Engineering Manager II, AI Systems

joinroot; United States; Remote; USD 188,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Root is seeking an Engineering Manager II, AI Systems to lead the AI Platform and AI Enablement Squad, shaping how Root builds AI-powered systems across product and operations.

You will collaborate with product managers, data scientists, and engineering leaders to define the roadmap, set reliability and security standards, and coach a growing team of engineers. This role offers broad impact and high visibility within the company.

Qualifications

• 5+ years as a software engineer.
• 3+ years as a people manager on engineering teams.
• Experience leading teams building AI/ML infrastructure, integrations, or developer tooling.
• Familiarity with large language model APIs, prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, or AI agent frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage in ambiguity and drive execution on evolving technical strategy.
• Excellent communication skills with engineering colleagues, data scientists, and senior business leaders.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS preferred) and modern application development workflows.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the AI Platform and AI Enablement Squad engineering teams, responsible for internal tooling, deployment patterns, and integrations that power Root's AI features.
• Partner with product managers, data scientists, and quantitative scientists to define and execute the AI engineering roadmap.
• Establish engineering standards for AI system development including reliability, observability, security, and responsible AI practices.
• Manage team members to ensure strong performance through coaching, feedback, and delegation.
• Identify gaps in the team and develop plans to address them through hiring or partnerships.
• Engage with code and design reviews, demonstrating a hands-on approach to problem-solving.
• Work with Engineering Leadership to improve the effectiveness of the organization as a whole.
• Coordinate across teams where AI infra intersects with Platform, Data Platform, and product engineering.

Skills

Software engineering

People management

AI/ML infrastructure

LLM APIs

Ambiguity management

Communication skills

Cloud infrastructure

Job description

Root is on a mission to unbreak insurance by creating experiences people love at prices they can't believe. We believe that investing in world-class technology will facilitate a new class of insurance products, driving a massive positive impact on the hundreds of millions of drivers who carry auto insurance in the US.

The Opportunity

The Engineering Manager II, AI Systems leads Root's AI Platform and AI Enablement Squad teams - the engineers responsible for building the infrastructure, tooling, and integrations that bring AI capabilities to life across Root's product and operations. This is an early and high-visibility role: you will shape how Root builds AI-powered systems, establish engineering standards for responsible AI deployment, and grow a team of skilled engineers working on some of the most strategically important work at the company.

Salary Range

$188,000 - $259,710 (Eligible for competitive bonus and equity offering)

Root is a "work where it works best" company. This means we will support you working in whatever location that works best for you across the US.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Lead and grow the AI Platform and AI Enablement Squad engineering teams, responsible for the internal tooling, deployment patterns, and integrations that power Root's AI features
• Partner with business partners including product managers, data scientists, and quantitative scientists to define and execute the AI engineering roadmap
• Establish engineering standards for AI system development including reliability, observability, security, and responsible AI practices
• Manage team members to ensure they are performing well individually and as a cohesive unit; use coaching, feedback, and delegation to achieve business and individual goals
• Identify gaps in the team and develop plans to address them through individual development, hiring, or cross-functional partnership
• Engage directly with code, design reviews, and technical challenges alongside your team when necessary, demonstrating a hands-on approach to problem-solving
• Work closely with the Engineering Leadership team to improve the effectiveness of the Engineering organization as a whole
• Coordinate across teams where AI infrastructure intersects with Platform, Data Platform, and product engineering to ensure seamless delivery

What You Will Need to Succeed

• 5+ years as a software engineer
• 3+ years as a people manager on engineering teams
• Experience leading teams building AI/ML infrastructure, integrations, or developer tooling
• Familiarity with large language model APIs, prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, or AI agent frameworks
• Proven ability to manage in ambiguity and drive execution on evolving technical strategy
• Excellent communication skills with engineering colleagues, data scientists, and senior business leaders
• Experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS preferred) and modern application development workflows

As part of Root's interview process, we kindly ask that all candidates be on camera for virtual interviews. This helps us create a more personal and engaging experience for both you and our interviewers. Being on camera is a standard requirement for our process and part of how we assess fit and communication style, so we do require it to move forward with any applicant's candidacy. If you have any concerns, feel free to let us know once you are contacted. We’re happy to talk it through.

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Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is the policy of Root to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or candidate with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship for Root. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact [e-mail].