Senior Lead AI Engineer

About the role

About The Company

Capital One is a leading financial services company committed to transforming banking through innovative technology and responsible AI systems. With a strong focus on leveraging machine learning and data-driven insights, Capital One has established itself as an industry pioneer in delivering personalized, real-time customer experiences. The company continually invests in cutting-edge infrastructure and attracts world-class talent to maintain its leadership position. Its mission is to reimagine banking by integrating advanced AI capabilities that enhance customer engagement, improve operational efficiency, and foster financial well-being for millions of clients worldwide.

About The Role

The Senior Lead AI Engineer for Gen AI Platform Services specializing in Distributed Systems at Capital One plays a pivotal role in advancing the company's AI infrastructure. This position involves designing, developing, and deploying scalable AI solutions that leverage foundation models, large language models, and other AI technologies. The successful candidate will collaborate with cross-functional teams—including engineers, research scientists, product managers, and technical program managers—to create innovative AI-powered products that transform how customers and employees interact with banking services. This role requires a deep understanding of distributed systems, AI model optimization, and cloud-based deployment strategies to ensure high-performance, responsible, and scalable AI solutions. The engineer will also contribute to shaping the technical vision and long-term roadmap of Capital One's foundational AI systems, ensuring they align with the company's strategic objectives and industry best practices.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess a strong technical foundation with extensive experience in AI and machine learning development. A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Electrical Engineering, or related fields, coupled with at least six years of relevant experience, is required. A master’s degree with a minimum of four years of experience is also acceptable. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Go, Scala, or Java is essential, with a minimum of six years of hands-on coding experience. Preferred qualifications include seven or more years of experience deploying scalable AI solutions on cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure. Demonstrated leadership skills, experience mentoring engineering teams, and a solid understanding of AI system design, optimization techniques, and research are highly valued. Candidates should also have excellent communication skills, enabling them to articulate complex AI concepts effectively to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

Partner with multidisciplinary teams to develop and deliver AI-powered products that enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement.

Design, develop, test, deploy, and support AI software components, including foundation model training, large language model inference, similarity search, guardrails, model evaluation, and observability tools.

Leverage a broad stack of open-source and SaaS AI technologies such as AWS Ultraclusters, Huggingface, VectorDBs, Nemo Guardrails, and PyTorch to build robust AI systems.

Invent and implement state-of-the-art optimization techniques for large language models to improve performance metrics such as scalability, latency, throughput, and cost-efficiency.

Contribute to the technical vision and strategic planning of foundational AI systems to ensure alignment with business goals and technological advancements.

Ensure responsible AI practices by implementing governance, safety guardrails, and compliance measures across all AI deployments.

Continuously stay abreast of emerging research and industry trends, applying innovative techniques to enhance AI capabilities and infrastructure.

Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with stakeholders to foster a culture of innovation, quality, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

Capital One offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being and professional growth. Employees are eligible for competitive health, dental, and vision insurance plans, along with wellness programs and financial benefits such as retirement savings options. The company also provides opportunities for performance-based incentives, including cash bonuses and long-term incentives, aligned with individual and company performance. In addition, Capital One promotes a flexible work environment, ongoing learning and development programs, and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Employees have access to resources that support work-life balance, career advancement, and community engagement, fostering a rewarding and fulfilling workplace experience.

Equal Opportunity

Capital One is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by applicable laws. We believe diversity drives innovation and excellence, and we are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates. Capital One also ensures compliance with all relevant employment laws and regulations, including accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.