Principal AI Engineer - Vice President
Morgan Stanley is hiring a Principal AI Engineer - Vice President in New York, United States. It pays $150k-$210k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Morgan Stanley.
Level's read on this job
- Level rates this AI engineer role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include Databricks, Java and Scala.
- Level classifies it as a senior role.
- Level lists 1,200+ other open roles at Morgan Stanley.
AI in this role
Build and modernize core finance backend services with a general openness to learning AI and prompt-based approaches where applicable.
In the Technology division, we leverage innovation to build the connections and capabilities that power our Firm, enabling our clients and colleagues to redefine markets and shape the future of our communities.
We have multiple Software Engineering positions open at Associate, Director and VP levels, which are part of the job family responsible for developing and maintaining software solutions that support business needs.
Since 1935, Morgan Stanley is known as a global leader in financial services, always evolving and innovating to better serve our clients and our communities in more than 40 countries around the world.
Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm, providing investment banking, securities, wealth management, and investment management services in over 40 countries. The firm is recognized for its commitment to innovation, integrity, and delivering value to clients, shareholders, and communities worldwide.
The Role
Join the LIFC Technology team to help modernize core accounting and P&L platforms used daily by Finance and Treasury. We are consolidating legacy and spreadsheet‑driven workflows into a single, cloud‑native web platform that supports reporting, exception analysis, accounting adjustments, and daily P&L sign‑off.
This role is ideal for strong backend engineers who enjoy working on data‑intensive, business‑critical systems and partnering closely with finance users.
What You’ll Do
Build and operate backend services using Java, Scala, and Python
Deploy services on Databricks and cloud platforms
Design secure, scalable APIs for finance workflows and analytics
Collaborate with Finance, Product Control, and UI/reporting teams
Apply strong engineering fundamentals (data structures, testing, code quality)
Learn and apply new technologies, including AI/ML and prompt‑based approaches, where they add value
What We’re Looking For
10+ years of strong backend engineering experience
Solid grasp of data structures, algorithms, and system design
Experience with data‑heavy or workflow‑driven systems
Ownership mindset and willingness to learn
Why Join
Work on core finance systems with real business impact
High‑visibility role with platform and architectural influence
Collaborative team modernizing critical finance workflows
Tech Stack at a Glance
Backend: Java, Scala, Python
Data / Compute: Databricks
Cloud: Cloud‑native services & deployments
Frontend / Reporting: Angular, Power BI, Tableau
Focus Areas: Accounting workflows, P&L, controls, data quality, AI‑assisted analytics
We have a track record of innovation and passion for unlocking new opportunities, we help our clients raise, manage and allocate capital. We do this by offering a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and asset management services.
All that we do at Morgan Stanley is driven by our five core values: do the right thing, put clients first, lead with exceptional ideas, commit to diversity and inclusion, and give back. These aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day, ensuring we do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees around the world. And at the core of our success are the people who drive it - relentless collaborators and creative thinkers who are fueled by diverse thinking and experiences.
Wherever you are in our 1,200 global offices, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest in an environment where you are empowered to achieve your full potential. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry.
Morgan Stanley's goal is to build and maintain a workforce that is diverse in experience and background but uniform in reflecting our standards of integrity and excellence. Consequently, our recruiting efforts reflect our desire to attract and retain the best and brightest from all talent pools. We want to be the first choice for prospective employees.
It is the policy of the Firm to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sex stereotype, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy, veteran or military service status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversifying its workforce (M/F/Disability/Vet).
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:
At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.
To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices into your browser.
Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $150,000 and $210,000 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long-term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs.
Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents.
Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.
For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.
How we rate this
Principal AI Engineer - Vice President at Morgan Stanley rates 20 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in AI engineer jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $150k
- Typical AI engineer job
- $184k
This posting starts 18% below the typical AI engineer job. See AI engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where backend engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where system design was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where api design was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where data structures was part of your work. What did you do?
- Walk me through how you've used Databricks in your day-to-day work.
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Backend Engineering, System Design, API Design, Data Structures, and Databricks. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Get your CV reviewed before you apply
Send your CV and the role you want next. Your review arrives by email within 3 days.
Get new AI engineer jobs by email
One email a week, each job rated for how much AI is in the work. No recruiter spam, unsubscribe in one click.
Free.
Similar roles
Software Engineering roles that involve little AI, at other companies.
What kind of AI work fits you?
Answer 12 practical questions in about three minutes. Get a simple profile, the work it points to, and live roles to explore next.
Find my next step