Lead Machine Learning Engineer

About the role

About The Company

Capital One is a leading financial services company dedicated to transforming banking through innovative technology and responsible AI applications. Our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge machine learning and AI infrastructure allows us to deliver exceptional products and services that prioritize customer experience, security, and operational efficiency. With a focus on building a culture of continuous learning and technological advancement, Capital One invests heavily in world-class talent and state-of-the-art infrastructure to stay at the forefront of the industry. Our initiatives span across various domains, including risk management, customer engagement, and operational automation, all driven by responsible and reliable AI systems that aim to change banking for good.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Lead Machine Learning Engineer (Manager IC) to join our Risk Technology team at Capital One. In this pivotal role, you will lead the development and deployment of advanced AI-powered solutions that enhance our risk management capabilities. Working closely with cross-functional teams including data scientists, engineers, product managers, and business partners, you will drive innovation in building scalable, high-performance machine learning systems. Your expertise will be instrumental in designing, fine-tuning, and maintaining models that proactively identify risks, prevent issues, and deliver significant value to our customers and the organization. This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of AI-driven risk management in a dynamic, collaborative environment committed to excellence and responsible AI practices.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical foundation complemented by strategic thinking and leadership skills. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, or a related field is required, with a preference for advanced degrees. Candidates should have a minimum of 6 years of experience in designing and building data-intensive solutions, with at least 4 years programming in Python, Scala, or Java. Demonstrated experience in developing, scaling, and optimizing machine learning systems for production is essential, along with a solid understanding of ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn. Leadership experience, including managing teams and developing scalable data pipelines, is highly valued. Additional preferred qualifications include industry-recognized certifications, experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, and familiarity with Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) techniques.

Responsibilities

Partner with multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative AI-powered products that improve operational workflows and customer experiences.

Design, develop, test, and deploy AI software components, including models for large language inference, similarity search, and guardrails, ensuring they adhere to governance and observability standards.

Fine-tune and evaluate machine learning models and foundation models to optimize performance and reliability.

Collaborate within Agile teams to create and enhance software solutions utilizing the latest AI and ML capabilities.

Contribute to the technical vision and long-term roadmap for AI systems at Capital One, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Leverage open-source and SaaS AI technologies to build robust, scalable solutions.

Make informed decisions regarding ML infrastructure, considering best practices for responsible and explainable AI.

Maintain, monitor, and retrain models in production environments to ensure continuous performance and compliance.

Construct and optimize data pipelines to efficiently feed ML models with high-quality data.

Ensure all code and models are well-governed, secure, and compliant with risk management standards.

Benefits

Capital One offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being and professional growth. Employees have access to competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, and long-term incentives that recognize individual and team contributions. Our health and wellness programs include medical, dental, and vision coverage, mental health resources, and wellness stipends. We also provide financial benefits such as retirement savings plans, employee discounts, and educational assistance. Our inclusive culture fosters continuous learning through training programs, mentorship, and opportunities to work on innovative projects. We are committed to work-life balance and flexible work arrangements to accommodate diverse needs. At Capital One, you will find a dynamic environment that encourages growth, innovation, and meaningful impact.

Equal Opportunity

Capital One is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status. We believe diversity and inclusion are vital to our success and are dedicated to creating an environment where all employees can thrive. We promote a drug-free workplace and adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws in our employment practices. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to ensure a fair and respectful hiring process.