Principal AI Engineer

Principal AI Engineer - you will lead the design and delivery of AI solutions that turn complex data into impactful outcomes. You will serve as the technical lead for an embedded Innovation Squad, owning the entire technical lifecycle from discovery through to production.

As the senior authority on AI architecture, integration, and delivery you will work directly with internal stakeholders and end users. Your responsibilities include hardening prototypes, delivering new AI services, codifying reusable patterns, mentoring teammates, and ensuring solutions meet security, data governance, and architectural standards.

• Own technical execution from discovery to production; build, assess, and harden prototypes and proofs of concept.
• Design and govern reusable agentic AI patterns (orchestration, tool use, memory, retrieval).
• Ensure delivery meets architecture, security and data governance standards; recommend infrastructure, hosting and data residency.
• Codify validated solutions into patterns, reference implementations, and starter kits for reuse across functions.
• Provide design input, finalise requirements, and work directly with internal stakeholders and end users.
• Write specifications, fix complex bugs, and design complex data models.
• Act as the primary technical contact for external resources and the squad's go to on coding and AI.
• Establish baselines and report measurable outcomes for every initiative.
• Maintain visibility of in flight AI pilots within the function to prevent duplication and surface candidates for reuse.
• Ensure alignment with enterprise non negotiables: security, compliance and central technology infrastructure standards.
• Continuously evaluate emerging technologies and mentor and elevate team members.
• Take on related responsibilities as the squad's needs evolve.

• 10+ years of software engineering experience with hands on AI system design, build or integration and a track record of taking prototypes to production in enterprise environments.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent (advanced degree preferred).
• Expertise in agentic AI/LLMs: orchestration, prompt engineering, context window management, production guardrails, tool augmented agents and RAG at enterprise scale.
• Experience integrating AI into enterprise systems via APIs and data pipelines with strong security, data governance and residency practices.
• Cloud platform experience (AWS, Azure or GCP) including managed AI/ML services.
• Proficiency in Agile, CI/CD, modern SDLC and TDD.
• Strong data and architecture skills: modelling across relational, columnar and vector stores, grounded in sound architectural principles.
• Languages: Python, Java, TypeScript/JavaScript, SQL and relevant AI SDKs.
• Leadership experience - plan and sequence work, manage scope, dependencies and priorities, remove blockers, and drive delivery.
• Excellent communication and influence: present concisely to senior management, stakeholders and cross functional teams.
• Commercial awareness: budget aware, partners with internal and external resources, including managed services and staff augmentation.
• Ability to establish baselines and instrument solutions to track productivity, cost and quality outcomes from pilot through scale.

We offer a culture of innovation, collaboration and excellence with flexible working arrangements, a focus on well being and a range of benefits designed to support both your immediate responsibilities and long term goals.

• Comprehensive Pension Plan
• Generous vacation entitlement and option for sabbatical leave
• Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Family Care leave
• Personal Choice budget
• Internal communities and networks
• Various employee discounts
• Recruitment introduction reward
• Employee Assistance Program (global)

Elsevier is an equal opportunity employer: qualified applicants are considered for and treated during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, disability status, protected veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. USA Job Seekers: EEO Know Your Rights.