Senior Principal AI Engineer

Socket.dev; Toronto; On-site; CAD 165,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Questrade Financial Group seeks a Senior Principal AI Engineer to lead AI‑assisted SDLC, drive AI CI/CD, automation, and scalable platform capabilities in a highly regulated fintech environment.

You will mentor engineering teams, define technical direction, and collaborate with leaders to ship reliable AI solutions while maintaining governance and security.

This hybrid role offers competitive compensation and benefits across where we operate, with a focus on innovation and impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, AI or related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 10+ years of progressive software engineering, including 3+ years in AI engineering/LLMOps/AgentOps.
• Proven track record as Staff/Principal‑level engineer across multiple squads.
• Deep expertise with AI CI/CD pipelines and automation in production.
• Experience in highly regulated industries (FinTech/Financial Services).
• Experience managing enterprise software vendors and cross‑functional alignment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, implementation, and scaling of AI‑assisted SDLC capabilities.
• Set clear technical direction and reusable patterns for squads to ship faster.
• Architect and integrate advanced AI platform capabilities with strong governance.
• Collaborate with engineering leadership to balance delivery and architectural stability.
• Drive integration of AI enablement tools across squads and remove bottlenecks.
• Mentor engineering teams to raise overall AI solution proficiency.
• Architect, deploy, and operate agentic systems with monitoring and safety guardrails.

Skills

AI engineering

Technical leadership

AI CI/CD

Regulated environments

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science

Equivalent practical experience

Job description

Questrade Financial Group (QFG), through its companies - Questrade, Questbank, Questrade Wealth Management, Community Trust Company, Zolo, and Flexiti, provides securities and foreign currency investment, professionally managed investment portfolios, mortgages, real estate services, financial services and more. We use cutting‑edge technology to help Canadians become much more financially successful and secure.

At QFG, we combine human‑centric collaboration with AI‑driven innovation to redefine financial services. The ideal candidate will be a catalyst for change, using AI to transform and deliver unparalleled customer experiences and shaping a future where AI empowers our teams to do their best work.

Join our diverse, inclusive, and hybrid workplace to unleash your creativity and nurture your curiosity without limits. If you share this sense of infinite possibility, come shape your future at QFG.

What’s in it for you as an employee of QFG?

• Health & wellbeing resources and programs
• Paid vacation, personal, and sick days for work‑life balance
• Competitive compensation and benefits packages
• Work‑life balance in a hybrid environment with at least 3 days in office
• Career growth and development opportunities
• Opportunities to contribute to community causes
• Work with diverse team members in an inclusive and collaborative environment

This job posting is for an existing vacancy

We’re looking for our next Job Title. Could It Be You?

Acting as a hands‑on technical leader and force multiplier in AI Engineering & Enablement, to advance AI‑assisted SDLC. This includes driving engineering productivity, AI CI/CD, pipeline integration, automation, and scalable platform capabilities safely within a regulated environment. The role involves working closely with engineering leadership and cross‑functional teams to establish pragmatic patterns, provide clear technical direction, and help squads ship effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and scaling of AI‑assisted SDLC capabilities, focusing on engineering productivity, AI CI/CD pipelines, and comprehensive automation.
• Act as a hands‑on technical anchor, setting clear technical direction and establishing pragmatic, reusable implementation patterns to help squad‑aligned teams ship faster and more reliably.
• Architect and integrate advanced AI platform capabilities, ensuring all solutions are deployed safely, securely, and in full compliance with Questrade’s highly regulated technology environment.
• Partner closely with engineering leadership to navigate complex technical trade‑offs, ensuring solutions balance immediate delivery needs with long‑term architectural stability.
• Drive the seamless integration and adoption of AI enablement tools across engineering squads, removing bottlenecks and fostering strong cross‑functional alignment.
• Provide expert‑level mentorship and hands‑on guidance to engineering teams, elevating the organisation’s overall proficiency in building and deploying AI‑driven solutions.
• Architect, deploy, and operationalize advanced agentic systems, ensuring robust monitoring, observability, and safety guardrails for autonomous AI workflows in production.
• Continuously evaluate and implement emerging AI technologies, championing engineering best practices and ensuring the platform scales effectively with business needs.

So are YOU our next Senior Principal AI Engineer? You are if you…

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Years of Experience: 10+ years of progressive software engineering experience, including 3+ years specifically focused on AI engineering, LLMOps, AgentOps, or AI‑assisted SDLC automation.
• Technical Leadership: Proven track record operating as a Staff or Principal‑level engineer, acting as a hands‑on technical force multiplier across multiple engineering squads.
• AI Integration: Deep technical expertise with AI CI/CD pipelines, integrating AI into existing workflows, and scaling automation in production environments.
• Regulated Environments: Demonstrated experience building, deploying, and governing compliant technology solutions within highly regulated industries (e.g., Financial Services, FinTech).
• Vendor Management: Demonstrated experience managing enterprise software vendor relationships, including tool evaluation frameworks, trial execution, and cross‑functional stakeholder alignment through procurement, privacy assessments, and security reviews.

Additional kudos if you…

• Domain Knowledge: Previous experience working specifically within wealth management, trading, or brokerage operations technology.

Compensation Information:

Base salary range: $165,000 - 180,000

At Questrade Financial Group of Companies, with multiple office locations around the world, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and accessible work environment. This is an environment where individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Here, the unique skills and experience you bring will be valued. You will be supported and motivated, so that you can harness your unlimited potential. Our team reflects the diversity of the communities we serve and operate in. Having a collaborative and diverse team helps us push boundaries to bring the future of fintech into existence—not only for the benefit of our customers, but for those who build their career with us.

Questrade Financial Group of companies Applicant Tracking System utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) for application screening. The AI system operates on predetermined criteria, with final decisions subject to human review.

Candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly. If you require accommodation during the recruitment/selection process, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.