Senior Lead AI Engineer

About the role

About The Company

Capital One is a leading financial services company renowned for its innovative approach to banking and commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology. With a strong focus on customer-centric solutions, Capital One has established itself as an industry leader in utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver personalized, real-time experiences. The company continually invests in its technological infrastructure and talented workforce to stay at the forefront of AI-driven financial services. Its mission is to create responsible, reliable AI systems that transform banking, making it more accessible, efficient, and human-centric for millions of customers worldwide.

About The Role

The Senior Lead AI Engineer at Capital One plays a pivotal role in advancing the company's AI capabilities. You will be part of the Intelligent Foundations and Experiences (IFX) team, which is central to realizing Capital One’s vision for AI-driven innovation. Your responsibilities will include designing, developing, deploying, and supporting sophisticated AI systems that impact various aspects of banking operations and customer interactions. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work alongside cross-functional teams of engineers, research scientists, product managers, and technical program managers to build scalable, responsible, and high-performance AI solutions. You will contribute to shaping the technical vision and long-term roadmap of foundational AI systems, ensuring they meet the strategic needs of the organization and deliver measurable value to customers and stakeholders.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical foundation combined with a passion for innovation in AI. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, AI, Electrical Engineering, or related fields, with at least six years of experience in developing AI and machine learning algorithms or technologies. Alternatively, a master's degree with a minimum of four years of relevant experience is acceptable. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Go, Scala, or Java is essential, with a minimum of six years of hands-on experience. Preferred qualifications include extensive experience deploying scalable AI solutions on cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, and a demonstrated ability to lead and mentor engineering teams. Strong communication skills and the ability to translate complex AI concepts into understandable insights are highly valued. Experience with state-of-the-art AI techniques, large language models, vector databases, and optimization methods for training and inference is also desirable.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop AI-powered products that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

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

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

Invent and implement state-of-the-art optimization techniques to improve the performance, scalability, cost-efficiency, latency, and throughput of AI systems in production environments.

Contribute to the technical vision, strategic planning, and long-term roadmap of AI infrastructure at Capital One.

Ensure AI systems adhere to responsible AI principles, including fairness, transparency, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Mentor junior engineers and foster a culture of innovation, technical excellence, and continuous learning within the team.

Stay updated on the latest research and advancements in AI, applying new techniques judiciously to improve existing systems and develop novel solutions.

Benefits

Capital One offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support the well-being of its employees. This includes health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, and flexible work arrangements. Employees are also eligible for performance-based incentives, including cash bonuses and long-term incentives, recognizing individual and team contributions. The company promotes a culture of inclusion and provides resources for professional development, continuous learning, and career growth. Additionally, employees have access to wellness programs, financial planning services, and various employee assistance programs to support their overall health and financial security.

Equal Opportunity

Capital One is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We are dedicated to providing a work environment where all employees can thrive and contribute to our mission of transforming banking through responsible AI innovation. We also support reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity.