Senior AI Scientist - Data & AI Office

IT STARTS HERE

Santander (www.santander.com) is evolving from a global, high-impact brand into a technology-driven organization, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible.

This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference.

Our mission is to contribute to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and all our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management.

Our Chief Data & Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAIO) division is building a world-class AI & Data team to make a difference in the lives of over 170 million people worldwide, through one of the largest banks in the world.

We are undergoing one of the biggest transformations in our history and technology is at the heart of our strategy. Join our team to play a part in one of the most important technological projects for the financial sector in the world.

Our mission is to contribute to helping more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and all our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management.  

Santander is proud of being an organization where there are equal opportunities regardless of age, gender, disability, civil status, race, religion or sexual orientation.

This job offer is an opportunity not only to join a great company but also to collaborate in projects that have a real impact on society.

THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE

CHIEF DATA & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICER (CDAIO) is looking for a SENIOR AI SCIENTIST, based in our MADRID office.

As a SENIOR AI SCIENTIST, you will work with vast datasets to develop models that solve real-world problems, collaborate with talented colleagues across disciplines, and connect with the broader AI community to push scientific and practical boundaries.

We are looking for curious, driven AI scientists who want their work to drive innovation with real impact. If you love tackling big challenges, banking offers some of the most complex and high-stakes AI problems, from risk management to financial inclusion, done responsibly and on a scale.

We’re shaping the way we work through innovation, cutting-edge technology, collaboration and the freedom to explore new ideas. To succeed in this role, you will be responsible for:

• Research, design, and implement advanced AI algorithms (ML, DL, NLP, and beyond) to solve complex problems.

• Translate business challenges into scientific problem statements and build impactful ML/AI prototypes and models that deliver business impact.

• Work with large-scale structured and unstructured data to develop models that are accurate, fair, and sustainable.

• Collaborate with Data Engineers, MLOps Engineers, Product Owners, and Business Stakeholders to deploy solutions into production.

• Contribute to AI best practices, model governance, and responsible AI frameworks.

• Stay current with the latest AI research and integrate relevant tools and techniques.

• Communicate insights and results clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Foster collaboration with academia and the global AI community to bring cutting-edge research into Santander.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

Our people are our greatest strength. Every individual contributes unique perspectives that make us stronger as a team and as an organization. We’re enabling teams to go beyond by valuing who they are and empowering what they bring.

The following requirements represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for success in this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Professional Experience

• Ideally, 5-8 years of experience working with vast datasets and developing models. (Required).

Education

• PhD or MSc in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, or a related field. (Required).

Languages

• English level fluent or high. (Required).

• Spanish. (Preferred).

Hard Skills

• Demonstrable impact of AI solutions deployed in production environments, or strong publication record in top-tier AI/ML conferences or journals. (Required).

• Strong programming skills in Python or similar languages, and deep knowledge of AI/ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn, or Hugging Face Transformers. (Required).

• Experience in end-to-end model development, inluding experimentation, deployment, adaptation, and monitoring. (Required).

• Solid understanding of model evaluation metrics, bias mitigation, explainability, and fairness in AI. (Required).

• Hands-on experience with Generative AI, including large language models or diffusion models in production. (Required).

• Expertise in scalable AI infrastructure, cloud deployments, and MLOps. (Required).

• Deep domain knowledge in financial services or other regulated industries. (Required).

• Strong contributions to open-source projects or recognized leadership in the global AI community. (Required).

WE VALUE YOUR IMPACT

Your contribution matters, and it’s recognized. You can expect a fair, competitive reward package that reflects the impact you create and the value you deliver. But we know rewards go beyond numbers.

• We’re enable our teams to go beyond through global opportunities and broad career paths.

• Flexibility that works. Enjoy a hybrid working models—some days remote, some days onsite with your team—along with flexible hours.

• Learning for life. Access hundreds of courses on our platforms, including exclusive access to our global learning space: Santander Open Academy (www.santanderopenacademy.com)

• Competitive rewards. Receive a highly competitive salary with performance-based bonuses, motivating you to keep growing with us.

• Financial advantages. Benefit from preferential banking terms, special interest rates on loans, life insurance, and more.

• Your health is our priority. Through BeHealthy, our global wellness programme, we promote Holistic wellbeing.

• We know family is everything. That’s why we offer childcare support and family-friendly programmes tailored to each life stage.

• Always by your side. Get access to Santander Contigo, our program for employees and their families offering legal, emotional, and administrative advisory services.

• Extra benefits. Gym/WellHub membership, medical centers in some of our facilities, meal subsidy, parking, shuttle service from various points in Madrid, as well as exclusive discounts and offers for Santander employees. And that’s only the beginning—we’ll tell you more when you join!

We’re here to keep you motivated, help you reach your goals, and celebrate your progress, every step of the way.

LOCAL COMPLIANCE

Santander is proud of being an organization where there are equal opportunities regardless of age, gender, disability, civil status, race, religion or sexual orientation. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible application process for all candidates.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

If this sounds like a role you are interested in, then please apply.
 

READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR JOURNEY?

If you want to know more about us, follow us on https://es.linkedin.com/company/banco-santander