Lead Software Engineer, Full-Stack Applications - Innovation Teams

Fitch Group•Toronto, ON

7d•CA$180,000 - CA$230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Fitch Ratings is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to join its Innovation teams in Toronto. This role is part of a greenfield initiative focused on leveraging AI to transform financial analysis. The position involves building net-new solutions, including agentic systems and intelligent platforms, to fundamentally change how Ratings analysts work and how Fitch delivers insights to global financial markets. The company is making a significant strategic investment in AI and the Toronto hub, offering an opportunity to join early, influence the direction, and work with established resources. The role is ideal for seasoned technologists who thrive in greenfield environments and are energized by innovation and experimentation. This is a critical leadership role with significant upward potential, working alongside a team of talented individuals excited about the possibilities of AI in financial services.

Requirements

Deep technical expertise – 15+ years of hands-on experience building enterprise applications or AI/ML systems, with strong proficiency in modern programming languages, frameworks, and production environments (Java/Springboot/REACT experience highly valued).
Architectural mastery and greenfield experience – Proven track record of designing scalable systems from scratch; deep understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and the ability to make bold architectural decisions in ambiguous environments.
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Innovation and experimentation mindset – Demonstrated history of exploring emerging technologies, building proofs-of-concept, learning from failures, and translating experiments into production systems; comfort with ambiguity and rapid change.
Leadership and influence – Track record of driving technical decisions, mentoring engineers, leading initiatives in fast-moving environments, and building credibility through results and vision.
AI curiosity or expertise – Genuine excitement about AI's potential to transform workflows; ability to separate signal from noise in emerging technology spaces; hands-on experience with AI/ML technologies is a significant advantage.
Outstanding collaboration and communication – Ability to articulate technical vision to diverse audiences, work effectively with cross-functional teams, and bring your whole self while remaining open to others' perspectives.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on AI/ML experience – Direct experience with generative AI, LLMs, RAG architectures, agentic systems, intelligent automation, prompt engineering, or integrating AI capabilities into production applications.
Modern cloud-native and DevOps expertise – Deep experience with Docker, Kubernetes/EKS, AWS/Azure, microservices architecture, sophisticated CI/CD pipelines, and cloud-native development patterns.
Startup or innovation team experience – History of building greenfield products, working in fast-paced innovation environments, or being part of 0-to-1 initiatives within larger organizations.
Technical thought leadership – Track record of establishing technical direction, contributing to open source, speaking at conferences, or writing about emerging technologies and their practical applications.
Financial services domain knowledge – Understanding of analytical workflows, regulatory processes, credit ratings, or how technology enables better financial decision-making.
Toronto tech community connection – Active participation in Toronto's AI/ML or software engineering communities, or strong interest in being part of Toronto's growing technology ecosystem.

Responsibilities

Build transformative greenfield solutions from the ground up – Design and architect net-new agentic systems and intelligent platforms using Java/Springboot, REACT, and emerging AI technologies that fundamentally change how analysts work and how Fitch operates.
Drive AI innovation and experimentation boldly – Lead exploration of generative AI, intelligent automation, agentic workflows, LLMs, RAG architectures, and other emerging technologies; create proofs-of-concept; evaluate what's transformative versus what's hype; and turn experiments into production capabilities.
Define technical vision and architecture for the future – Shape architectural decisions for AI-driven systems, establish technical standards, drive technology choices, and influence how Fitch approaches intelligent platforms across the organization.
Lead through innovation and influence – Partner with product visionaries, senior stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to translate ambitious ideas into elegant technical solutions; mentor engineers; and foster a culture of experimentation, learning, and calculated risk-taking.
Champion quality while moving fast – Balance innovation velocity with engineering excellence; implement CI/CD for rapid iteration; solve novel technical challenges at the intersection of AI and production systems; and build solutions that are both cutting-edge and reliable.
Shape team culture and direction – Help define how the Tiger Team operates, what "good" looks like, and how we balance exploration with delivery; model the curiosity, boldness, and pragmatism needed to succeed in a greenfield innovation environment.

Benefits

Ground-floor opportunity with organizational backing
Build the future through greenfield innovation
Toronto as Fitch's AI innovation hub
Real impact from day one
Cutting-edge technology and continuous learning
Training and conference budgets
Career acceleration and visibility
Clear paths to principal/architect roles
Opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader in AI-driven financial technology
Competitive base pay between 180,000 CAD and 230,000 CAD
Discretionary bonuses
Long-term incentives
Other benefits sponsored by Fitch