Senior Director, Applied AI and Quantum Research

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Incentive pay

Banking benefits

Benefits program*

Defined benefit pension plan*

Employee share purchase plan

Vacation offering

Wellbeing support

MomentMakers recognition program

Job summary

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) is seeking a Senior Director, Applied AI and Quantum Research to lead enterprise research in AI and quantum, shaping evaluation, development and responsible deployment across the bank. You will mentor a team of research scientists and partner with AI Delivery, Architecture, and governance teams in a hybrid work model with 2–4 days on-site in Toronto.

You bring 10+ years in AI technologies and at least 3 years in leadership, deep governance knowledge, and

Qualifications

• Experience leading applied AI and quantum research in a large enterprise.
• Strong governance, risk, and responsible AI knowledge.
• Ability to translate research into production-ready solutions and partnerships across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the enterprise applied AI and quantum research roadmap aligned to business strategy.
• Drive exploration of ML, generative AI, agentic systems, optimization, quantum computing technologies.
• Establish structured research practices with rigorous experimentation and evaluation.
• Partner with AI Delivery, Architecture, Technology, and MLOps to productionize research outputs.
• Promote Responsible AI and Governed AI by Design, complying with regulatory requirements.

Skills

Big Data Technologies

Critical Thinking

Data Analysis

Data Manipulation

Data Visualization

Machine Learning

PL/SQL

Python

R Programming

Statistical Analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, mathematics, engineering, physics or related field

Advanced degree (asset)

Job description

We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients. At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute. To learn more about CIBC, please visit CIBC.com

What you’ll be doing

The Advanced Analytics and Artificial Intelligence team drive innovation across CIBC by exploring and applying emerging technologies that create meaningful business value. As the Senior Director, Applied AI and Quantum Research, you’ll lead the enterprise applied research agenda across artificial intelligence and quantum innovation, shaping how new technologies are evaluated, developed, and adopted responsibly. You’ll guide a high-performing team of research scientists, define a strategic roadmap aligned to business priorities, and build strong partnerships across lines of business, technology, architecture, MLOps, and governance teams. In this role, you’ll champion the translation of research into scalable, production-ready solutions, while promoting repeatable experimentation practices and strong governance. You’ll also help advance CIBC’s innovation capabilities by identifying emerging trends, strengthening external partnerships, and ensuring research initiatives align with regulatory expectations and enterprise standards. At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role. You’ll have the flexibility to manage your work activities within a hybrid work arrangement where you’ll spend 2-4 days per week on-site, while other days will be remote.

How you’ll succeed

Research Strategy & Innovation Leadership - Lead the applied AI and quantum research roadmap for the enterprise, aligning research priorities to business strategy, delivery goals, and long-term innovation opportunities. Drive exploration of emerging capabilities across machine learning, generative artificial intelligence, agentic systems, optimization, quantum computing, and related technologies.

Scientific Excellence & Experimentation - Establish and oversee structured research practices that support high-quality experimentation, benchmarking, and solution validation. Ensure research initiatives are grounded in sound data, clear assumptions, meaningful performance measures, and robust evaluations of fit-for-purpose outcomes.

Research-to-Production Enablement - Partner with AI Delivery, Architecture, Technology, and MLOps teams to ensure research outputs can be replicated, operationalized, and monitored effectively in production environments. Implement repeatable frameworks for experimentation, deployment, continuous improvement, and documentation.

Governance, Risk & Responsible AI - Promote Responsible AI practices and a Governed AI by Design approach aligned with CIBC’s Trustworthy AI principles. Ensure adherence to enterprise governance frameworks, model risk management requirements, applicable controls, and relevant regulatory expectations, including Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) guidance.

Partnerships & Enterprise Influence - Build trusted relationships across lines of business, governance teams, and external partners to accelerate innovation and encourage adoption of research outcomes. Collaborate with executives, academic institutions, industry partners, and vendors to develop proprietary solutions, strengthen enterprise capabilities, and bring new ideas into the organization.

People Leadership - Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of applied research scientists through clear direction, meaningful feedback, and development opportunities. Build team capability, support an inclusive and high-accountability culture, and align individual contributions to business goals and client outcomes.

Who you are

You are a caring and accountable leader. You have experience developing and implementing strategic team goals. You have experience coaching employees and inspiring successful team performance. You can demonstrate experience in applied artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative artificial intelligence, governance, and research-to-production delivery in complex enterprise environments. It’s an asset if you have experience with quantum computing, quantum algorithms, financial services, or enterprise-scale MLOps practices. You have relevant experience. You bring 10+ years of experience in AI technologies, AI solutions, and delivery, including at least 3 years in leadership roles with responsibility for strategy, execution, and team development. You have deep knowledge of governance and risk practices. You understand model risk management principles and have hands‑on experience implementing controls that support regulatory compliance, enterprise AI governance, and responsible deployment of AI and machine learning solutions. Your influence makes a difference. You know that relationships and networks are essential to success. You inspire outcomes by sharing your expertise. You think strategically and act with purpose. You bring strong business, financial, and strategic planning capabilities, while staying comfortable moving into tactical execution when needed to deliver results. You give meaning to data. You enjoy investigating complex problems and making sense of information. You communicate detailed information in a meaningful way. You communicate with impact. You can present complex concepts clearly, build understanding across technical and non-technical audiences, and adapt your message to meet the needs of executives, partners, and stakeholders. You know how to navigate complexity. You have strong organizational, conceptual, and critical thinking skills, and you can balance innovation, risk, business priorities, employee development, and budget considerations in a fast-moving environment. You’re passionate about people. You find meaning in relationships and surround yourself with a diverse network of partners. You connect with others through respect and authenticity. You have a degree/diploma in computer science, data science, mathematics, engineering, physics, or a related field. An advanced degree is an asset. Values matter to you. You bring your real self to work, and you live our values - trust, teamwork, and accountability.

What CIBC Offers

At CIBC, your goals are a priority. We start with your strengths and ambitions as an employee and strive to create opportunities to tap into your potential. We aspire to give you a career, rather than just a paycheck. We work to recognize you in meaningful, personalized ways including a competitive salary, incentive pay, banking benefits, a benefits program*, defined benefit pension plan*, an employee share purchase plan, a vacation offering, wellbeing support, and MomentMakers, our social, points-based recognition program. Our spaces and technological toolkit will make it simple to bring together great minds to create innovative solutions that make a difference for our clients. We cultivate a culture where you can express your ambition through initiatives like Purpose Day; a paid day off dedicated for you to use to invest in your growth and development. *Subject to plan and program terms and conditions

• competitive salary
• incentive pay
• banking benefits
• a benefits program*
• defined benefit pension plan*
• an employee share purchase plan
• a vacation offering
• wellbeing support
• MomentMakers, our social, points-based recognition program.

What you need to know

CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact [e-mail] CIBC is committed to clarity in our hiring process. All roles posted are opportunities we’re actively recruiting for, unless stated otherwise. You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit. We may ask you to complete an attribute-based assessment and other skills test (such as simulation, coding, French proficiency). We use artificial intelligence tools during the recruitment process. Our goal for the application process is to get to know more about you, all that you have to offer, and give you the opportunity to learn more about us.

Job Location

Toronto-81 Bay, 21st Floor

Employment Type

Regular

Weekly Hours

37.5

Skills

• Big Data Technologies
• Critical Thinking
• Data Analysis
• Data Manipulation
• Data Visualization
• Machine Learning (ML)
• PL/SQL (Programming Language)
• Python (Programming Language)
• R Programming
• Statistical Analysis

At CIBC, we are in business to help our clients, employees and shareholders achieve what is important to them. Our ability to create value for all CIBC stakeholders is driven by a business culture based on common values: Trust, Teamwork and Accountability. Working with CIBC makes you a part of a work environment committed to our clients, employees and communities - a place where you can excel. Every day, our 48,000 employees help our clients achieve their financial goals, because what matters to our clients, matters to us.