Lead Solution Architect AI/ML at Manulife in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Lead Solution Architect AI/ML Location: Toronto, Ontario This is an opportunity to drive our Global Wealth and Asset Management’s cross-enterprise solution architecture vision by enabling firm-wide thinking, reuse, and convergence across platforms. You will translate long-term objectives into actionable designs focused on middle- and back-office Retirement applications, accelerating modernization and AI-enabled capabilities. Your work directly contributes to secure, resilient, and scalable solutions that enhance client value, while giving you the chance to influence executive decisions and mentor architects and engineers. You’ll spearhead AI/ML integration, guide legacy modernization, and shape reference architectures and governance aligned to the enterprise target state at a global scale. Position Responsibilities: Design end-to-end solution architectures embedding AI/ML capabilities (LLMs, RAG) into product and platform workflows. Lead pragmatic modernization of legacy codebases (e.g., COBOL, monolithic Java) into cloud-native microservices using AI-assisted approaches. Establish frameworks for AI-driven code generation, automated documentation, and high-coverage test suites. Identify, prioritize, and remediate technical debt using AI (code smells, vulnerabilities, inefficient patterns). Architect integration patterns connecting GenAI components with enterprise data, APIs, messaging, and streaming (sync/async). Optimize AI-generated code for enterprise-grade quality, security, and performance; enforce non-functional requirements (availability, resiliency, privacy). Implement AI governance with Human-in-the-Loop controls and secure data access; contribute to standards and guidance. Produce conceptual, solution, and component-level architectures and artifacts; review and advise across teams. Collaborate on roadmaps, scoping, and business process modeling to deliver data-driven solutions; present proposals and AI innovation to executive leadership. Develop and socialize reference architectures and implementation patterns; mentor engineers and architects. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, AI, or related field. 8 years in solution architecture or senior engineering, including 2 years delivering production-grade AI/ML implementations. Expertise in microservices and cloud-native design across AWS/Azure/GCP; proficiency in Python plus at least one of Java, C, or Go. Experience with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Amazon Q) and automated code translation frameworks. DevOps & MLOps experience: CI/CD pipelines, testing non-deterministic AI outputs, Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform/CloudFormation). Governance & security for AI: implement Human-in-the-Loop protocols and secure data access patterns. Strong knowledge of architecture patterns (microservices, GoF, SOA, event sourcing), integration patterns (DDD, APIs, messaging, streaming), and non-functional requirements (scalability, resiliency, security, privacy). Ability to work in Agile environments; refined communication skills effective with engineers and executives. Preferred Qualifications: Hands-on delivery of production-grade AI/ML systems leveraging LLMs and RAG for software engineering use cases. Experience with AI-assisted development tools and automated code translation frameworks. Expertise in CI/CD and automated testing strategies tailored to non-deterministic AI outputs; strong Infrastructure-as-Code. Proven implementation of Human-in-the-Loop controls and secure data access patterns for AI-generated code. Demonstrated performance tuning and security hardening of AI-generated code to meet enterprise standards. When you join our team: We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want. We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words. As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see. The role being advertised is an existing vacancy. About Manulife and John Hancock Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html. Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law. It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact hr@manulife.com. Referenced Salary Location Toronto, Ontario Working Arrangement Hybrid Salary range is expected to be between $113,260.00 CAD - $210,340.00 CAD Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact hr@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact hr@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions. We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.