Lead Engineer

About us

Mantel Group is an Australian-owned technology consulting business with capabilities across Cloud, Digital, Data, Delivery & Security. Since our inception in November 2017, we have experienced remarkable growth across Australia & New Zealand and are honoured to be recognised as a Great Place to Work for 6 years in a row

We hire smart and talented people and get out of their way. As a principle-based organisation, we have a flat structure with no hierarchy. By focusing on our five principles and not getting caught up in red tape, we trust you to get the job done

Data

Working in data at Mantel Group means there are opportunities to align to a particular cloud platform or remain cloud agnostic. Our teams are made up of awesome people who specialise in numerous areas of data so there are endless opportunities for you including data engineering, machine learning, data analytics and data science.

About the role

As a Lead AI Architect, you will be a pivotal technical leader and driving force behind solving our clients' most ambitious artificial intelligence initiatives. You will architect, guide the implementation of, and strategically deploy a wide spectrum of sophisticated AI systems. This role demands a unique synthesis of deep AI/ML knowledge, robust software and platform engineering knowledge, expert client advisory capabilities, and strong team mentorship. You will be instrumental in translating complex business needs into scalable, reliable, and cutting-edge AI solutions.

Your day-to-day

• Spearhead the architectural design of robust and scalable AI systems across various domains (predominantly Agentic AI) for our clients.
• Serve as a prominent thought leader for the company on AI architecture best practices, emerging trends, and their practical application.
• Guide and mentor cross-functional teams (including Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, and Software Engineers) in implementing high-impact AI solutions. This involves overseeing the development of necessary tools, APIs, system integrations, and ensuring scalable and production-ready deployments on cloud platforms and other infrastructure.
• Champion Responsible AI principles throughout the AI system lifecycle, demonstrating how to implement effective guardrails, ensure model and system alignment with ethical guidelines, and establish robust observability and monitoring frameworks.
• Act as a critical bridge between Data Science/Machine Learning Engineering and Software/Platform Engineering capabilities, ensuring seamless integration of best practices from development, and production deployment.
• Translate intricate AI concepts and architectures into clear business terms and actionable technical roadmaps for diverse stakeholders. Lead technical communication, ensuring clarity, alignment, and understanding across client teams and internal delivery teams.
• Serve as the lead technical advisor on AI engagements, providing expertise on system design, technology selection, and implementation strategies
• Advise and influence clients at a strategic level, recognised as a deep Subject Matter Expert (SME) in practical AI implementation across various use cases and technologies.

What you'll need to be successful

• Extensive hands-on engineering and architecture experience in designing, building, and deploying complex AI/ML systems in production environments.
• Proven expertise in designing various AI architectures, including traditional machine learning pipelines, deep learning systems, and agentic frameworks.
• Deep understanding of data management strategies for AI (including feature stores, vector databases, graph databases, and state management), orchestration frameworks (e.g., Kubeflow, MLflow, Airflow), and the design and implementation of efficient data retrieval and processing systems.
• Proficiency in designing and implementing data pipelines and operational practices for continuous integration, delivery, and monitoring of AI systems.
• An understanding of model interpretability, explainability, and techniques for implementing guardrails and ensuring desired system outputs.
• Expertise in prompt engineering and understanding of how to interact effectively with large language models and other generative AI systems where applicable to the solution.
• Proficiency in software development using Python, Go, JavaScript/TypeScript, or other relevant languages, applied to building scalable AI tools, systems, APIs, and integrations.
• Extensive experience building or defining APIs and interfaces for AI system interaction and integrating diverse backend systems or data sources.
• An appreciation of security, privacy, and compliance considerations specific to designing and deploying various types of AI systems.
• Significant experience in a consulting or client-facing role, demonstrating the ability to translate business problems into technical solutions and communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholders.
• An exceptional ability to translate ambiguous business requirements into concrete, well-architected technical solution designs.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't perfectly align with the job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team.

What you can expect from us

• You'll get all the tools you need to hit the ground running including a new phone, laptop & swag.
• We believe in unique experiences for all. Our My Deal program allows you to tailor your yearly plan, with the support of your Leader, to decide on what's most important to you. That might be extra professional development, extra annual leave, time to work on your side hustle, or something else completely different One size does not fit all.
• You'll be genuinely supported by an organisation that cares about not only you but your family as well, Mantel Group offers Flexible Personal Leave options for those unplanned moments in life.
• We support a flexible hybrid approach to working which is guided by our principles; we trust each other to "make good choices" about the best workplace locations for the requirements of the project, role and client. This can change based on our client needs.
• Mantel Group is a certified Family Inclusive Workplace, which means we are committed to improving your wellbeing at work through leading practices on flexible work, parental leave, family care and family wellbeing.
• We know you won't have one job for life. At Mantel Group we believe in supporting our team to take their career in a direction that aligns with their passions. We have internal opportunities across Cloud, Data, Digital, Delivery & Security.

We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage people from all backgrounds and minority groups to apply.