Principal Engineer, AI & ML Solutions

Socket.dev; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total rewards program

Bonuses and stock where applicable

Flexible work options

Leadership development

Job summary

RBC in Vancouver is seeking a Principal Engineer, AI & ML Solutions to join its Global Functions Technology (GFT) team. You will lead building a new AI product from the ground up, manage resources, drive innovation, and collaborate across teams to deliver impactful results.

You will guide multiple ML teams, align with senior leadership, and shape departmental strategy for scalable AI-powered solutions that meet business objectives.

Qualifications

• 10+ years software or platform engineering experience.
• At least 5 years focused on AI/ML infrastructure, API platform engineering, or large-scale distributed systems.
• Experience building production services and APIs; knowledge of authentication and authorization.

Responsibilities

• Directs the planning, execution, and oversight of a new AI product, ensuring alignment with goals and delivering impact on schedules, quality, compliance, and resources.
• Manages and guides teams, including senior managers, for effective leadership and operational efficiency.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to identify and develop business opportunities via AI technologies while monitoring ML systems.
• Leads development and implementation of advanced ML algorithms, ensuring scalability and alignment with strategies.
• Drives innovation across responsibilities and fosters internal and external relationships to drive business outcomes.

Skills

AI/ML infrastructure

Distributed systems

Leadership

Tools

Python

PySpark

Databricks

Airflow

Kafka

Snowflake

Node.js

Apigee

Job description

Job Description

We are looking for a Principal Engineer, AI & ML Solutions, to join our Global Functions Technology (GFT) team! In this role you'll lead the building of a new AI product from the ground up managing resources, driving innovation, and collaborating across teams to deliver impactful results. You'll direct the management of multiple teams in machine learning development, focusing on strategy implementation.

GFT is part of RBC’s Technology and Operations division. GFT’s impact is far-reaching as we collaborate with partners from across the company to deliver innovative and transformative IT solutions. Our clients represent Risk, Finance, HR, CAO, Audit, Legal, Compliance, Financial Crime, Capital Markets, Personal and Commercial Banking and Wealth Management. We also lead the development of digital tools and platforms to enhance collaboration.

Are you a talented, creative, and results-driven professional who thrives on delivering high-performing applications. Come join us!

What will you do?

• Directs the planning, execution, and oversight of new AI product, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and delivering both short and long term impact on schedules, quality, compliance, and resource allocation.
• Manages and guides teams, including senior managers to ensure effective leadership, operational efficiency, and adherence to organizational policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with cross functional teams and stakeholders to identify and develop business opportunities through the application of artificial intelligence technologies, while monitoring and optimizing machine learning systems.
• Leads the development and implementation of advanced machine learning algorithms and systems, addressing complex technical challenges and ensuring their scalability and alignment with organizational strategies.
• Manages machine learning development initiatives of significant complexity, applying advanced technical expertise to solve abstract problems, and making independent decisions across business units.
• Makes independent decisions on program, technical or operational strategy for the department, providing leadership, coaching and mentorship through senior managers and managers. Sets strategic direction for the department or area receiving high level direction from senior leaders.
• Drives innovation across areas of responsibility identifying opportunities for making operational changes and practices, solving highly complex problems broadly related to machine learning development.
• Leads cross functional collaboration efforts, fostering strong internal relationships across the organization and external relationships to drive business outcomes.

What do you need to succeed?

• 10+ years software or platform engineering experience, with at least 5 years focused on AI/ML infrastructure, API platform engineering, or large-scale distributed systems
• Strong knowledge of algorithms and data structures, plus systems engineering fundamentals, reliability, performance, and debugging.
• Hands on experience with data engineering platforms and tools, commonly including Python, PySpark, Databricks, Airflow, Kafka, Snowflake, and modern data integration patterns.
• Experience building production services and APIs, including service design, authentication and authorization, and integration patterns, Node.js and Apigee are a plus.
• Practical experience delivering AI powered systems, including one or more of:
• RAG systems and vector search, embeddings, reranking, and grounding strategies
• LLM application development, structured outputs, prompt and tool calling, orchestration patterns
• AI evaluation, test harnesses, regression testing, and lifecycle management for prompts and models
• Observability for AI systems, tracing, monitoring, alerting, and cost controls

What’s in it for you?

We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressive thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper. We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference to our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.

• 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
• Ability to make a difference and lasting impact
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team
• A world-class training program in financial services
• Flexible work/life balance options
• Opportunities to do challenging work

Job Skills

Big Data Management, Data Modeling, Data Science, Decision Making, Deep Learning, Machine Learning (ML), Predictive Analytics, Programming Languages, Relationship Building

Additional Job Details

Address: 745 THURLOW ST:VANCOUVER

City: Vancouver

Country: Canada

Work hours/week: 37.5

Employment Type: Full time

Platform: TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS

Job Type: Regular

Pay Type: Salaried

Posted Date: 2026-04-22

Application Deadline: 2026-09-24

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.

RBC is presently inviting candidates to apply for this existing vacancy. Applying to this posting allows you to express your interest in this current career opportunity at RBC. Qualified applicants may be contacted to review their resume in more detail.