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 deployment. With a focus on creating personalized, real-time customer experiences, Capital One has established itself as an industry pioneer in leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance banking products and services. The company invests heavily in cutting-edge technology infrastructure and top-tier talent, enabling it to stay at the forefront of AI-driven financial solutions. Capital One’s mission is to improve the financial well-being of its customers by reimagining banking experiences with scalable, high-performance AI systems that are both responsible and reliable.

About The Role

The Lead AI Engineer (AI Foundations, LLM Customization and Finetuning) at Capital One is a pivotal role within the Intelligent Foundations and Experiences (IFX) team. This team is at the core of realizing Capital One’s vision for AI innovation, working closely with cross-functional partners to develop and deploy proprietary AI solutions that deliver substantial value to millions of customers. As a Lead AI Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and supporting advanced AI software components, including foundation model training, large language model inference, similarity search, and governance frameworks. Your expertise will directly influence the technical vision and long-term roadmap of foundational AI systems, helping to shape the future of responsible AI in banking.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical foundation in engineering and mathematics, with a passion for building scalable AI systems. You should have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Electrical Engineering, or related fields, with at least four years of experience in developing AI and ML algorithms or technologies. A master’s degree with at least two years of relevant experience is also acceptable. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Go, Scala, or Java is essential. Preferred qualifications include six years of experience deploying scalable AI solutions on cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, and a demonstrated ability to design and support AI services using state-of-the-art techniques. Experience with large language models, similarity search, vector databases, and optimization of training and inference software is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with a diverse team of engineers, research scientists, product managers, and technical program managers to develop AI-powered products that redefine customer engagement and operational efficiency.

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

Leverage open-source and SaaS AI technologies such as AWS Ultraclusters, Huggingface, VectorDBs, Nemo Guardrails, and PyTorch to build scalable solutions.

Innovate and implement state-of-the-art LLM optimization techniques to improve system performance, scalability, cost-efficiency, and latency.

Contribute to the strategic technical vision and roadmap for foundational AI systems, ensuring alignment with business objectives and industry best practices.

Ensure responsible AI practices by implementing governance, safety, and ethical standards across all AI initiatives.

Stay current with the latest research and advancements in AI and machine learning, applying innovative techniques to enhance Capital One’s AI capabilities.

Benefits

Capital One offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being and professional growth. Employees are eligible for performance-based incentives, including cash bonuses and long-term incentives, depending on individual and company performance. The company provides health, dental, and vision insurance, along with financial wellness programs, retirement plans, paid time off, and flexible work arrangements where applicable. Capital One fosters an inclusive environment that values diversity and promotes work-life balance. Additionally, employees have access to continuous learning opportunities and career development resources to advance their skills and expertise in AI and related fields.

Equal Opportunity

Capital One is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We consider qualified applicants for employment regardless of criminal history in accordance with applicable laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace and ensures all hiring practices comply with federal, state, and local regulations. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply and join our team in shaping the future of responsible AI in banking.