Lead Forward Deployed AI Engineer (SVP)

About the Team:

About the Role:

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical architecture and hands-on delivery within embedded business engineering teams, translating complex business challenges into scalable, production-ready AI solutions.
• Design, build and deploy end-to-end agentic workflows using Python, ADK, LangGraph and the Arc platform.
• Engineer integrations between AI agents and core banking systems, enterprise APIs, databases and microservices, including custom Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers.
• Design secure, resilient agent execution environments, implementing controls such as mTLS, OAuth2 token delegation, HashiCorp Vault and OpenShift container security.
• Drive engineering excellence through architecture reviews, rigorous code reviews, security assessments and technical mentoring of engineers.
• Partner with principal architects and business stakeholders to solve complex technical challenges and establish effective design patterns.
• Contribute proven architectures, reusable components and engineering blueprints back to Citi’s enterprise AI platform, accelerating delivery and adoption across the firm.
• Champion responsible AI engineering, ensuring solutions meet security, regulatory, governance and risk-management requirements.

Skills & Experience

• Extensive software engineering experience, with a strong background in backend and distributed systems, alongside proven experience building and deploying production-grade LLM and agentic AI applications.
• Expert-level Python skills, including asynchronous programming with asyncio, state machines and the design of complex application workflows.
• Strong experience with distributed microservices, containerisation and orchestration technologies, including Docker and OpenShift.
• Proven ability to integrate enterprise APIs, relational and NoSQL databases, and event-streaming platforms such as Kafka into complex application architectures.
• Practical knowledge of agentic AI architectures, multi-step reasoning, tool orchestration and production LLM application development.
• Deep understanding of application security, zero-trust principles, authentication, authorisation and secure tool-execution environments.
• Experience leading technical design, resolving complex engineering challenges and setting high standards for software quality, reliability and security.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers, influence technical direction and collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders across technology and business teams.
• A strong sense of ownership, sound engineering judgement and the ability to deliver in a fast-moving, highly collaborative environment.
• What we’ll provide you
• This is a unique role that will put you in the position to be part of a new venture and actively drive change. Every day there will be new challenges that will help you develop new skills that can drive your career.
• By joining Citi London, you will not only be part of a business casual workplace with a hybrid working model (up to 2 days working at home per week), but also receive a competitive base salary (which is annually reviewed), and enjoy a whole host of additional benefits such as:
• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• A discretional annual performance related bonus
• Private Medical Care & Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Pension Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
• Visit our Global Benefits page to learn more.
• Alongside these benefits Citi is committed to ensuring our workplace is where everyone feels comfortable coming to work as their whole self, every day. We want the best talent around the world to be energized to join us, motivated to stay and empowered to thrive.
• #LI-AH4

Job Family Group:

Job Family:

Time Type:

Most Relevant Skills

Other Relevant Skills

Qualifications

• Extensive software engineering experience, with a strong background in backend and distributed systems, alongside proven experience building and deploying production-grade LLM and agentic AI applications.
• Expert-level Python skills, including asynchronous programming with asyncio, state machines and the design of complex application workflows.
• Strong experience with distributed microservices, containerisation and orchestration technologies, including Docker and OpenShift.
• Proven ability to integrate enterprise APIs, relational and NoSQL databases, and event-streaming platforms such as Kafka into complex application architectures.
• Practical knowledge of agentic AI architectures, multi-step reasoning, tool orchestration and production LLM application development.
• Deep understanding of application security, zero-trust principles, authentication, authorisation and secure tool-execution environments.
• Experience leading technical design, resolving complex engineering challenges and setting high standards for software quality, reliability and security.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers, influence technical direction and collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders across technology and business teams.
• A strong sense of ownership, sound engineering judgement and the ability to deliver in a fast-moving, highly collaborative environment.
• What we’ll provide you
• This is a unique role that will put you in the position to be part of a new venture and actively drive change. Every day there will be new challenges that will help you develop new skills that can drive your career.
• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Private Medical Care & Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Pension Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
• Visit our Global Benefits page to learn more.
• Alongside these benefits Citi is committed to ensuring our workplace is where everyone feels comfortable coming to work as their whole self, every day. We want the best talent around the world to be energized to join us, motivated to stay and empowered to thrive.
• Technology
• Applications Development
• Full time
• Most Relevant Skills
• Please see the requirements listed above.
• Other Relevant Skills
• For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.
• 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.
• If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi.
• View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.

Preferred Qualifications

• A discretional annual performance related bonus