Principal Data Scientist - Opportunity in Sydney, Australia

Lead the Future of AI at CommBank: 

We’re looking for exceptional technical leaders to drive the success of our cutting-edge AI strategy and pioneer innovative practices that will shape not only CommBank’s future—but the future of banking itself. 

See Yourself at CommBank: 

CommBank is embracing AI to transform how we operate and serve over 17 million customers. Your work will help shape the future of banking and reinforce our position as a global AI leader. 

• Shape the future of AI at one of the world’s safest, most innovative, and tech-forward banks. 

• Your work will directly impact millions—across retail, business, institutional banking, and the broader Australian economy. 

• Ranked Top 5 globally in the Evident AI Index—above many global tech firms and banks—for governance, AI maturity, transparency, and responsible AI leadership. 

• Backed by significant annual tech investment and foundational research into Agentic AI, Deep Learning, and Generative AI. 

See Yourself in Our Team: 

CommBank is leading the global evolution of Gen AI and Agentic AI—venturing into new-to-the-world innovations that redefine how banking is done. You’ll join a team that values deep expertise, bold thinking, and real-world impact. 

We’re seeking an executive leader to drive strategic AI initiatives and deliver scalable solutions. You’ll lead high-impact work focused on building robust Generative AI and Machine Learning capabilities that shape the future of customer engagement, business intelligence, and innovation. 

You will technically drive your team to deliver world-class data science and AI capabilities across RBS and the Group. Our strategic focus is on positioning the Group at the forefront of AI innovation, delighting our customers at every interaction, and driving technology modernization. Your leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future direction and vision of AI, with a particular emphasis on Generative and Agentic AI.

What You’ll Do:

• Set and communicate a clear AI vision aligned with business goals.

• Lead the development of innovative solutions to complex challenges using advanced AI and data science.

• Stay ahead of industry trends by applying new technologies and research.

• Provide strategic and technical leadership across AI projects, ensuring excellence in delivery.

• Collaborate with top AI and data science talent to build a high-performance culture.

• Partner with internal teams and external experts to share knowledge and drive AI-led impact.

• Expand the use of Generative and Agentic AI to improve customer experiences and simplify operations.

• Upskill teams in Gen AI techniques like prompt design, RAG, fine-tuning, and agentic frameworks.

• Build reusable Gen AI frameworks in partnership with engineering teams.

What You’ll Bring

Leadership & Collaboration:

• Experience leading diverse, high-performing teams across Gen AI, ML, and data science.

• Ability to deliver scalable solutions that can be reused across the organisation.

• Strong communication skills and executive presence to engage stakeholders and uplift capability.

Technical Expertise:

• Hands-on experience applying Generative AI in real-world business settings.

• Skills in prompt engineering, RAG, guardrail design, orchestration, and tools like LangGraph or Semantic Kernel.

• Deep knowledge of ML model development, deployment, and evaluation.

• Proficiency in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, SQL, Spark, and AWS tools like SageMaker and Bedrock.

• Understanding of scalable data infrastructure and cloud architecture.

Location & Relocation:

This role is based in Sydney, Australia. We offer full relocation support for international candidates, including visa sponsorship, to help you and your family make a smooth transition.

If you're already part of the Commonwealth Bank Group (including Bankwest, x15ventures), you'll need to apply through Sidekick to submit a valid application. We’re keen to support you with the next step in your career.

We're aware of some accessibility issues on this site, particularly for screen reader users. We want to make finding your dream job as easy as possible, so if you require additional support please contact HR Direct on 1800 989 696.