At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and implementation of cutting-edge AI solutions for banking.
- Company: Join Citi, a global leader in banking technology with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with mentorship opportunities and a chance to lead in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of banking with AI and make a real impact in the industry.
- Qualifications: Expertise in Python/Java and deep knowledge of AI/ML technologies required.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
We are seeking an AI‐first Lead AI Engineer to define, architect, and deliver enterprise‐scale AI solutions for Investment, Corporate, and Commercial Banking. This role combines deep hands‐on technical leadership with architectural ownership, driving the adoption of LLMs, agentic workflows, and generative AI platforms to improve efficiency, automation, simplification, and risk reduction. The Lead AI Engineer will shape both technical delivery and AI-first engineering culture, partnering closely with multiple technology and business teams.
Key Responsibilities
- End‐to‐End AI Leadership: Lead the design, hands‐on implementation, and deployment of scalable agentic AI and generative AI solutions for high‐impact business use cases.
- Agentic Architecture: Architect advanced agent‐based systems (perception, reasoning, planning, execution), integrating multiple LLM providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google).
- Full‐Stack AI Engineering: Build and deliver production‐grade, full‐stack AI applications using modern ML/LLM platforms and AI coding tools (e.g., Devin, GitHub Copilot).
- Rapid Value Delivery: Champion MVP‐driven delivery, rapid iteration, hypothesis testing, and experimentation (A/B testing) to achieve fast time‐to‐value.
- Evaluation & Optimization: Define rigorous evaluation frameworks and metrics for AI and agent performance, ensuring continuous optimization and alignment with business goals.
- Technology Foresight: Proactively evaluate and integrate emerging AI technologies, particularly in agent‐based and autonomous AI systems, while acting as a thought leader and coach.
- Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Provide front‐line technical leadership, guide architectural decisions, and mentor engineers across AI, data, and application teams to build an AI‐first engineering culture.
- Strategic Domain Alignment: Ensure all AI solutions are grounded in deep banking domain understanding and clearly articulate business and risk impact beyond pure technical implementation.
Qualifications
- Programming: Expert‐level proficiency in Python and/or Java (Spring Boot); solid experience with JavaScript/TypeScript (Angular, Node.js).
- AI/ML Expertise: Deep knowledge of AI fundamentals (knowledge representation, automated planning, decision‐making under uncertainty, multi‐agent systems). Extensive hands‐on experience with LLM platforms (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google), RAG pipelines, MCPs, and agent frameworks (Google ADK). Demonstrated effectiveness with AI coding tools (Devin, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Antigravity). Strong experience with ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) and data science libraries. Proven ability to design and expose robust, scalable APIs for AI services.
- Engineering Excellence: Deep expertise in software engineering best practices, including system design, CI/CD, testing strategies, resiliency, security, and operational stability for AI‐driven platforms.
- Architecture & Data: Strong experience designing API‐first, microservices‐based, and event‐driven systems, including AI‐focused data pipelines and lifecycle management.
- Platforms: Hands‐on experience with Docker and Kubernetes.
- Leadership & Communication: Exceptional ability to articulate complex technical concepts, influence senior stakeholders, and lead high‐impact technical discussions.
- Domain Expertise: Strong understanding of banking and regulated financial environments, with the ability to connect AI capabilities to measurable business outcomes.
Nice to Have
- Advanced data science expertise (statistical modeling, experimentation).
- Demonstrated experience mentoring and scaling AI‐first engineering talent in rapidly evolving toolchains.
Experience:
- Progressive software engineering experience with sustained hands‐on contributions.
- Advanced level of expertise in Python language.
- Dedicated experience in AI, LLM‐based systems, and agentic architectures.
- Proven success architecting and delivering multiple enterprise‐scale AI solutions into production.
Education:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, AI, Robotics, or a related quantitative discipline.
Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Lead Applied AI Engineer - Banking Technology, Senior Vice President in London employer: Citigroup
Citi is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of London where innovation meets collaboration. As a Sales Director, you will benefit from extensive training and mentorship opportunities, fostering your professional growth while working alongside industry leaders in FX Sales. With a strong commitment to integrity and inclusivity, Citi provides a supportive culture that empowers employees to excel and drive meaningful results for clients.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Applied AI Engineer - Banking Technology, Senior Vice President in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Citigroup or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Citigroup.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Citigroup.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Citigroup that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Applied AI Engineer - Banking Technology, Senior Vice President in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Citigroup.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Citigroup and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Citigroup
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Citigroup uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
