Principal Consultant- AI

LAB3 is one of Australasia’s largest Azure engineering practices, specialising in Cloud & DevOps, Data, IoT & AI, Modern Workplace, Security, and Networks. We’re seeking a Principal Consultant- AI  to join our Professional Services team.  This is a senior, client-facing leadership role accountable for shaping, selling, and delivering high impact AI and Agentic AI programs for enterprise clients, working across the AI lifecycle from prototyping to production.

 

The Role:

Client Leadership & Advisory 

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders
• Lead AI strategy engagements, including use case prioritization, value articulation, and delivery roadmaps. 

• Translate business strategy into scalable AI architectures and operating models. 

Solution Architecture & Technical Authority 

• Provide architectural leadership across Agentic AI, GenAI, RAG, MLOps, and data platforms on Azure. 

• Define reference architectures, nonfunctional requirements, and design patterns for enterprise AI systems. 

• Review and approve HLD/LLD produced by delivery teams; intervene on complex or high-risk designs. 

• Guide model selection, orchestration patterns, governance approaches, and platform choices aligned to business constraints. 

Delivery Oversight & Risk Management 

• Own end to end technical accountability for large or complex AI programs. 

• Derisk delivery through early architecture validation, proof points, and phased adoption strategies. 

• Establish delivery standards across security, observability, MLOps, and responsible AI. 

• Support engagement leads with estimates, delivery plans, and dependency management. 

PreSales & Commercial Contribution 

• Lead or support pre-sales activities including discovery, solution shaping, estimates, SOW input, and technical assurance. 

• Contribute to win-strategy through differentiated architecture, accelerators, and compelling narratives. 

• Act as a technical escalation point during bids and client negotiations. 

Practice & Capability Development 

• Define and evolve AI standards, accelerators, and reusable assets for LAB3. 

• Mentor Senior Engineers and Consultants; uplift architectural thinking and consulting maturity. 

• Contribute to hiring, role design, and skills benchmarking. 

• Represent LAB3 externally through thought leadership, client showcases, and partner engagements. 

Governance, Security & Responsible AI 

• Set best practice approaches for AI governance, risk, compliance, and ethics. 

• Ensure solutions align with enterprise security models
• Champion responsible AI principles

 

Our ideal candidate:

 

Core Technical Expertise:

• Microsoft AI & Data Stack: Azure AI Foundry, Azure AI Search (vector & hybrid), Azure OpenAI, Azure ML, Fabric / Databricks. 

• Agentic AI & GenAI: Agent frameworks, RAG at scale, orchestration patterns, tool/function calling, prompt optimisation. 

• Architecture: Distributed systems, event driven design, API strategies, data platform integration. 

• MLops & Platform Engineering: CI/CD, model lifecycle management, IaC, containers, AKS. 

• Observability: End to end telemetry across application, data, and model layers. 

• Security: Enterprise identity, networking, data protection, and compliance patterns. 

Consulting & Leadership Capability 

• Proven experience leading large or complex client engagements. 

• Strong commercial acumen: value framing, estimation, and scope control. 

• Exceptional communication—credible with executives and deeply technical teams alike. 

• Ability to coach, influence, and set direction without direct authority. 

Must be based anywhere in Australia, a citizen, and ideally hold security clearance

 

What’s in it for you?  

• Be part of a team that leverages modern technologies to solve real problems and provides top level of customer satisfaction

• Work with a Microsoft Partner of the Year award winner with multiple specialisations

• Be supported by experienced peers and leaders that value technical expertise and encourages innovation, with clear career pathways and ongoing learning

• Enjoy a supportive workplace that promotes inclusion, flexibility, diversity, and celebrates differences.
• Take advantage of largely working from home in our remote/hybrid workplace and enjoy the flexibility to balance your life  

•  Thrive in a community with strong values #BeTrue #TeamUp #StandOut #ThinkAhead #FearLessAchieveMore 

   

Apply now, call or connect on LinkedIn for further information.