Senior Principal Software Engineer - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

McKinsey & Company, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 263,000 - 266,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company, through QuantumBlack, seeks a senior engineering leader to set the vision for engineering excellence and define standards and architectures for large-scale software and AI systems. You will partner with C-level and senior leaders to drive technology strategy and deliver transformative solutions across industries.

You will hire, develop, and retain top engineering talent, lead multiple teams, and ensure secure, production-ready systems.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field; or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years designing and delivering large-scale software solutions.
• Proven ability to set technical vision and strategy for an organization.
• Experience defining autonomous agent-driven delivery governance and guardrails.
• Experience architecting enterprise AI strategy and security standards.
• Trusted advisor to senior executives on technology and data strategy.

Responsibilities

• Set the vision for engineering excellence and define standards and architectures.
• Lead and mentor multiple engineering teams and technical leaders.
• Partner with C-level executives to shape long-term technology strategy.
• Hire, develop, and retain top engineering talent.
• Deliver industry-shaping software capabilities and enterprise AI solutions.
• Ensure secure, production-ready AI-enabled systems.

Skills

Engineering vision

Frontend & backend

Distributed systems

Cloud-native architectures

AI strategy

Talent leadership

Executive communication

Education

Advanced degree in a relevant field

Job description

Do you want to do work that matters, alongside supportive leaders who will help you grow faster than you ever thought possible? Are you a creative problem-solver who is energized by challenges? You’ve come to the right place.

YOUR IMPACT

You will set the vision for engineering excellence and define the standards, practices, and architectures that empower clients to deliver transformative technology at scale. You will have the opportunity to work on lots of different challenges, across clients and sectors. You will partner with C-level executives and senior leaders to shape long-term technology strategy and drive innovation across the most complex engineering challenges in the industry. You will lead and mentor a community of technical colleagues and multiple engineering teams, setting the technical direction for the organization’s largest and most complex programs. Your work will solve the most difficult and high-impact challenges facing clients across industries. Collaborating across QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and QuantumBlack Labs teams, you’ll guide the development of industry-shaping software capabilities and scalable, enterprise-grade AI solutions. You will be responsible for hiring, developing, and retaining top engineering talent, building robust technical foundations for production-ready, AI-enabled systems, and ensuring our clients can achieve meaningful, lasting impact. You’ll be based in one of our NA offices as part of our global Software Engineering community. Working in cross-functional teams, you’ll collaborate closely with designers, product managers, and industry experts to deliver software solutions. By partnering with clients, from data owners to senior executives, you’ll solve complex problems that drive tangible business value and continue to grow your skills as a client-facing technologist. Your work offers a unique opportunity to lead at the front‑of‑AI and software engineering. You’ll develop expertise at the intersection of technology and business by tackling diverse challenges in the evolving AI landscape. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams, you’ll gain a holistic understanding of how software engineering enables advanced AI while collaborating with some of the leading technologists and AI practitioners in the industry.

YOUR GROWTH

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward. In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you’ll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else. When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning:Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast‑paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters:From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community:With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World‑class benefits:On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well‑being for you and your family.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Advanced degree in a relevant field; or equivalent experience
• 15+ years of experience designing and delivering large‑scale, business‑critical software solutions, with recognized mastery in frontend and backend technologies, distributed systems, and cloud‑native architectures
• Demonstrated ability to set the overarching technical vision and strategy for an organization, with a track record of introducing new paradigms, reusable components, and frameworks that drive engineering efficiency and scalability at an enterprise level
• Experience defining and leading the enterprise‑wide adoption of agentic engineering, establishing the operating model for autonomous agent‑driven delivery including governance, guardrails, and accountability
• Experience architecting and leading enterprise AI strategy - spanning model portfolios, build‑vs‑buy decisions, engineering discipline, and AI security standards - and partnering with senior business leaders to maximize AI impact and identify emerging sources of leverage
• Proven track record as a trusted advisor to senior executives on technology and data strategy, cloud architecture, and long‑term transformation roadmaps, with the ability to articulate trade‑offs and align technology decisions with long‑term business goals
• A security‑first mindset, with experience championing secure development practices across an organization, acting as a trusted advisor on security and compliance, and ensuring alignment on secure development strategies at an enterprise level
• Experience leading and developing multiple engineering teams and technical leaders across large, complex programs, fostering a strong engineering culture, and a proven ability to hire, mentor, and retain top engineering talent
• Exceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environment
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to adjust your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels, from engineers to C‑level executives

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Certain US jurisdictions require McKinsey & Company to include a reasonable estimate of the salary for this role. To help you understand what you can expect, the salary range for new joiners in this role in United States, including all office locations where the job may be performed, is $262,800 - $266,100 USD gross per year. This reflects our best estimate of the lowest to highest[salary/hourly wages] for this role at the time of this posting, ensuring you have a clear picture right from the start, though it’s importantto remember that actual salaries may vary. Factors like your office location, your unique blend of experience and skills, start date and our currentorganizational needs all play a part in determining the final figure. Certain roles are also eligible for bonuses, subject to McKinsey’s discretionand based on factors such as individual and/or organizational performance.

Additionally, we provide a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the wellness of our colleagues and their families. This includes medical, mental health, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, a generous retirement contributions program, financial guidance, and paid time off.

FOR NON-U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites.