Lead Python AI Principal Engineer (Hands-On), SVP

Citi; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 145,100 - 217,700; Full time

Job summary

Citi is seeking a highly skilled Lead Python AI Principal Engineer (Hands-On) to spearhead enterprise Generative AI platforms and services. You will lead technical teams, architect scalable AI solutions, and contribute hands-on coding across Python-based components.

The role emphasizes production-grade AI products, collaboration with data science and business teams, and delivering measurable value across Citi's lines of business. Hybrid work and strategic influence are key features.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in software with senior Principal Engineer experience.
• 6+ years hands-on Python engineering.
• Experience leading teams of engineers and data scientists.
• Strong background in production AI/ML systems and cloud architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of complex AI solutions, infrastructure and architecture.
• Guide a team of engineers and data scientists, reviewing designs and code to high standards.
• Translate product problems into clear technical directions and success metrics.
• Design robust model architectures, retrieval strategies, and evaluation frameworks.
• Engage with stakeholders to architect solutions for key use-cases.
• Contribute to software development as hands-on coder and reviewer.
• Build Python-based Generative AI components including RAG pipelines and data loaders.
• Ensure robust error handling, observability and test coverage.
• Manage executive stakeholder relationships in technology.
• Manage multiple initiatives of varying sizes.

Skills

Python

AI/ML

Leadership

Cloud architectures

FastAPI

Code review

Data engineering basics

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree preferred

Tools

AWS

Azure

Kubernetes

Git

Docker

FastAPI

ADK

Internal libraries

Job description

Lead Python AI Principal Engineer (Hands-On), SVP

Job Req Id:

26958993

Location(s):

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Job Type:

Hybrid

Posted:

Apr. 24, 2026

Discover your future at Citi

Working at Citi is far more than just a job. A career with us means joining a team of more than 230,000 dedicated people from around the globe. At Citi, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your career, give back to your community and make a real impact.

Job Overview

About Citi:

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

As a bank with a brain and a soul, Citi creates economic value that is systemically responsible and in our clients’ best interests. As a financial institution that touches every region of the world and every sector that shapes your daily life, our Operations & Technology teams are charged with a mission that rivals any large tech company. Our technology solutions are the foundations of everything we do from keeping the bank safe, managing global resources, and providing the technical tools our workers need to be successful to designing our digital architecture and ensuring our platforms provide a first‑class customer experience. We reimagine client and partner experiences to deliver excellence through secure, reliable, and efficient services.

Our commitment to diversity includes a workforce that represents the clients we serve from all walks of life, backgrounds, and origins. We foster an environment where the best people want to work. We value and demand respect for others, promote individuals based on merit, and ensure opportunities for personal development are widely available to all. Ideal candidates are innovators with well‑rounded backgrounds who bring their authentic selves to work and complement our culture of delivering results with pride. If you are a problem solver who seeks passion in your work, come join us. We’ll enable growth and progress together.

The Role:

We are seeking a highly skilled, hands‑on Lead Python AI Principal Engineer to join Citi in spearheading the design and development of cutting‑edge AI platforms and services. This role requires a highly hands‑on Python engineer to drive the creation of enterprise‑wide Generative AI platforms that deliver tangible value across all of Citi's lines of business. The ideal candidate will leverage a strong background in high‑scale engineering and AI solutions to lead technical teams, define architectural vision, and translate ambiguous business challenges into concrete, scalable implementations. This is a key leadership position focused on building innovative, production‑grade AI products that will shape the future of finance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end development of highly complex AI solutions, infrastructure, and architecture.
• Lead and guide a team of engineers and data scientists, reviewing designs and code to uphold the highest levels of engineering standards.
• Translate ambiguous product or business problems into clear technical direction, defining success metrics for engineering and data science teams.
• Design robust model architectures, retrieval strategies, prompting/orchestration layers, and evaluation frameworks that meet product, reliability, and scalability requirements.
• Engage with data‑science, technical, and business stakeholders to define and architect solutions for key use‑cases across our lines of business.
• Actively contribute to software development, both as a hands‑on coder and as a reviewer.
• Build and maintain core Python‑based Generative AI components, including RAG pipelines, model wrappers, orchestration logic, and data loaders using FastAPI, ADK, and internal libraries.
• Ensure robust error handling, observability, and test coverage across all codebases.
• Manage executive stakeholder relationships in technology, acting as a partner and trusted advisor.
• Manage multiple concurrent initiatives and projects of varying sizes and complexity.

Qualifications

• 7+ years' experience in the software industry, with proven success in a senior position such as Principal Engineer (progressive hands‑on experience required).
• 6+ years' experience in hands‑on Python engineering.
• Experience serving as a people manager as this role may also include management.
• Highly experienced in delivering complex technical solutions to production within the Python and AI/ML ecosystem.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python.
• Passion for and proven hands‑on experience integrating with AI/ML technologies.
• Experience with cloud architectures and public cloud offerings.
• A strong and diverse technical background, with the ability to quickly learn new technologies and influence highly skilled engineering teams.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational abilities.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to think strategically.
• Experience in the financial industry is a major advantage.

Education

• Bachelor's degree/University degree or equivalent experience is required.
• Master's degree is preferred.

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

Job Family Group

Technology

Job Family

Applications Development

Time Type

Full time

Primary Location Full Time Salary Range

$145,100.00 - $217,700.00

Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

Automated Processing and AI

We use automated processing, including artificial intelligence, for our legitimate business interests (or our reasonable and appropriate business purposes) to identify and align the candidate's skills and abilities with a specific job opening. Additionally, if you so choose, or consent, we can match your skills and abilities to other suitable roles at Citi.

Importantly, all our hiring processes and decisions, including determining your suitability for a role, are conducted, checked, and decided by individuals. Our automated processing and AI do not involve relying on automatic or autonomous decision‑making. Please refer to any Jurisdictional Considerations, with specific provisions for your country (where relevant) for further details.

This job opening is for an existing job vacancy.

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.