AI Scientist & Engineer

Putting people first, every day BDO is a firm built on a foundation of positive relationships with our people and our clients. Each day, our professionals provide exceptional service, helping clients with advice and insight they can trust. In turn, we offer an award-winning environment that fosters a people-first culture with a high priority on your personal and professional growth. Your Opportunity We are looking for an exceptionally skilled, hands-on, and innovation-minded AI Scientist & Engineer to bridge the gap between advanced data science, experimental machine learning, and scalable enterprise software engineering in our new Assurance Innovation Lab. The Assurance Innovation Lab (ASR Labs) serves as the experimentation, innovation, and solution development engine supporting our practice. Working alongside other functions nationally - including our Innovation Operations, AI Studio – Central Lab, Central Data Team, and Innovation & Change (I&C) — you will help ideate, design, prototype, develop, and deliver scalable solutions that modernize how work gets done across our Assurance practice. In this net new role, you will work with a team dedicated to building modern applications, intelligent workflow solutions, integrations, and AI-enabled platforms that support business transformation and operational modernization initiatives across our practice. You will be reporting to our Head of ASR Transformation, and have a dotted line to our technically astute managers in our AI Studio – Central Lab. This hybrid role is responsible for extracting high-value insights from complex datasets, training custom large language models (LLMs), and designing, building, and deploying production-grade agentic workflows and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions. Operating under enterprise governance frameworks like ISO/IEC 42001 and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF), you will deliver responsible, scalable, and highly impactful AI systems that drive true business transformation. The ideal candidate for this role will have 3–5 years of hands-on experience building, fine-tuning, deploying, and monitoring machine learning models and Generative AI solutions in an enterprise production environment. This role rests on the ability to work cross-functionally with AI Architects, AI Studio Leads, ML Engineers, Data Scientists, Full Stack Developers, and citizen developers on firm-wide strategic initiatives. Key Responsibilities: AI, Machine Learning & Advanced Analytics Design, build, train, and optimize machine learning and AI models to support Assurance transformation initiativesDevelop intelligent solutions leveraging NLP, generative AI, knowledge graphs, predictive analytics, and automation capabilitiesSupport experimentation and prototyping of emerging AI technologies and use cases within AssuranceEvaluate model performance, explainability, reliability, and responsible AI considerationsContribute to development of scalable AI-enabled workflows and intelligent operational solutions Cross-Functional Collaboration & Business Partnership Partner closely with Transformation Relationship Managers (TRMs), Assurance practitioners, Innovation & Change (I&C), Data & Analytics, and leadership teamsContribute to multidisciplinary teams focused on solving business problems through technology, AI, automation, and workflow redesignSupport rapid experimentation, prototyping, and scaling of innovative solutions within the Assurance R&D LabHelp bridge strategy, business operations, and technical execution to accelerate transformation outcomesTranslate complex business problems into practical analytical and AI-driven solutionsParticipate in discovery sessions, design thinking workshops, ideation activities, and working groups Data Engineering & Platform Enablement Collect, clean, transform, and analyze large and complex datasets from multiple sourcesBuild and maintain scalable data pipelines and model integration frameworksSupport connected data and intelligence capabilities aligned to the broader Total Assurance Ecosystem strategyWork with cloud-based environments and modern AI infrastructure to support scalable deployment and operationalizationCollaborate with engineering teams to productionize and operationalize solutions Innovation & R&D Collaboration Work closely with the Assurance R&D Lab to validate concepts, prototype solutions, and scale successful initiativesStay informed on emerging trends across AI, automation, Assurance technology, data science, and intelligent systemsHelp evaluate external tools, platforms, and ecosystem opportunities relevant to Assurance TransformationContribute to a culture of experimentation, innovation, and continuous improvement Requirements Programming Languages: Expert-level Python is required. Professional proficiency in R, Scala, Java, or TypeScript is highly desirableAI & LLM Frameworks: Deep experience with OpenAI API, Anthropic, Hugging Face, LangChain, LlamaIndex, and LangGraphData Science & Deep Learning: Comprehensive experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-Learn, Pandas, NumPy, and MatplotlibModel Training: Practical knowledge of training and fine-tuning open-source LLMs/transformers (e.g., Llama, Mistral) and implementing Knowledge GraphsData & Vector Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with Pinecone, Milvus, Weaviate, and standard SQL/NoSQL databasesDevOps / MLOps: Advanced proficiency with Docker, Kubernetes, Nvidia Triton Inference Server, and MLOps tracking platforms (MLflow, Weights & Biases)Cloud Platforms: Strong working knowledge of enterprise cloud environments including Microsoft Azure (Azure AI / AI Foundry), AWS (Bedrock), or GCPArchitecture & Patterns: Demonstrated mastery of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures and multi-Agent AI design patterns Ideal Candidate Will Have A systematic approach to problem-solving and devising practical solutions for complex enterprise bottlenecksPublished academic research in top-tier ML/AI conferences/journals OR demonstrated practical excellence through Kaggle competitionsHigh passion for translating complex data and multi-agent system capabilities into tangible, actionable business valueStrong business curiosity and problem-solving mindsetPassion for applying AI and data science to practical operational challengesAbility to balance experimentation with scalable executionStrong collaboration and stakeholder engagement skillsInterest in workflow modernization, intelligent automation, and future-state operating modelsPassion for continuous learning and emerging technologies Why Join the Assurance Innovation Lab? This is an opportunity to help build the future of Assurance through modern platforms, intelligent workflows, and scalable AI-enabled solutions. You will join a high-performing team to work on high-impact transformation initiatives that directly influence how the business operates and delivers value. The role offers exposure to: Enterprise transformation and innovation programsAI-enabled applications and intelligent workflow solutionsModern cloud and engineering ecosystemsCross-functional collaboration with Assurance, AI-Studio, Data & Analytics, Innovation & Change, and leadership teamsRapid experimentation and enterprise-scale delivery initiativesMost importantly, you will help create practical solutions that improve how work gets done across our Assurance practice Why BDO? Our people-first approach to talent has earned us a spot among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2026. This recognition is a milestone we’re thrilled to add to our collection of awards for both experienced and student talent experiences. At BDO, our people experience is guided by three core pillars—Do work with genuine care, Do what matters with purpose, and Do what’s next - shaping how we support our people, serve our clients, and grow together. Our firm is committed to providing an environment where you can be successful in the following ways: We enable you to engage with how we change and evolve, being a key contributor to the success and growth of BDO in Canada.We help you become a better professional within our services, industries, and markets with extensive opportunities for learning and development.We support your achievement of personal goals outside of the office and making an impact on your community.We foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where your ideas are valued, and you can do your best work with genuine care and purposeWe encourage innovation and forward thinking, empowering you to embrace what’s next and help shape the future of our firm Giving back adds up: Where company meets community. BDO is actively involved in our communities by supporting local charity initiatives. We support staff with local and national events where you will be given the opportunity to contribute to your community. Total rewards that matter: We pay for performance with competitive total cash compensation that recognizes and rewards your contribution. We provide comprehensive benefits from day one, and a flexible personal time off policy. We’re committed to supporting your overall wellbeing and provide reimbursement for wellness initiatives that fit your lifestyle. Everyone counts: We are committed to creating a workplace where employees can participate fully, contribute meaningfully and succeed without barriers. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace defined by respect, fairness, and a true sense of belonging for everyone. We recognize and celebrate the unique experiences, identities, and perspectives that each of us bring – and that these experiences strengthen how we work together. Our commitment extends to ensuring that our application process is both inclusive and accessible. If you require accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us. Flexibility: All BDO personnel are expected to spend some of their time working in the office, at the client site, and virtually unless accommodations or alternative work arrangements are in place. Our model is a blended approach designed to support the flexible needs of our people, the firm and our clients. It’s about creating work experiences that meet everyone’s needs and providing flexibility to adjust when, where and how we work to meet the expectations of our role. Code of Conduct: Our Code of Conduct sets clear standards for how we conduct business. It reflects our shared values and commitments and includes guiding principles to help us make ethical decisions and maintain trust with each other, our clients, and the public. BDO may use artificial intelligence enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process. While these tools assist our teams, our use of AI does not replace human decision making, and all employment-related outcomes are made by BDO personnel. More information on BDO Canada’s Privacy Policy can be found here: Privacy Policy | BDO Canada Ready to make your mark at BDO? Click “Apply now” to send your up-to-date resume to one of our Talent Acquisition Specialists. To explore other opportunities at BDO, check out our careers page.