Director, Application Engineer

About this role

Role Brief:

Are you interested in building AI systems that fundamentally transform how software is engineered in a global financial institution? Do you like working at the speed of a startup while solving highly sophisticated, enterprise-scale problems in a highly complex environment?

At BlackRock, we are seeking a Director of AI Platform Engineering to lead the design and delivery of enterprise AI capabilities that power technologist enablement, and next-generation platform services. This leader will combine deep technical expertise in modern AI systems with strong engineering execution and organizational leadership. We recognize that strength comes from diversity, and will embrace your unique skills, curiosity, and passion while giving you the opportunity to grow technically and as an individual. With over USD $11 trillion of assets we have an exceptional responsibility, our technology empowers millions of investors to save for retirement, pay for college, buy a home, and improve their financial well-being. As an AI engineering leader at BlackRock, you will help define how AI is safely, securely, and effectively embedded into our engineering ecosystem at scale.

About the Team:

Our Platform Engineering division builds and operates the foundation system that power Aladdin and BlackRock’s enterprise technology landscape. We are leading BlackRock’s evolution toward an AI-native engineering organization. We are fundamentally reimagining how software is built, reviewed, tested, modernized, and operated through intelligent systems.

The AI Platform Engineering team is not simply integrating AI into existing workflows; we are redesigning those workflows altogether. The team drives step-change improvements in developer enablement, large-scale modernization, and enterprise AI governance. We operate at the intersection of AI innovation and enterprise-grade reliability, shaping the future of engineering across thousands of developers and multiple business domains. The team defines what AI-powered engineering looks at scale inside one of the world’s most sophisticated financial technology environments. 

Responsibilities:

• Define and execute strategy for BlackRock’s enterprise AI platform
• Design scalable AI architecture leveraging LLMs, RAG, fine-tuning, and model optimization techniques
• Establish evaluation frameworks to measure model quality, hallucination control, and precision/recall trade-offs
• Lead the design and implementation of scalable AI platform capabilities used across the software development lifecycle
• Partner with product and security teams to ensure AI solutions are safe, compliant, and production‑ready
• Drive delivery through ambiguity by breaking down complex problems into clear plans and milestones
• Lead buy vs. build decisions, evaluating third‑party solutions alongside internal capabilities
• Identify technical risks and dependencies early, with mitigation and escalation where needed
• Coordinate across multiple engineering teams and time zones to deliver shared outcomes
• Translate complex AI capabilities into clear business values and communicate progress, trade‑offs, and risks to senior stakeholders

Requirements:

• Strong experience building and operating production AI systems, including LLM‑based workflows
• Solid understanding of modern AI practices such as prompt engineering, retrieval‑augmented generation, fine‑tuning, and evaluation
• Proven experience designing and delivering shared platforms or services at scale
• Deep technical fluency in Java and Python with hands-on experience building scalable, production-grade AI and platform services
• Experience designing APIs and operating services in a cloud environment
• Experience working with distributed Cloud environments
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams
• Experience working in Agile development teams.

Joining BlackRock means becoming a member of a highly esteemed organization that oversees and safeguards more than $10 trillion (USD) in assets. You will have the chance to work with advanced technologies and collaborate with outstanding engineers to influence the future of the financial
industry. This role will also provide valuable exposure to risk management, valuations, and operations.

BlackRock is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We embrace and value the unique skills, curiosity, and passion of individuals from all backgrounds. We strive to provide reasonable accommodations and adjustments for all qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please let us know.

Join us at BlackRock and be part of a team that is revolutionizing the financial industry through innovation and technology.

For New York, NY Only the salary range for this position is USD$215,000.00 - USD$275,000.00 . Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, and benefits including healthcare, leave benefits, and retirement benefits. BlackRock operates a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy and your total compensation may vary based on role, location, and firm, department and individual performance.

Our benefits
To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of benefits including a strong retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive healthcare, support for working parents and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about.

Our hybrid work model

BlackRock’s hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock.

About BlackRock

At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being.  Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress.

This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive.

For additional information on BlackRock, please visit @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

BlackRock is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity to all applicants and existing employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity/expression), sexual orientation, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, political affiliation, religion, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. View the EEOC’s Know Your Rights poster and its supplement and the pay transparency statement.

 

BlackRock is committed to full inclusion of all qualified individuals and to providing reasonable accommodations or job modifications for individuals with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation/adjustments are needed throughout the employment process, please email [email protected]. All requests are treated in line with our privacy policy.

BlackRock will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of the law, including any applicable fair chance law.