Senior AI Forward Deployed Engineer

Job summary

Design, build, and deploy scalable AI agents and automation solutions to improve legal service delivery and productivity. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify AI opportunities and ensure solutions meet security, governance, and privacy standards.

Job details

The Role We are seeking a Senior AI Forward Deployed Engineer to join the Artificial Intelligence team within Norton Rose Fulbright Canada. This role will design, build, deploy, and optimize secure, scalable AI solutions that improve productivity, service delivery, and access to firm knowledge. Working with lawyers, varying business services teams, and technology partners, the successful candidate will translate legal and business needs into practical AI agents, workflow automations, and enterprise integrations. The role combines expertise in agent development, data and retrieval architecture, prompt engineering, and legal technology, with a strong focus on accuracy, governance, privacy, security, and client confidentiality. The successful candidate will work with approved platforms, including Microsoft Copilot and Harvey AI, to accelerate responsible AI adoption and help shape the future of AI-enabled legal services across the firm. You will be focusing on: Stakeholder Engagement * Partner with lawyers and business leaders to identify, assess, and prioritize AI opportunities. * Lead discovery workshops and solution design sessions, translating business requirements into actionable technical designs. * Communicate complex concepts clearly and advise stakeholders on AI capabilities, risks, and best practices. AI Agent Development, Prompt Engineering & Automation * Design, build, test, and deploy AI agents, copilots, multi-agent workflows, and automation solutions using approved enterprise platforms. * Create reusable agent templates, prompt libraries, prompting frameworks, and automation patterns. * Implement human-in-the-loop controls, approval processes, and appropriate guardrails. * Maintain practical documentation, playbooks, and guidance that support user adoption and effective prompting. AI Quality, Evaluation & Responsible Use * Apply grounding, retrieval, validation, citation, testing, and monitoring techniques to improve the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of AI outputs. * Establish quality standards and evaluation frameworks for production AI solutions. * Continuously improve solution performance through prompt optimization, architectural enhancements, and user feedback. * Promote responsible AI practices aligned with firm governance requirements. Legal Workflow Transformation * Analyze legal and business workflows and design solutions that reduce manual effort and improve service delivery. * Develop solutions supporting document drafting, contract review, matter management, legal research, knowledge retrieval, M&A due diligence, and administrative processes. * Rapidly prototype and deploy high-impact solutions aligned with business needs. Data, Knowledge & Information Architecture * Design AI solutions that use structured and unstructured enterprise data. * Build Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), semantic search, and knowledge retrieval solutions using firm repositories and document management systems. * Develop data pipelines, retrieval architectures, metadata, tagging, and information architecture standards that improve relevance and discoverability. * Collaborate with Information Governance, Records Management, and Knowledge Management teams on enterprise search and knowledge initiatives. Enterprise Integration & API Development * Co-develop secure, scalable integrations with IT Middleware engineers using REST APIs, Microsoft Graph API, Model Context Protocol (MCP), web services, webhooks, and enterprise integration platforms. * Connect AI solutions with Microsoft 365, legal applications, knowledge management platforms, and other enterprise systems. Security, Governance & Compliance * Ensure solutions meet firm requirements for security, privacy, data protection, regulatory compliance, ethical walls, information barriers, and client confidentiality. * Collaborate with Information Security, Risk, Compliance, Legal, and operational application teams to embed required controls. * Support AI governance and responsible AI programs. Continuous Innovation * Monitor developments in artificial intelligence, agentic AI, legal technology, and enterprise automation. * Evaluate emerging technologies, develop proofs of concept and pilots, and recommend adoption opportunities. * Contribute to the firm's AI strategy and roadmap. What you bring to the role: Required Experience * Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in software engineering, solutions engineering, automation engineering, data engineering, or a related technical discipline. * Minimum of two (2) years of hands-on experience delivering AI, machine learning, intelligent automation, or generative AI solutions. * Demonstrated experience building and deploying AI agents and agentic workflows in enterprise environments. * Proven ability to work with business stakeholders and deliver solutions from concept through production. AI, Prompting & Quality Expertise * Deep understanding of agent architectures, orchestration frameworks, multi-agent workflows, and automation platforms. * Strong knowledge of RAG, semantic search, embeddings, enterprise knowledge retrieval, and human-in-the-loop controls. * Expert-level prompt engineering skills, including reusable prompt frameworks, libraries, standards, and end-user enablement. * Experience evaluating and improving AI accuracy, reliability, quality, and business outcomes through grounding, validation, testing, monitoring, and governance. Data & Integration Skills * Strong background in data engineering and information architecture across structured and unstructured environments. * Experience designing scalable integrations using APIs and services. * Knowledge of REST APIs, Microsoft Graph API, JSON, data modeling and transformation, metadata management, enterprise search technologies, and knowledge repositories. Technical Skills * Experience with one or more of the following: Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI, Harvey AI, Anthropic Claude, LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel, CrewAI, AutoGen, Model Context Protocol (MCP), Python, JavaScript, or C#. Professional Competencies * Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills. * Ability to influence and engage technical and non-technical audiences. * Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage sensitive information and competing priorities. * Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to continuous improvement. Success in this role will be measured by: * Adoption and measurable business impact of production-ready AI solutions and automations. * Improvements in productivity, user experience, manual effort, and process cycle times. * Accuracy, reliability, trustworthiness, and continuous improvement of AI outputs. * Effectiveness of prompt standards, documentation, and user enablement. * Compliance with governance, security, privacy, ethical wall, and client confidentiality requirements. * Contribution to the firm's AI strategy, roadmap, and innovation agenda. Why join our team: * Hybrid work environment * Retirement savings plan with employer contribution * Benefit premiums paid by the firm * Telemedicine services * Wellness matters: Flexible health and wellness allowance that covers much more than gym memberships! * Training and development programs based on your interests and needs Salary Range: $143,000-$194,000 Toronto The salary bands provided reflect the typical range for this role in the region indicated. We recognize that each candidate brings a unique set of experiences and skills, and final compensation will be thoughtfully determined based on individual qualifications and current market factors. Please note that salary will be discussed and negotiated during interview. Toronto: $143,700 - $177,500 Ready to join a proactive and modern firm that provides an exceptional career experience in an inclusive and collaborative environment? Come join us! As part of a global legal practice, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada embrace a culture of excellence and client service, but always with a focus on flexibility, respect, diversity and openness. We strive to create an equitable, inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole self to work and realize their career potential. To find out more about how we integrate diversity, equity and inclusion in everything we do please click Diversity, equity and inclusion | Canada | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbright [https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-ca/about/diversity-equity-and-inclusion]. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruiting process, please inform us in the recruitment application. We will contact you to further discuss your need. Please note that applicants who receive an employment offer may be required during their employment with Norton Rose Fulbright to provide proof of vaccinations recommended from time to time by government or public health authorities. Norton Rose Fulbright has a duty to accommodate those who are unable to get vaccinated due to protected grounds. For applicants who require an accommodation, please contact us to discuss further. Law around the world nortonrosefulbright.com Please note that this job posting is being advertised to fill an existing vacancy.

What you’ll do

Design, build, and deploy scalable AI agents and automation solutions to improve legal service delivery and productivity. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify AI opportunities and ensure solutions meet security, governance, and privacy standards.

Requirements

Requires a minimum of ten years of experience in software or solutions engineering with at least two years of hands-on experience in AI and machine learning. Candidates must possess deep expertise in agent architectures, prompt engineering, and enterprise data integration.

Benefits

• Retirement savings plan
• Telemedicine services
• Health and wellness allowance
• Training and development programs

Listed skills

• JavaScript · Preferred
• prompt engineering · Preferred
• C++ · Preferred
• Stakeholder Management · Preferred
• Python · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• AI Agent Development
• Prompt Engineering
• Python
• JavaScript
• C#
• Retrieval Augmented Generation
• Semantic Search
• Microsoft Copilot
• Harvey AI
• Azure AI Foundry
• LangChain
• Data Engineering
• API Development
• Stakeholder Management
• Automation Engineering
• Information Architecture
• Scalability Design
• Influencing Skills
• Microsoft Graph
• Agentic AI
• Microsoft 365
• Langgraph
• Responsible AI
• Client Confidentiality
• Solution Design
• Generative Artificial Intelligence
• Semantic Kernel
• Intelligent Automation
• Microsoft Copilot Studio
• Enterprise Search
• Validation Testing
• Workflow Management
• Legal Technology
• Automation Systems Design
• CrewAI
• AutoGen
• Enterprise Integration
• Security Governance
• Emerging Technologies
• Workflow Automation
• Azure OpenAI
• Ethical Standards And Conduct
• AI Agents
• Security Risk
• Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• JavaScript (Programming Language)
• Application Programming Interface (API)
• Multi-Agent Systems
• Artificial Intelligence
• Automation

Job areas

• Technology
• Legal
• Software
• Data & Analytics
• Engineering
• Forward Deployed Engineer
• Artificial Intelligence Engineer (General)
• Software Developers

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