Principal AI Solution Architect

McKinsey • Boston, MA

73d

About The Position

As a Principal AI Solution Architect at McKinsey, you will combine deep expertise in full-stack engineering and advanced AI systems to deliver transformative outcomes for clients. You will design and build scalable, production-grade solutions, spanning data pipelines, machine learning models, and modern application layers, seamlessly integrating them into client ecosystems to address complex business challenges and drive measurable impact. In this role, you will bridge technical and business teams, ensuring seamless communication and alignment. Whether leading technical builds, scoping ambiguous problems, or advising on strategy and ROI, you will flex across technical and consulting skill sets to meet clients where they are and deliver sustainable impact. You will act as a trusted advisor to senior executives, translating business needs into actionable technical roadmaps and guiding clients through the full journey of solution development, adoption, and scaling. Leveraging solutions engineering-including expertise in data, AI/ML, and architecture-you will deliver innovative, high-impact technologies while guiding clients to align priorities, navigate ambiguity, and achieve their strategic objectives. Beyond delivering solutions, you will build client capabilities by mentoring stakeholders and enabling them to sustain and scale technologies. You will also shape un-scoped or emerging projects, turning broad ambitions into actionable roadmaps and delivery plans. By balancing hands-on technical execution with strategic advisory, and leadership, you will help clients achieve immediate results while driving long-term technology-driven success. By combining your technical expertise, consulting acumen, and ability to lead high-impact engagements, you will help clients solve their most pressing challenges and contribute to McKinsey's reputation for delivering innovative, technology-driven solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering or solution architecture, with demonstrable success building and operating complex systems.
• Deep expertise in full-stack development across frontend, backend, and cloud infrastructure.
• Strong command of data engineering, AI/ML systems, and deployment architectures.
• Proven experience designing, implementing, and optimizing AI solutions encompassing data pipelines, model training and serving, and production MLOps.
• Proficiency in modern cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) and familiarity with containerization, orchestration, and serverless technologies.
• Strong understanding of deployment pipelines, observability, performance optimization, and security principles.
• Experienced in dynamic, fast-paced environments with a passion for mentoring.
• Proficient communicator skilled at simplifying complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Design and build scalable, production-grade solutions spanning data pipelines, machine learning models, and modern application layers.
• Integrate solutions into client ecosystems to address complex business challenges.
• Bridge technical and business teams to ensure seamless communication and alignment.
• Lead technical builds, scope ambiguous problems, and advise on strategy and ROI.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior executives, translating business needs into actionable technical roadmaps.
• Guide clients through the full journey of solution development, adoption, and scaling.
• Deliver innovative, high-impact technologies while aligning client priorities.
• Mentor stakeholders to build client capabilities and enable them to sustain and scale technologies.
• Shape un-scoped or emerging projects into actionable roadmaps and delivery plans.
• Balance hands-on technical execution with strategic advisory and leadership.

Benefits

• Competitive salary based on location, experience, and skills.
• Comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees