Principal Engineer AI - Capital Markets

Role Description

Own the end-to-end design and delivery of AI/ML and LLM-based solutions to enhance trading, risk, and client workflows across Fixed Income. Translate complex trade lifecycle processes (capture, P&L, risk, settlements, regulatory reporting) into intelligent, scalable solutions that drive automation, decision support, and business outcomes for front office stakeholders.

Role Objectives

• Lead AI-Driven Transformation of FICC Front Office Platforms
• Own the design and delivery of AI/ML and LLM-based solutions that enhance trading, pricing, and risk workflows across the FICC business.
• Translate complex Fixed Income trade lifecycle processes into intelligent automation and decision-support capabilities that improve trader productivity, risk transparency, and client responsiveness within front office systems.
• Architect AI Capabilities within FICC Technology Ecosystem
• Define and implement scalable, cloud-native architectures that embed AI into core FICC platforms, including trading, market data, and risk systems.
• Ensure seamless integration with legacy infrastructure, enabling real-time data processing, cross-asset interoperability, and consistent data models across FICC businesses while maintaining performance, resilience, and regulatory alignment.
• Drive Engineering Leadership Across FICC Technology Teams
• Provide technical leadership across engineering teams within the FICC technology organization, partnering closely with trading desks, risk, and product leaders.
• Establish AI engineering standards, promote reuse of platforms and services, and ensure alignment of AI initiatives to FICC business priorities, revenue drivers, and regulatory commitments.

Qualifications And Skills

• 12+ years of hands-on experience in software engineering, with strong expertise in Fixed Income and Capital Markets front office systems.
• Proven experience designing and implementing AI/ML or LLM-based solutions, including agentic architectures, RAG pipelines, and natural language interfaces.
• Deep understanding of trade lifecycle processes including trade capture, risk/P&L, settlements, and regulatory reporting (e.g., Dodd-Frank, SDR).
• Strong proficiency in Python and modern AI frameworks such as LangChain, Vertex AI, or similar platforms for enterprise AI solution delivery.
• Expertise in enterprise architecture patterns, including microservices, messaging systems (e.g., Solace, MQ), and cloud-native development.
• Demonstrated ability to design scalable data pipelines involving ingestion, transformation, and harmonization across multiple front office systems.
• Experience integrating AI solutions into legacy financial ecosystems, with a focus on automation of workflows, exception handling, and operational efficiency.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience guiding engineering teams and collaborating with trading desks, risk teams, and business stakeholders.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial and technical concepts into actionable solutions.

Additional Requirements

• SMBC’s employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office.
• SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location.
• Potential candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process.
• Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required.
• SMBC provides reasonable accommodations during candidacy for applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law.