Technology Lead Python Data Engineer - Vice President

Citi is seeking a Technology Lead Python Data Engineer to help build modern, scalable, Python-based platforms for credit risk management. This onsite role in Rutherford, NJ combines hands-on engineering with architecture, technical leadership, and AI-enabled innovation. You will partner across risk, product, and technology to integrate platforms, improve workflows, and deliver enterprise-ready capabilities with strong governance and production rigor.

What you’ll do

• Architect, design, and deliver scalable Python-based applications supporting credit risk analytics, workflows, and reporting.
• Collaborate with risk, product, and technology leadership to integrate platforms, identify enhancements, and enable new products and process improvements.
• Lead complex, high-impact initiatives by analyzing business processes, system flows, and industry standards.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise architecture, data, security, and infrastructure blueprints.
• Set and enforce engineering standards across coding, testing, CI/CD, debugging, and production readiness.
• Design and evolve microservices architectures with scalability, resiliency, observability, and maintainability.
• Apply AI and GenAI capabilities to modernize workflows, automate analysis, and unlock new insights in credit risk.
• Serve as a technical leader and mentor, coaching mid-level engineers and analysts and allocating work as needed.
• Apply sound risk and control judgment to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and policies while safeguarding clients, data, and the firm.

What you bring

• 6+ years of experience in application development or systems engineering within complex environments.
• Advanced proficiency in Python and SQL, with strong software engineering fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience building API-driven services using FastAPI, Pydantic, and/or Django.
• Proven expertise designing and implementing microservices, including service decomposition, inter-service communication, resiliency patterns, and observability.
• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes, deploying and operating containerized services in production.
• Deep understanding of system architecture, data flows, and distributed systems.
• Working experience in Linux, including shell scripting and operational troubleshooting.
• Strong track record implementing unit testing, TDD, and automated quality controls.
• Subject Matter Expert (SME) experience in at least one application, platform, or service domain.
• Working knowledge of LLMs and modern AI platforms from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta.
• Experience designing or contributing to LLM-enabled solutions (for example, copilots, workflow automation, analytics augmentation).
• Familiarity with prompt engineering, model integration patterns, and AI governance considerations in enterprise environments.
• Exposure to modern AI-assisted “vibe coding” practices that accelerate development and experimentation while maintaining engineering rigor.

Bonus differentiators

• Experience with distributed data and compute platforms such as Spark, PySpark, Hadoop, or Hive.
• Hands-on experience with graph databases, especially Neo4j, for network, relationship, or dependency-driven use cases.
• Background in credit risk, financial risk management, or banking platforms.
• Experience modernizing or decomposing legacy monolithic systems in large enterprises.
• Proven delivery of GenAI / AI-driven solutions in regulated or large-scale environments.

Salary and details

Full time position. Primary location: Rutherford, New Jersey, United States (onsite). Target salary range: USD 142,320 - 213,480 per year. Anticipated posting close date: Sep 04, 2026.

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision coverage
• 401(k)
• Life, accident, and disability insurance
• Wellness programs
• Planned time off (vacation)
• Unplanned time off (sick leave)
• Paid holidays
• Discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards (for eligible employees)