Lead Data Scientist

Royal Bank of Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Stock options

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Royal Bank of Canada is seeking a Lead Data Scientist in Governance & Insights to create AI governance artifacts, develop standards, and drive enterprise AI adoption at scale. You will architect governance artifacts, maintain CALM/Agent Card standards, and support the AI Architecture Review Board while building automation to surface insights across the AI estate.

You will work in a fast-paced environment requiring strategic thinking and hands-on execution, from reference architectures to

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of AI technologies (LLMs, agents, RAG, agentic systems)
• Hands-on coding ability; comfortable building tools, automations, and prototypes
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code, API design, and modern development practices
• Ability to design scalable, secure, maintainable systems and translate requirements into concrete designs
• Experience creating technical standards, patterns, or reference architectures and operating governance at scale
• Adaptability in fast-paced environments; strong collaboration across teams and governance bodies
• Passion for AI governance and production-ready AI adoption at enterprise scale

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain AI governance artifacts: patterns, standards, reference architectures, and technical whitepapers
• Manage CALM standard evolution and alignment to AI platforms
• Define and evolve AI Technical Reference Model and capability catalog
• Prepare materials for AI Architecture Review Board and contribute architectural opinions
• Represent AI Architecture perspectives in governance forums
• Track adherence to standards and report on compliance
• Build tools and automation to surface governance data
• Surface governance insights through Architecture Agents and surface descriptions

Skills

AI technologies

Hands-on coding

Infrastructure as code

API design

Modern development practices

Governance at scale

Architectural guidance

Tools

CALM Visualizer

Job description

Job Description

What's the opportunity?

AI Architecture Governance & Insights establishes enterprise-wide AI architecture standards, patterns, and governance frameworks for RBC. We create the standards and certification criteria that ensure AI solutions are built safely, securely, and in alignment with the enterprise strategy. We deliver insights into our AI capabilities and compliance, and we partner with security, enterprise architecture, and business teams to ensure AI is built responsibly and strategically

As a Lead Data Scientist in the Governance & Insights team, you will build the standards, patterns, and tools that enable RBC's AI transformation at scale. You'll be the architect behind our architecture practice, creating governance artifacts, maintaining CALM/Agent Card standards, supporting the AI Architecture Review Board, and building automation to surface insights across our AI estate.

You’ll work in a fast-paced environment where priorities shift rapidly based on leadership needs, platform evolution, and emerging governance challenges. This role requires both strategic thinking and hands‑on execution. You might pivot from defining reference architectures to building a MCP server to developing compliance dashboards within the same week.

Your responsibilities include:

• Governance & Standards (Core Focus)
  • Create and maintain AI governance artifacts: patterns, standards, reference architectures, and technical whitepapers
  • Manage CALM standard evolution and its alignment to AI platforms (Athena, Nova, Atlas)
  • Define and evolve the AI Technical Reference Model, capability catalog, and license-to-build criteria
  • Play a key role in the AI Architecture Review Board, including preparing materials, reviewing submissions, and contributing architectural opinions
  • Represent AI Architecture perspectives at broader governance forums (Technology Infrastructure and Security review boards)
  • Track Agent adherence to standards/patterns and report on compliance/non‑compliance
• Architecture Practice & Insights
  • Partner with engineering teams to review solution designs and provide architectural guidance
  • Deliver AI asset insights: catalog state, capability coverage, compliance metrics, and adoption trends
  • Modernize the SafeAI process and integrate with AI platform governance
  • Publish Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) for cross‑cutting decisions
  • Coordinate cross-pillar architecture decisions and continuously improve certification processes
• Tooling & Automation ("As Code" Mindset)
  • Build tools, Agents, and MCPs to automate architecture governance (e.g., CALM Visualizer, SafeAI tooling)
  • Surface governance data through AI Architecture Agents
  • Translate business and technical problems into implementable designs, then contribute hands‑on development
• Flexibility & Partnership
  • Research emerging AI technologies and evaluate vendor solutions
  • Partner with EA, LOB governance groups, and GCS on security architecture alignment
  • Drive POCs for new AI capabilities and governance approaches
  • Work directly with lines of business to understand needs and architect practical solutions

You're our ideal candidate if you have:

• Technical Depth
  • Strong grasp of AI technologies (LLMs, agents, RAG, agentic systems, AI infrastructure)
  • Hands‑on coding ability. You must be comfortable building tools, automations, and prototypes yourself
  • Experience with infrastructure-as-code, API design, and modern development practices
• Architecture Mindset
  • Proven ability to design scalable, secure, maintainable systems
  • Understanding of platform patterns, reusability, and governance at scale
  • Can translate abstract requirements into concrete, implementable designs
• Governance & Standards
  • Experience creating technical standards, patterns, or reference architectures
  • Understanding of compliance frameworks and how to operationalize governance
  • Comfortable working with Architecture Review Boards or similar governance bodies
• Operating Model
  • Adaptability: Thrive in fast‑paced environments where priorities shift based on leadership asks and platform evolution
  • Parallel execution: Comfortable context-switching between strategic work (standards development) and tactical delivery (tool building, ARB support)
  • Partnership: Strong collaboration skills, you'll work across EA, Security, Engineering, and business teams
  • Bias for action: Don't wait for perfect information; build, test, iterate
• Passion for AI Governance
  • Stay current with internal/external AI trends and innovation
  • Genuine interest in making AI technology accessible, well‑governed, and production-ready
  • Desire to build the infrastructure that enables responsible AI adoption at enterprise scale

What's in it for you?

Be part of a dynamic & flexible working environment

Become part of a team that thinks progressively and works collaboratively. We care about seeing each other reach full potential

A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses and flexible benefits, competitive compensation, commissions, and stock options wh