VP/Director of AI Engineering

Archer; United States; On-site; USD 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

BlackRock is seeking a VP of AI Platform Engineering to lead the design and delivery of enterprise AI capabilities that power technologist enablement and platform services at scale.

You will translate complex AI capabilities into safe, production‑ready solutions, build scalable AI architecture, and mentor engineers across time zones while partnering with product and security teams in a fast-paced financial technology environment.

Qualifications

• Production AI systems experience involving LLM-based workflows.
• Proficiency in prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, and evaluation.
• Experience delivering shared platforms or services at scale.
• Strong Java and Python development for scalable AI and platform services.
• APIs and cloud service design experience.
• Distributed cloud environments experience.
• Excellent communication and cross-team collaboration skills.
• Experience in Agile development.

Responsibilities

• Design scalable AI architecture leveraging LLMs, RAG, fine-tuning, and optimization.
• Establish evaluation frameworks for model quality and hallucination control.
• Lead design and implementation of scalable AI platform capabilities across SDLC.
• Collaborate with product and security to ensure safe, compliant production AI.
• Drive delivery by breaking down complex problems into clear plans and milestones.
• Evaluate buy vs. build and assess third-party solutions against internal capabilities.
• Identify risks early with mitigation and escalation.
• Coordinate across multiple teams and time zones for shared outcomes.
• Translate AI capabilities into clear business value and risk communication.
• Lead and mentor engineers and senior ICs; foster ownership and accountability.
• Grow emerging leaders by delegating scope over time.

Skills

Production AI systems

Prompt engineering

Retrieval augmented generation

Fine-tuning

Evaluation

Platform services at scale

Java

Python

APIs

Cloud environments

Distributed cloud

Communication

Agile development

Team collaboration

Tools

Cloud platforms

APIs

Job description

Archer is collaborating with BlackRock to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

Role Brief

Are you interested in building AI systems that fundamentally transform how software is engineered in a global financial institution? Do you like working at the speed of a startup while solving highly sophisticated, enterprise-scale problems in a highly complex environment?

At BlackRock, we are seeking a VP of AI Platform Engineering to lead the design and delivery of enterprise AI capabilities that power technologist enablement, and next‑generation platform services. This leader will combine deep technical expertise in modern AI systems with strong engineering execution and organizational leadership. We recognize that strength comes from diversity, and will embrace your unique skills, curiosity, and passion while giving you the opportunity to grow technically and as an individual. With over USD $11 trillion of assets we have an exceptional responsibility, our technology empowers millions of investors to save for retirement, pay for college, buy a home, and improve their financial well‑being. As an AI engineering leader at BlackRock, you will help define how AI is safely, securely, and effectively embedded into our engineering ecosystem at scale.

About The Team

Our Platform Engineering division builds and operates the foundation system that power Aladdin and BlackRock’s enterprise technology landscape. We are leading BlackRock’s evolution toward an AI‑native engineering organization. We are fundamentally reimagining how software is built, reviewed, tested, modernized, and operated through intelligent systems.

The AI Platform Engineering team is not simply integrating AI into existing workflows; we are redesigning those workflows altogether. The team drives step‑change improvements in developer enablement, large‑scale modernization, and enterprise AI governance. We operate at the intersection of AI innovation and enterprise‑grade reliability, shaping the future of engineering across thousands of developers and multiple business domains. The team defines what AI‑powered engineering looks at scale inside one of the world’s most sophisticated financial technology environments.

Responsibilities

• Design scalable AI architecture leveraging LLMs, RAG, fine‑tuning, and model optimization techniques
• Establish evaluation frameworks to measure model quality, hallucination control, and precision/recall trade‑offs
• Lead the design and implementation of scalable AI platform capabilities used across the software development lifecycle
• Partner with product and security teams to ensure AI solutions are safe, compliant, and production‑ready
• Drive delivery through ambiguity by breaking down complex problems into clear plans and milestones
• Lead buy vs. build decisions, evaluating third‑party solutions alongside internal capabilities
• Identify technical risks and dependencies early, with mitigation and escalation where needed
• Coordinate across multiple engineering teams and time zones to deliver shared outcomes
• Translate complex AI capabilities into clear business values and communicate progress, trade‑offs, and risks to senior stakeholders
• Lead and develop a team of engineers and senior ICs, providing coaching and technical mentorship
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Support the growth of emerging leaders by delegating responsibility and increasing scope over time

Requirements

• Strong experience building and operating production AI systems, including LLM‑based workflows
• Solid understanding of modern AI practices such as prompt engineering, retrieval‑augmented generation, fine‑tuning, and evaluation
• Proven experience designing and delivering shared platforms or services at scale
• Deep technical fluency in Java and Python with hands‑on experience building scalable, production‑grade AI and platform services
• Experience designing APIs and operating services in a cloud environment
• Experience working with distributed Cloud environments
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams
• Experience working in Agile development teams.

Nice to Have

• Experience working on developer productivity or platform engineering initiatives
• Prior people‑management experience, including leading small to mid‑sized engineering teams
• Familiarity with enterprise governance, security, and risk considerations for AI systems

Joining BlackRock means becoming a member of a highly esteemed organization that oversees and safeguards more than $10 trillion (USD) in assets. You will have the chance to work with advanced technologies and collaborate with outstanding engineers to influence the future of the financial industry. This role will also provide valuable exposure to risk management, valuations, and operations.

BlackRock is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We embrace and value the unique skills, curiosity, and passion of individuals from all backgrounds. We strive to provide reasonable accommodations and adjustments for all qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please let us know.

Join us at BlackRock and be part of a team that is revolutionizing the financial industry through innovation and technology.