Senior Vice President - Data Science

Citi; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Citi is seeking a Principal AI Engineer / SVP to define and drive the organization's AI strategy and architecture from Bangalore. You will lead research, design, and deployment of advanced AI platforms at planetary scale, setting governance, security, and performance standards while mentoring senior engineers and interfacing with senior leadership.

The role demands deep experience in Generative AI, LLMs, and cloud-native architectures, with a track record of delivering large-scale, reliable

Qualifications

• Over 14 years of software architecture and AI/ML experience.
• Deep knowledge of Generative AI, LLMs, and scalable architectures.
• Proven leadership in large enterprise environments.
• Ability to define architectural options to solve complex problems.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term architectural vision for Generative AI and Agentic systems.
• Lead research, design, and prototyping of next-gen AI platforms.
• Act as lead architect for complex AI initiatives at scale.
• Set standards for AI development, MLOps, and governance.
• Mentor senior engineers and lead an AI function at executive level.

Skills

AI architecture

Generative AI

LLMs

MLOps

Cloud-native

Distributed systems

Leadership

Mentoring

Strategic vision

Education

Bachelor's degree; Master’s/PhD preferred

Tools

MLOps tools

Model governance

Security best practices

Job description

Job Description

The Principal AI Engineer / SVP is a senior leader responsible for defining and driving the overall AI technical strategy and architecture for the organization. The overall objective of this role is to act as the organization’s foremost technical authority on AI, leading the charge on innovation, setting long‑term architectural vision, and ensuring the delivery of robust, scalable, and transformative AI platforms. This role represents the pinnacle of the dual‑track career path, for either a top‑tier technical expert (Principal) or a strategic people leader (SVP).

Responsibilities

• Define and own the long‑term architectural vision and strategy for Generative AI and Agentic systems across the enterprise, ensuring alignment with business goals and future growth.
• Lead the research, design, and prototyping of next‑generation AI platforms and first‑of‑a‑kind capabilities, establishing new patterns for the organization.
• Act as the lead architect for the most complex and critical AI initiatives, ensuring solutions are built for planetary scale, with the highest standards of reliability, security, and performance.
• Set the technical standards for AI development, including frameworks, tools, MLOps, and Model Governance, influencing teams across the organization.
• Mentor and develop senior technical talent (Lead and Senior Engineers), acting as a force multiplier to elevate the technical capabilities of the entire department.
• Lead and scale a multi‑tiered organization of AI professionals, setting the vision, managing budget, and representing the AI function at the senior executive level.
• Serve as the primary technical advisor to senior leadership on all matters related to AI, including opportunities, risks, and competitive landscape.
• Drive a culture of innovation, experimentation, and technical excellence.

Qualifications

• 14+ years of extensive software architecture and engineering experience, with a significant focus on AI/ML.
• World‑class expertise in software architecture, with a proven track record of designing and delivering large‑scale, distributed, and highly available systems.
• Deep and authoritative knowledge of Generative AI, including LLMs, and extensive experience architecting and building complex, production‑grade Agentic solutions.
• Ability to define and articulate new architectural options and strategies to solve complex business and technical problems.
• Recognized thought leader in AI, with experience influencing and driving technical direction across a large enterprise.
• Exceptional leadership and mentoring capabilities, with experience developing senior‑level technical talent.
• (For Manager Track) Proven experience in senior people management, organizational design, and strategic planning.
• Deep understanding of the financial services domain, including regulatory, compliance, and security challenges.
• Mastery of cloud‑native technologies, MLOps, and the entire AI/ML lifecycle.

Education

• Bachelor’s/University degree; Master’s degree or PhD preferred in Computer Science, AI, Engineering, or a related quantitative field.

This job description provides a high‑level review of the types of work performed. Other job‑related duties may be assigned as required.

Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi. View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.