Principal Applied AI Analyst - AI/ML | Data Scientist

FC Global Services India LLP (First Citizens India), a part of First Citizens BancShares, Inc., a top 20 U.S. financial institution, is a global capability center (GCC) based in Bengaluru. Our India-based teams benefit from the company’s over 125-year legacy of strength and stability. First Citizens India is responsible for delivering value and managing risks for our lines of business. We are particularly proud of our strong, relationship-driven culture and our long-term approach, which are deeply ingrained in our talented workforce. This is evident across all key areas of our operations, including Technology, Enterprise Operations, Finance, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, and Credit Administration. We are seeking talented individuals to join us in our mission of providing solutions fit for our clients’ greatest ambitions.

Job Description:

Value Proposition

Applied AI is most useful when it solves a real problem well. At First Citizens, we do not assume every problem requires generative AI, and we do not pursue new models simply because they are available. We use data science, machine learning, advanced analytics, and GenAI where each is appropriate — and we test rigorously whether the resulting solution is accurate, practical, and responsible.

The Applied AI Analyst (P4) provides hands-on build and execution capacity within the FCI Applied AI team. Working under the direction of the India delivery lead and senior P5 technical practitioners, this role prepares data, builds and tests solution components, develops technical artifacts, executes defined evaluation plans, addresses defects, and supports the disciplined progression of approved AI use cases from experimentation toward implementation.

This role is explicitly designed to build craft. At P4, the expectation is reliable, high-quality execution and growing technical independence. The most ambiguous design decisions, stakeholder commitments, delivery prioritization, and risk calls are ordinarily owned by senior team members — but that boundary moves as capability and judgment develop. The goal is for every P4 analyst to grow into the kind of practitioner who earns greater ownership through the quality of their work.

Job Details

Position Title:  Principal Applied AI Analyst

Career Level:  P4

Job Category: Assistant Vice President

Role Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Bangalore

Key Deliverables

Hands-On Development and Technical Execution

• Build, configure, test, and document solution components for defined data science, machine learning, advanced analytics, and GenAI use cases under the guidance of the P5 senior analyst and India delivery lead.

• Prepare and analyze data; develop features, model prototypes, prompt configurations, retrieval components, test datasets, scripts, notebooks, code assets, and technical documentation as required by assigned work packages.

• Implement established solution designs and contribute observations and ideas for practical improvements in accuracy, efficiency, maintainability, testability, or reuse.

• Troubleshoot defects systematically, document assumptions and limitations clearly, and escalate issues promptly when data, platform, design, or control dependencies are blocking progress.

Testing, Evaluation, and Documentation

• Execute defined evaluation plans for AI and analytics solutions, including performance testing, quality checks, data validation, reproducibility verification, and activities that support ongoing monitoring.

• For GenAI use cases, help create or curate evaluation datasets and run tests for relevance, groundedness, retrieval quality, content safety, human review workflows, and task-specific quality expectations — under the guidance of the P5 senior analyst.

• Maintain complete technical artifacts, test results, model and solution documentation, and the evidence records needed to support delivery reviews and Responsible AI or risk checkpoints.

• Apply strong engineering hygiene: version-controlled code, clear and complete documentation, repeatable testing procedures, and secure and appropriate data-handling practices throughout.

Platform, Controls, and Reusable Capability

• Use approved data, development, and AI platform environments and support adoption of reusable patterns as the enterprise AI platform matures and makes more capabilities available.

• Follow defined governance, data management, security, and Responsible AI requirements in all development and testing activities.

• Contribute reusable code, test scripts, evaluation templates, technical documentation, and lessons learned that help the FCI Applied AI team improve its methods and efficiency over time.

• Participate actively in technical training sessions, peer code reviews, and knowledge-sharing practices across the Applied AI team.

Collaboration and Professional Growth

• Work effectively with the India delivery lead, P5 senior practitioners, and FCI team members — communicating status, test outcomes, blockers, technical questions, and recommended actions clearly and promptly.

• Engage with U.S.-based Enterprise AI colleagues primarily through the structured handoffs, documented outputs, and planned overlap windows established by the India delivery lead — contributing to efficient, low-friction global collaboration through the quality and completeness of your work products.

• Develop increasing technical independence, applied business understanding, and sound judgment about the appropriate use of analytics, ML, and GenAI methods in a regulated environment.

• Bring genuine curiosity, commitment to quality, and a collaborative approach to solving real problems — and actively seek feedback that accelerates your growth.

Skill and Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree and 4 years of experience in Data management, information technology, financial services, enterprise risk management, or related disciplines with hands-on AI/advanced analytics delivery. OR High School Diploma or GED and 8 years of experience in Data management, information technology, financial services, enterprise risk management, or related disciplines with hands-on AI/advanced analytics delivery.

• Hands-on academic project, internship, or professional experience in data science, machine learning, analytics engineering, NLP, or GenAI solution development — with evidence of building and testing real solutions, not just coursework.

• Working proficiency in Python and SQL and exposure to common data science, machine learning, or GenAI libraries, notebook environments, and basic software development practices such as version control.

• Understanding of data preparation, model evaluation, test design, documentation practices, and basic monitoring concepts; experience with enterprise data or cloud environments is beneficial.

• Genuine interest in both conventional AI/ML and GenAI methods — with the intellectual honesty to select and evaluate methods based on what the problem requires, not what is most novel.

• Strong attention to detail, structured problem-solving approach, demonstrated willingness to learn and receive feedback, and the ability to collaborate effectively in a distributed global team.

• Clear written communication: the ability to describe technical work, test outcomes, assumptions, and blockers in a way that is useful to colleagues who were not in the room when the work was done.

Relationships & Collaboration:

Reports to Director/Senior Director

Partners: Senior leaders and cross-functional teams

Collaborates: Delivery lead, Senior Practitioners

Accessibility Needs

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process. If you require accommodations at any stage (e.g. application, interviews, onboarding) please let us know, and we will work with you to ensure a seamless experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

FC Global Services India LLP (First Citizens India) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment and prohibit all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, caste, disability, sexual orientation, economic status or any other characteristics protected by the law. We strive to foster a safe and respectful environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Our EEO policy ensures fairness throughout the employee life cycle.