Senior Principal Software Engineer - QuantumBlack, AI McKinsey

Do you want to do work that matters, alongside supportive leaders who will help you grow faster than you ever thought possible? Are you a creative problem-solver who is energized by challenges?
You’ve come to the right place.

You will set the vision for engineering excellence and define the standards, practices, and architectures that empower clients to deliver transformative technology  will have the opportunity to work on lots of different challenges, across clients and sectors. You will partner with C-level executives and senior leaders to shape long-term technology strategy and drive innovation across the most complex engineering challenges in the industry.

You will lead and mentor a community of technical colleagues and multiple engineering teams, setting the technical direction for the organization’s largest and most complex programs. Your work will solve the most difficult and high-impact challenges facing clients across industries. Collaborating across Quantum Black, AI by McKinsey and Quantum Black Labs teams, you’ll guide the development of industry-shaping software capabilities and scalable, enterprise-grade AI solutions.

You will be responsible for hiring, developing, and retaining top engineering talent, building robust technical foundations for production-ready, AI-enabled systems, and ensuring our clients can achieve meaningful, lasting impact. You’ll be based in one of our NA offices as part of our global Software Engineering community. Working in cross-functional teams, you’ll collaborate closely with designers, product managers, and industry experts to deliver software solutions.

By partnering with clients, from data owners to senior executives, you’ll solve complex problems that drive tangible business value and continue to grow your skills as a client-facing technologist. Your work offers a unique opportunity to lead at the front‑of‑AI and software engineering. You’ll develop expertise at the intersection of technology and business by tackling diverse challenges in the evolving AI landscape.

Working alongside multidisciplinary teams, you’ll gain a holistic understanding of how software engineering enables advanced AI while collaborating with some of the leading technologists and AI practitioners in the industry.

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward. In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible.

Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you’ll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else. When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning:Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast‑paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters:From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving…