Job Description

What the role is:
The Senior Principal Engineer serves as the technical leader and strategic decision-maker for AI engineering projects within the organisation. This role encompasses comprehensive oversight of the technical landscape, from high-level architectural planning to specific implementation choices. In terms of technical leadership, the Senior Principal Engineer provides direction and guidance to engineering teams working on AI initiatives. This involves setting technical standards, establishing best practices, and ensuring that all AI engineering efforts align with broader organisational objectives. The role requires deep technical expertise to evaluate complex problems and propose innovative solutions that leverage cutting-edge AI technologies. Architectural design represents a core responsibility, where the engineer must conceptualise and design robust, scalable systems that can support various AI applications. Technology stack selection involves making critical choices about the tools, frameworks, libraries, and platforms that will form the foundation of AI products. This requires evaluating options based on factors such as performance characteristics, community support, licensing considerations, integration capabilities, and long-term viability. The Senior Principal Engineer must balance technical excellence with practical constraints such as budget, timeline, and team expertise. Management responsibilities include coordinating cross-functional teams, facilitating technical discussions, and ensuring that engineering efforts remain focused and productive. This involves regular communication with stakeholders, risk assessment and mitigation, and the ability to make decisive technical choices when faced with competing alternatives or time constraints.
What you will be working on:
The principal accountabilities of the jobholder include (but not limited to): Technical Leadership and Architecture o Responsible for designing and implementing sophisticated AI systems that can scale across enterprise environments o Establish technical standards and architectural patterns that guide development teams, ensuring consistency and quality across multiple AI projects. This includes making fundamental decisions about system design, data architecture, and integration approaches that will support long-term organisational goals. Research and Innovation o Stay current with emerging AI technologies and research developments o Evaluate new algorithms, frameworks, and methodologies to determine their potential application within the organisation o Conduct proof-of-concept work, prototyping innovative solutions, and translating academic research into practical implementations Strategic Technology Planning o Participate in high-level technology strategy discussions to shape the organisation's AI roadmap o Assess the technical feasibility of proposed AI initiatives, estimate resource requirements, and identify potential risks or challenges to make informed decisions about which AI projects to pursue and how to prioritise development efforts Performance Optimisation o Responsible for monitoring and optimising the performance of deployed AI systems, including identifying bottlenecks, implementing efficiency improvements, and ensuring that systems can handle production workloads effectively whilst maintaining acceptable response times and resource utilisation Mentoring and Coaching o Mentor junior engineers, conduct technical reviews, and establish learning pathways for team members o Share knowledge about best practices, emerging technologies, and problem-solving approaches that can enhance the overall capability of the engineering organisation
What we are looking for:

• Tertiary qualification in Engineering/ Computer Science/ Information Technology or relevant disciplines. o A strong foundation in engineering principles and practices across relevant disciplines. o Ability to develop and execute long-term technical strategies. o Ability to identify and resolve complex technical issues. o Strong understanding of project management methodologies and best practices. o Ability to adapt to changing technologies and identify opportunities for innovation. o Proven ability to lead, motivate, and manage engineering teams. o Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with the ability to motivate and develop a team. o Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels. o Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions. All new hires are appointed on a two-year contract in the first instance and will be assessed and considered for permanent tenure over time, based on performance. As part of the shortlisting process for this role, you may be required to complete a medical declaration and/or undergo further assessment. All applicants will be updated on the status of their applications within 4 weeks upon closing of the advertisement. #LI-NL1

About Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX):
HTX is the world's first Science and Technology agency that integrates a diverse range of scientific and engineering capabilities to innovate and deliver transformative and operationally-ready solutions for homeland security. As a statutory board of the Ministry of Home Affairs and integral to the Home Team, HTX works at the forefront of science and technology to empower Singapore's frontline of security. Our shared mission is to amplify, augment and accelerate the Home Team's advantage and secure Singapore as the safest place on planet earth.

Skills Required