Principal AI Architect

Atlas Technica LLC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - GBP 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Managed Service Provider in the UK is seeking a Principal AI Architect to design and implement advanced AI solutions for the financial sector. This hands-on role involves architecting compliance frameworks and leading bespoke AI projects for top-tier clients. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in the Microsoft ecosystem, AI infrastructure, and regulatory compliance, particularly in financial services. A hybrid work model is offered for those based in London or New York.

Benefits

Performance-based bonus

Hybrid work environment

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online.
• Hands-on experience with Azure AI Foundry and Studio.
• Familiarity with MCP for connecting LLMs to structured data.

Responsibilities

• Architect the technical middleware for AI tools.
• Implement enterprise-grade compliance measures.
• Lead the internal sandbox for AI security protocols.
• Oversee bespoke client builds for AI projects.
• Perform feasibility studies for technical scoping.
• Handle complex deployments and scripting tasks.

Skills

Microsoft Ecosystem Mastery

AI Infrastructure Fluency

Protocol Knowledge

Security & Compliance

Scripting & API Chops

Financial Services Context

Tools

Microsoft Graph API

Azure AI Foundry

PowerShell

Python

Global Relay

Smarsh

Cato Networks

Job description

Title: Principal AI Architect
Location: Remote UK, London Preferred
Reports To: Global Head of AI & Advisory

About Atlas Technica

Atlas Technica is the premier Managed Service Provider (MSP) for the alternative investment industry. We power the technology behind the world’s leading hedge funds, private equity firms, and family offices. We are currently evolving into the industry’s first Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP), architecting the secure "factory floor" for institutional alpha generation.

The Opportunity

Generative AI is rewriting the playbook for financial services. For our clients, the risk of "leaking alpha" is just as high as the reward. We have launched a dedicated AI Practice to solve the dual challenge of our industry: How do we enable the power of LLMs (Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude) to generate alpha, without compromising security, compliance, or investor trust?

We are seeking a Principal AI Architect to serve as the technical anchor of this practice. You will not be a cog in a machine; you will be the chief architect of our technical roadmap. You will design our proprietary Tier 2 (Scoped Governance) and Tier 3 (Forensic Compliance) frameworks and oversee the implementation of all bespoke AI projects—including Private Enclaves, MCP Servers, and Agentic Workflows—for our top-tier global clients.

Critical Note: This is primarily a hands-on builder role. While you will have the mandate to mentor and scale a team in 2026, your first 12 months will be spent architecting, scripting, and deploying. If your recent experience has been primarily managing people rather than building technical solutions, this role is not for you.

What You Will Do (The Mission)

• Architect the "Safe Zone" (Tier 2): Design the technical middleware using Microsoft Graph API (Sites.Selected) to solve the "Permission Inheritance Trap." You will build the frameworks that restrict AI tools to curated, pristine data libraries.
• Design Forensic Compliance (Tier 3): Implement enterprise-grade prompt journaling and audit logging. You will architect the integration between LLMs and archival platforms like Global Relay and Smarsh to ensure prompt journaling meets SEC/FINRA standards (Rule 17a-4).
• Lead the Atlas AI Lab: Own our internal sandbox environment. You will design, break, and validate new AI security protocols (e.g., Shadow AI blocking via Cato Networks) before they ever touch a client’s production environment.
• Oversee the "AI Project Machine": Act as the lead architect for bespoke client builds. This includes provisioning Azure AI Foundry enclaves and building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to connect LLMs to specialized data sources (e.g., Bloomberg, SQL, BioMedical data).
• Lead Technical Validation: Perform feasibility studies against client tenant infrastructure. You are the "Go/No-Go" gate for technical scoping, ensuring our Bill of Materials (BOM) and hour estimates are accurate.
• Hands-On Execution: Serve as the final escalation point for complex deployments. You will write the PowerShell scripts, configure the Intune MAM policies for mobile AI defense, and build the "Golden Image" for AI-ready tenants.

What You Bring (The Stack)

• Microsoft Ecosystem Mastery: Deep expertise in Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online (unique permissions/broken inheritance), and Entra ID (Conditional Access).
• AI Infrastructure Fluency: Hands-on experience with Azure AI Foundry / Studio, the Azure Model Catalog, and frameworks like LangChain.
• Protocol Knowledge: Familiarity with MCP (Model Context Protocol) to connect LLMs to structured data sources (APIs, Databases).
• Security & Compliance: Expertise in Microsoft Purview (Sensitivity Labels, DLP) and Defender for Cloud Apps. You understand the difference between "logging" a prompt and "blocking" MNPI.
• Scripting & API Chops: Fluent in PowerShell and Python. You know how to manipulate the Graph API programmatically.
• Financial Services Context: Experience in a Hedge Fund, Private Equity firm, or highly regulated MSP is highly desirable. You understand the risk of alpha leakage and the requirements of regulatory audits.

Your First 90 Days

• Month 1: Standardize the "Golden Image" for a Tier 2 Scoped Copilot deployment.
• Month 2: Complete the first live pilot of a "Private Claude" Enclave using Azure AI Foundry.
• Month 3: Scale the "AI Project Machine" by onboarding and mentoring your first Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) resource.
• Performance-based Bonus
• Hybrid work environment (if NY/London based) or Remote