Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer

barclays; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Barclays in Whippany, NJ invites a Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer to redefine Investment Banking Research with AI. Design and deploy production-grade AI solutions, collaborating with senior stakeholders to deliver high-impact analytics and robust governance.

You will work with Python, FastAPI/Flask, LangChain, and cloud services to scale AI across the business while ensuring risk controls and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Strong Python engineering with production-grade APIs (FastAPI/Flask).
• Experience architecting agentic AI apps (LangChain/CrewAI/AutoGen).
• Deep know-how in RAG, vector DBs, semantic search and retrieval optimization.
• Familiarity with AWS services (ECS/EKS/Lambda) and Docker.

Responsibilities

• Design analytics and modelling solutions for complex business problems.
• Collaborate with technology to specify data, environments, and tools.
• Develop well-tested analytics and modelling solutions and document them.
• Operationalise analytics and models in production software.
• Provide ongoing support for analytics effectiveness and risk controls.
• Demonstrate conformance to Barclays risk and control policies.

Skills

Python engineering

Production-grade API development

Agentic AI applications

RAG solutions

Vector databases

Semantic search

Retriever optimization

Tool calling

Agent orchestration

AWS cloud deployment

CI/CD & monitoring

Stakeholder engagement

Investment Banking Research knowledge

M365 Copilot / AI platforms

Rapid iteration / business impact

Tools

FastAPI

Flask

LangChain

CrewAI

AutoGen

Docker

AWS (ECS/EKS)

Bedrock

Lambda

Vector databases

Semantic search platforms

Job description

Job Description

Purpose of the role

To design, develop, implement, and support mathematical, statistical, and machine learning models and analytics used in business decision-making

Accountabilities

• Design analytics and modelling solutions to complex business problems using domain expertise.
• Collaboration with technology to specify any dependencies required for analytical solutions, such as data, development environments and tools.
• Development of high performing, comprehensively documented analytics and modelling solutions, demonstrating their efficacy to business users and independent validation teams.
• Implementation of analytics and models in accurate, stable, well-tested software and work with technology to operationalise them.
• Provision of ongoing support for the continued effectiveness of analytics and modelling solutions to users.
• Demonstrate conformance to all Barclays Enterprise Risk Management Policies, particularly Model Risk Policy.
• Ensure all development activities are undertaken within the defined control environment.

Vice President Expectations

• To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/ processes; deliver continuous improvements and elevate breaches of policies/procedures..
• If managing a team, they define jobs and responsibilities, planning for the department’s future needs and operations, counselling employees on performance and contributing to employee pay decisions/changes. They may also lead a number of specialists to influence the operations of a department, in alignment with strategic as well as tactical priorities, while balancing short and long term goals and ensuring that budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements..
• If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others..
• OR for an individual contributor, they will be a subject matter expert within own discipline and will guide technical direction. They will lead collaborative, multi-year assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management on functional and cross functional areas of impact and alignment.
• Manage and mitigate risks through assessment, in support of the control and governance agenda.
• Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work your team does.
• Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the organisation functions to contribute to achieving the goals of the business.
• Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategies.
• Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought comparing and selecting complex alternatives. In-depth analysis with interpretative thinking will be required to define problems and develop innovative solutions.
• Adopt and include the outcomes of extensive research in problem solving processes.
• Seek out, build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders in order to accomplish key business objectives, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Embark on a transformative journey as a Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer. At Barclays, our vision is clear – to redefine the future of banking and help craft innovative solutions. This is not a traditional engineering role, it is an opportunity to reinvent Investment Banking Research through AI. You will work on high impact AI engagements with senior stakeholders, building solutions that have the potential to become defining achievements of your career.

To be successful as a Senior Forward Deployed AI Engineer, you should have:

• Considerable Python engineering skills, including building and deploying production-grade APIs using FastAPI or Flask

• Experience designing and building agentic AI applications using frameworks such as LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, or similar

• Deep experience developing RAG solutions, including vector databases, semantic search, reranking, and retrieval optimization

• Ample understanding of MCPs, FastMCP, tool calling, and agent orchestration patterns

• Experience deploying scalable cloud-native applications on AWS using services such as ECS/EKS, Lambda, Bedrock, and Docker

Other highly valued skills include:

• Experience operating AI systems in production, including AgentOps, CI/CD, monitoring, evaluation, and optimisation

• Considerable stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate highly detailed business tasks into technical solutions.

• Understanding of, or considerable interest in, Investment Banking Research workflows and financial data platforms

• Experience with M365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, AWS AgentCore, or related AI platforms

• A pragmatic builder mindset with a bias for rapid iteration, be trusted with, and delivering measurable business impact

This role is located in our Whippany, NJ office.

Minimum Salary: $150,000
Maximum Salary: $200,000

The minimum and maximum salary/rate information above include only base salary or base hourly rate. It does not include any other type of compensation or benefits that may be available.

Barclays employees are eligible for a suite of competitive and generous employee benefits, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), life insurance, and other paid leave for qualifying circumstances.

This position is eligible for an incentive award.