Principal AI Engineer

Dayforce is a global human capital management (HCM) company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, with operations across North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and the Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) region.

Our award-winning Cloud HCM platform offers a unified solution database and continuous calculation engine, driving efficiency, productivity and compliance for the global workforce.

Our brand promise - Makes Work Life Better™ - Reflects our commitment to employees, customers, partners and communities globally.


Location: Work is what you do, not where you go. For this role, we are open to remote work and can hire anywhere in the United States or Canada.
About the opportunity
We’re looking for a Principal AI Engineer to lead the architecture, development, and implementation of cutting-edge AI and Generative AI solutions across our enterprise. In this role, you’ll play a critical part in shaping and advancing our Enterprise AI Platform—including ownership of core tools and infrastructure that power AI innovation company-wide.
You will work hands-on with both traditional and generative AI technologies (e.g., LLMs, agents, RAGs), designing scalable, secure, and high-performing AI systems that drive real business impact across departments such as Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR, Legal, and IT. If you thrive at the intersection of strategy, engineering, and experimentation, and are excited by the opportunity to work on a modern enterprise AI stack (e.g., Replit, Vercel, cloud-native environments), we’d love to hear from you.
What you’ll get to do
Architect and Build AI Solutions
• Design and implement end-to-end AI applications tailored to complex enterprise challenges
• Break down ambiguous use cases into well-defined, actionable solution designs using the latest AI technologies
Hands-On Development
• Lead the engineering and deployment of AI assistants, agents, and applications using both code-first and low/no-code approaches
• Build scalable, real-time AI systems with optimized performance and low latency
AI Platform Ownership
• Own and evolve the underlying enterprise AI infrastructure and toolchain
• Evaluate and integrate new AI frameworks, SDKs, and cloud services into the platform
Experimentation and Innovation
• Rapidly prototype new AI features and solutions; conduct proofs of concept and guide production rollout
• Research and apply cutting-edge techniques in GenAI, LLMs, RAG, agentic workflows, and multi-modal AI
MLOps & Automation
• Implement robust MLOps pipelines, including model training, deployment, testing, monitoring, and drift detection
• Automate lifecycle workflows to ensure reliability, scalability, and speed
Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with product, engineering, data science, and business stakeholders to align AI capabilities with enterprise priorities
• Translate strategic goals into scalable AI solutions that deliver measurable business value
Governance & Responsible AI
• Champion responsible AI principles, including model interpretability, data privacy, and compliance with security policies
Mentorship & Leadership
• Serve as a technical mentor and thought leader across AI teams
• Foster a culture of experimentation, excellence, and continuous learning
Skills and experience we value
• 10+ years in software engineering, distributed systems, or enterprise architecture
• 5+ years of experience focused on AI/ML engineering, platforms, or applications
• Experience in a lead role, directing and coaching teams of engineers and analysts
• Strong background in enterprise-grade AI solution design and delivery across multiple domains
• Deep understanding of LLMs, GenAI architectures, RAG pipelines, and agent-based systems
• Hands-on expertise with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX) and cloud AI platforms (e.g., AWS SageMaker, Vertex AI, Azure ML)
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Go; strong system design and data engineering skills
• Clear, effective communication skills; ability to influence across technical and executive teams
• Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field
• A systems thinker who can architect, scale, and operationalize AI across a large enterprise
What would make you really stand out
• A hands-on AI engineer who loves building impactful systems
• Experience with developer tools and deployment environments like Replit, Vercel, or custom cloud setups
• A strategic thinker who sees patterns across business and technology
• A collaborative leader who thrives in ambiguity and drives alignment
• A lifelong learner passionate about keeping up with the rapidly evolving AI landscape


What’s in it for you
Dayforce is fueled by the diversity of our talented employees. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider and embrace ALL individuals and what makes them unique. We believe our employees should be happy and healthy, with peace of mind and a sense of fulfillment.
We encourage individuals to apply based on their passions.
Dayforce encourages personal and professional growth. We offer excellent time away from work programs, comprehensive wellness initiatives and recognition through competitive pay and benefits.
With a commitment to community impact, including volunteer days and our charity, Dayforce Cares we provide opportunities for you to thrive both in your career and personal life. Our focus is not just on your job but on supporting you to be the best version of yourself.
About the Salary Ranges

Please note that the salary range mentioned in this job description should serve simply as a guide. The final compensation offered may vary based on a variety of factors, including bonuses and/or incentives, or a candidate’s experience, skills, budget and location. Our company is committed to providing a fair, equitable, and competitive package that reflects the value an individual brings to the organization.
Fraudulent Recruiting
Beware of fraudulent recruiting. Legitimate Dayforce contacts will use an @dayforce.com email address. We do not request money, checks, equipment orders, or sensitive personal data during the recruitment process. If you have been asked for any of the above, or believe you have been contacted by someone posing as a Dayforce employee, please refer to our fraudulent recruiting statement found here: https://www.dayforce.com/be-aware-of-recruiting-fraud