Lead AI Platform Engineer

At Manulife Cloud & AI Platform Engineer is responsible for designing building and maintaining the infrastructure necessary for deploying AI solutions on cloud platforms. This role involves creating scalable and efficient cloud architectures that support AI model training deployment and management. They collaborate closely with data scientists and data engineers to ensure seamless integration and operational efficiency of AI models. Additionally the role requires monitoring system performance troubleshooting issues and continuously optimizing platforms for cost-effectiveness and scalability. Must stay informed about the latest advancements in AI and cloud technologies to drive innovation and improve the organizations AI capabilities. Partner with architects and development teams in understanding data and using it to serve our businesses and operations whilst ensuring alignment to Manulifes IT security and risk guidelines!

This role is an individual contributor role at the senior technical leadership level. Along with deep technical hands-on experience strong leadership capabilities are equally required.

Office location: Toronto - Canada or Waterloo - Canada

Work arrangement: Hybrid - 3 days in office 2 days from home;

Remote working arrangement is not available.

Position Responsibilities:

• Design scalable and robust AI infrastructure that supports model training deployment and management

• Update and maintain AI models and infrastructure as technology and requirements evolve

• Stay updated with the latest advancements in AI and machine learning technologies

• Experiment with new tools and techniques to improve cloud data lake platform and models

• Gain deep understanding of data by collaborating with business and advanced analytics partners; demonstrate the understanding to design curate and publish connected data sets that enables users to self-serve

• Lead on ensuring our Azure applications in prod run within SLA and ensure their robustness and security.

• Propose technology improvements or come up with innovative solutions to solve business problems.

• Participate and propose best solution for AI projects

• Collaborate with Architecture security and risk teams and implement latest guidelines and Azure standard methodologies

• Lead mentor and guide data engineers to promote customer first approach

• Automate infrastructure provisioning and deployment using tools such as terraform

• Implement CI/CD pipelines that enables automated code deployment

• Participate in Agile sprints and ceremonies; supports rapid iteration and development

• Take lead in maintaining the inventory of critical data elements and lineage

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships and fosters collaboration with various teams and partners within the organization

• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and other team members

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors in Computer / IT or data related fields required

• Minimum 10 years IT industry experience is required

• 7 to 10 years of previous platform engineering experience with experience working in enabling azure related data technologies

• 1-2 years of experience in model deployments and infrastructure deployments for AI

• Solid understanding of Azure infrastructure; subscriptions resource groups resources access control with RBAC (role-based access control) integrations with Azure AD and Azure security principles (user group service principal managed identity) network concepts (VNet Subnet NSG rules private endpoints) passwordcredentialkey management and data protection

• Strong hands-on knowledge of Azure Databricks ADF ADLS Synapse Serverless/dedicated/spark pools Python PySpark and T-SQL along with experience designing and developing scripts for ETL processes and automation in Azure Data Factory and Azure Databricks

• High proficiency in GIT/Jenkins/dev ops processes to maintain and resolve issues with data pipelines in production

• Good understanding of data modeling data mart data Lakehouse architecture SCD data mesh and delta lake overall

• Solid understanding of data privacy and compliance regulations and standard methodologies for preserving customer data

• Experience deploying LLM models & monitoring AI infrastructure in cloud environments

• Knowledge of implementing azure technologies and networking via terraform along with ability to fix issues with Azure infrastructure in production

Preferred Qualifications:

• Architectural background on solutioning and designing AI use cases is preferred

• Industry experience from large complex highly regulated environment is highly desired

• Masters degree is a plus

When you join our team:

• Well empower you to learn and grow the career you want.

• Well recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.

• As part of our global team well support you in shaping the future you want to see.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us visit is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment retention advancement and compensation and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race ancestry place of origin colour ethnic origin citizenship religion or religious beliefs creed sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions) sexual orientation genetic characteristics veteran status gender identity gender expression age marital status family status disability or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process contact .

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge skills qualifications experience and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location please contact for the salary range for your location.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits including health dental mental health vision short- and long-term disability life and AD&D insurance coverage adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays vacation personal and sick days and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S. please contact for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

We use data and analytics technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automated processing tools to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information please refer to our personal information collection statement.