Principal Data & AI Engineer

Company Description

Build bold. Deliver impact. Win together.

At General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada, we’re not just engineering technology - we’re shaping the future of defence and security. Our teams design and deliver advanced, mission-critical solutions that enhance national security, strengthen communities, and protect the people we serve.

If you’re looking for meaningful work that contributes to a safer, more secure world, you’ll find purpose here. Every day, your skills will directly impact programs that matter.

Job Description

GDMS-I is establishing an enterprise Data & AI capability to support digital transformation, advanced analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence initiatives across the organization.

As GDMS-I increases its investment in AI, a robust enterprise data foundation is required to ensure information is accessible, trusted, secure, and ready to support advanced analytics and AI-enabled business processes.

The Principal Data & AI Engineer will be responsible for establishing and maturing our enterprise data engineering capability, defining architecture and integration patterns, and leading the implementation of our strategic data platform. The role will lead the development of scalable data pipelines, integration frameworks, cloud-based data platforms, and AI data services that enable business intelligence, automation, and future AI capabilities across the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and oversee enterprise data platforms leveraging Microsoft Azure, Snowflake, and MuleSoft.
• Define the strategy for scalable, reusable, and governed data pipelines for ingesting, transforming, and integrating enterprise data from business systems, engineering platforms, and external sources.
• Architect the enterprise integration services and APIs using MuleSoft and modern integration patterns.
• Lead the implementation of cloud-native data architectures, including data lakes, data warehouses, and semantic data models.
• Establish data engineering standards, design patterns, and best practices to support enterprise scalability and long-term sustainability.
• Manage the prioritization of data products that enable business intelligence, reporting, analytics, automation, and AI initiatives.
• Enable AI and machine learning use cases by ensuring high-quality, accessible, and governed enterprise data.
• Direct the adoption of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), vector search, knowledge retrieval, and AI integration capabilities where appropriate.
• Define the direction for and manage real-time and event-driven data processing solutions.
• Establish requirements and oversight for monitoring, observability, data quality, metadata management, and governance controls across enterprise data platforms.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, application teams, architects, and technology partners to identify and deliver data solutions that address business priorities.
• Lead the development and execution of GDMS-I's enterprise Data & AI strategy and roadmap.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Data Science, Information Systems, or related discipline, or demonstrable equivalency in experience.
• 8+ years of experience in data engineering, systems integration, software engineering, or related technical disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience establishing and maturing enterprise-scale data platforms and integration solutions.
• Strong experience with Azure cloud services, including data, analytics, and AI-related services.
• Experience developing and supporting Snowflake-based data platforms.
• Hands-on experience with MuleSoft or equivalent enterprise integration platforms.
• Strong development experience with SQL, Python, APIs, and data orchestration technologies.
• Strong understanding of data architecture, data modeling, data governance, security, and metadata management.
• Experience supporting analytics, reporting, machine learning, or AI-enabled solutions.
• Ability to operate independently in a highly technical, hands-on engineering role.

Preferred

• Experience with Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Factory, Synapse Analytics, Azure AI, Azure OpenAI, and related Microsoft data services.
• Experience implementing RAG architectures, vector databases, AI agent frameworks, and large language model integrations.
• Experience with data cataloging, master data management, and enterprise information governance.

It is a requirement that General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada be registered with the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and that all of its workforce be security assessed. Successful applicants must meet all applicable security requirements, including but not limited to the ability to obtain and maintain a Canadian government security clearance. Applicants may be required to meet additional security requirements in order to gain access to technical data, classified areas, or information that is subject to international regulations. You must be eligible to work in Canada.

Additional Information

The hiring range for this position is $140,000 - $170,000 CAD annually. This role is eligible for a management incentive plan. Our goal is to provide a fair and competitive offer based on an assessment of internal equity and your qualifications, including:

• Relevant experience
• Technical and non-technical skills
• Education and certifications

Benefits
As a full-time employee at General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada, you’ll enjoy a competitive total rewards package that supports your professional and personal well-being:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and eligible dependents from day one (no cost), including flexible benefits options (HCSA) emergency travel insurance, and 24/7 virtual care services.
• Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), onsite fitness facilities, and employee resource groups.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with employer contributions after 3 months, RRSP access from day one, and financial planning support.
• Flexible time off including vacation, holidays, parental leaves with top-up options, sick leave, and disability programs.
• Career development through learning platforms, educational assistance, mentoring, and reimbursement of professional memberships.
• Additional perks such as employee discounts, free onsite parking, social clubs, and an annual scholarship program for employees’ children.

Why join us?

• Purposeful Innovation: You’ll work on innovations that genuinely make a difference. You’ll apply advanced thinking, design expertise, and practical problem-solving to help equip military and allied forces with leading-edge systems. You’ll be surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the defence sector, contributing to next-generation technologies in an environment that celebrates creativity, new ideas, and modern solutions.
• Connection: We believe people do their best work when they feel they belong, and their ideas can flourish. Different perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking help us innovate and grow. Strong relationships with our teammates help us unite, overcome challenges, and deliver the world-class quality we’re known for. Here, we are committed to inclusivity and ensures every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered.
• Challenging and Rewarding Career Pathways: Your career path matters to us. From mentorship and regular check-ins with your leader to educational support, professional certifications, and continuous training, you’ll have the resources you need to thrive. We encourage internal mobility so you can explore different business areas, broaden your skillset, and expand your network. You’ll be working on high-profile, impactful projects that challenge your skills, expand your expertise, and allow you to both learn from mentors and guide others along the way.

Accommodation 
If you require accommodation during any stage of the application process, please contact Human Resources via [email protected].

Closing Date
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.