership with RBC's IT groups, including Global Functions IT, Payment IT, Borealis, and Lumina.

In this role, you will serve as the architectural authority for TEO's AI platforms, data foundations, reusable AI services, and operations AI enablement capabilities. You will establish scalable, governed data foundations that support enterprise AI readiness across all AI solutions, leveraging deep expertise in enterprise data architecture, metadata management, and emerging AI data patterns. By working across business, technology, data, and AI teams, you will drive the transformation of AI capabilities into reusable platform services that accelerate adoption, enhance operational efficiencies, and deliver measurable business value across TEO and the enterprise.

What will you do?

• Define target-state architecture for enterprise AI platforms and AI-enabled business solutions aligned with TEO strategy; establish architecture principles, standards, and reference patterns for AI, GenAI, data, and agentic systems.
• Develop reusable architecture blueprints via Athena process and drive the design and evolution of enterprise AI platforms and shared capabilities supporting TEO's operational needs.
• Design solution architectures supporting machine learning, GenAI, and agentic AI solutions; define patterns for data ingestion, knowledge retrieval, vector stores, APIs, metadata management, and data products.
• Partner with engineering teams to deliver scalable AI infrastructure, orchestration services, model gateways, and data access patterns that enable self-service AI development.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including GenAI, Agentic AI, foundation models, vector databases, and AI engineering tooling; translate trends into actionable architecture roadmaps and strategic recommendations.
• Establish architecture standards, technical guardrails, and governance frameworks for AI and data solutions; support architecture reviews to ensure compliance and operational excellence as part of App Code management in LeanIX.
• Collaborate with RBC's AI teams (Global Functions IT, Payment IT, Borealis, Lumina) and senior executives to ensure consistent, enterprise-wide AI architecture standards and architectural consistency across initiatives.

What do you need to succeed?

Must have:

• 5+ years in architecture, data engineering, AI engineering, or platform engineering with deep understanding of AI/ML fundamentals, frameworks, and programming languages (SQL, Python, Java).
• Working knowledge and experience managing App Code in LeanIX as lead architect or delegate, and Athena certification process.
• Degree in data engineering, Computer Science, or related field; or equivalent work experience in software/model development.
• Proven experience designing large-scale enterprise data and AI platforms in complex environments.
• Strong knowledge of cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP), APIs, data platforms, ML platforms, and GenAI architectures.
• Strong communication skills to translate technical solutions and complex architectures into business outcomes.

Nice to have

• Experience in financial shared services, payment and trade, and cash service operations
• Hands‑on experience with LLM, AI/ML model development, simulation, and deployment.
• Experience working directly with client or business teams in banking operations industry
• Experience with model lifecycle management, and design thinking
• Prior exposure to RBC enterprise data platforms or financial services.
• Experience of building or leading AI/data science teams.

What’s in it for you?

• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses and flexible benefits, competitive compensation, commissions, and stock where applicable
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities
• Opportunity to grow, learn and build strong leadership skills
• Ability to make a difference and lasting impact for both RBC and the community
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team
• Opportunities to do challenging work and grow your technical literacy
• Broad exposure and opportunity to collaborate with many teams across the organization

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Job Skills

Applications Architecture, Architectural Modeling, Critical Thinking, Enterprise IT Architecture, Information Technology Consulting, Multi-Level Communication, Platform Architecture, Software Product Design, System Applications, Transitional Architecture

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:

2026-07-02

Application Deadline:

2026-08-31

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

Our Employment Opportunities

At RBC, we are guided by living shared values of Client First, Integrity, Collaboration, Respect and Excellence and winning together as One RBC. We believe an inclusive workplace that has diverse perspectives is core to our continued growth as one of the largest and most successful banks in the world. Maintaining a workplace where our employees feel supported to perform at their best, effectively collaborate, drive innovation, and grow professionally helps to bring our Purpose to life and create value for our clients and communities. RBC strives to deliver this through policies and programs intended to foster a workplace based on respect, belonging and opportunity for all.