Lead/Principal Transformation Developer


Quebec City
Permanent
CAD160000 - CAD200000
Cloud and Infrastructure
PR/580075_1771383621
Lead/Principal Transformation Developer

A global technology organization is forming a new, dedicated AI Systems Modernization team to lead efforts in applying advanced AI techniques-such as multi‑stage, agent‑based workflows-to automatically modernize academic and legacy codebases into cloud‑native services and applications. This team will operate at the intersection of AI research and real‑world software engineering, working closely with product groups to support, guide, and accelerate AI adoption across the company.

Because this team is launching this year, the Lead / Principal Engineer will have significant influence over its direction, technical standards, and operating model. As a new and strategically important initiative, the team will play a leadership role in defining best practices, evangelizing AI‑driven modernization approaches, and operationalizing them across the organization.

This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy cutting‑edge technology, deep technical discussions, and exposure to a wide range of technology stacks. The company's portfolio spans hundreds of products-including desktop, mobile, traditional server‑based systems, and cloud microservices-offering exceptional breadth and the opportunity to work with a diverse, global team of experts.


Why This Role Matters

  • Foundational impact - As an early member of a newly launched team, you will shape its mission, methods, and standards.
  • Real‑world AI - Apply AI to large, production systems with strict requirements-not prototypes or demos.
  • Technical breadth - Work across legacy languages, modern stacks, and cloud architectures.
  • Leadership with depth - Influence strategy while remaining hands‑on with architecture and prototyping.

What You'll Work On

AI Platform & Architecture

  • Define the technical vision and roadmap for an AI‑powered code modernization platform.
  • Design multi‑stage, agentic AI workflows for automated code analysis, transformation, and uplift.
  • Build and evolve LLM‑driven pipelines, including orchestration, evaluation, monitoring, and iteration.

Quality & Validation

  • Create rigorous testing and validation strategies to ensure correctness, performance, and numerical precision.
  • Establish quality gates and acceptance criteria for production use.
  • Evaluate behavior across languages and runtimes to ensure fidelity during code conversion.

Technical Leadership & Enablement

  • Drive architectural decisions and help teams converge on effective solutions.
  • Balance tradeoffs between speed, cost, quality, and risk.
  • Help hire, mentor, and guide a small team of technical experts.
  • Accelerate organizational adoption through best practices, tooling, and education.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 6-12 months, you will:

  • Deliver a scalable, repeatable AI‑based modernization platform used across multiple teams.
  • Successfully modernize representative legacy systems into cloud‑native architectures.
  • Define company‑wide standards for AI‑assisted code conversion.
  • Clearly establish where AI automation is effective-and where human expertise is essential.

What We're Looking For

Required Experience

  • Principal‑level experience leading complex technical initiatives.
  • Strong problem‑solving skills and experience working with large or legacy codebases.
  • Hands‑on experience with AI‑assisted development or LLM pipelines.
  • Proficiency with cloud platforms and modern service architectures.
  • Working knowledge of legacy languages (e.g., C, Fortran) and modern languages (e.g., Rust, .NET, TypeScript).
  • Understanding of how legacy and modern code patterns translate across paradigms.
  • Familiarity with numerical precision considerations across runtimes.
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to influence across teams.

Nice to Have

  • Experience with scientific or engineering software (e.g., Finite Element Analysis).
  • Background in compiler theory, AST‑level analysis, or developer tooling.
  • Experience with major cloud providers.
  • Knowledge of containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes, service mesh technologies).
  • Understanding of application and cloud security best practices.
  • Experience with equivalence verification or validation techniques.

Note: Please attach your most recent CV. The CV must be written in English.


What We Offer

  • A supportive team and collaborative culture.
  • An exciting career as part of a global software organization serving engineering and technical industries.
  • Competitive salary and benefits package.
  • A commitment to inclusion, belonging, and colleague well‑being.
  • The opportunity to contribute to technologies that support global infrastructure and real‑world impact.
  • Recognition programs celebrating colleague achievements.

FAQs

Congratulations, we understand that taking the time to apply is a big step. When you apply, your details go directly to the consultant who is sourcing talent. Due to demand, we may not get back to all applicants that have applied. However, we always keep your CV and details on file so when we see similar roles or see skillsets that drive growth in organisations, we will always reach out to discuss opportunities.

Yes. Even if this role isn’t a perfect match, applying allows us to understand your expertise and ambitions, ensuring you're on our radar for the right opportunity when it arises.

We also work in several ways, firstly we advertise our roles available on our site, however, often due to confidentiality we may not post all. We also work with clients who are more focused on skills and understanding what is required to future-proof their business. 

That's why we recommend registering your CV so you can be considered for roles that have yet to be created. 

Yes, we help with CV and interview preparation. From customised support on how to optimise your CV to interview preparation and compensation negotiations, we advocate for you throughout your next career move.

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