Lead AI Software Engineer – Investments Technology (Hybrid- DC)

GR8 People, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 159,000 - 272,000; Full time

Job summary

T. Rowe Price seeks a leadership role to design, build, and deploy production-grade AI agents embedded in the investment lifecycle.

You will work across Investments, Investments Technology, and TRP Labs to architect and operate autonomous AI agents interacting with proprietary data and enterprise systems. This hybrid role offers collaboration across global teams, with a focus on governance, engineering discipline, and scalable AI practices.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in OO languages (Java, Python, or JavaScript) with leadership of engineering teams.
• Hands-on expertise architecting cloud-native solutions using AWS or Azure with containerized microservices.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to guide teams through complex technical challenges.
• Excellent communication with business stakeholders and technical teams.
• Commitment to engineering excellence through automated testing, code reviews, and continuous delivery.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy AI systems with mentoring for engineering squads.
• Collaborate in cross-functional squads to scale AI solutions across the enterprise.
• Partner with stakeholders to create agent-driven workflows and actionable insights.
• Establish best practices for AI development, CI, and code quality.
• Oversee agent orchestration, prompt engineering, and real-time automation.
• Prioritize technical debt and drive improvements to AI platforms.

Skills

Leadership

OO languages

Cloud architecture

Containerized microservices

CI/CD

Communication

Mentoring

Engineering standards

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS

Azure

Containerized microservices

Agent frameworks

Job description

At T. Rowe Price, we identify and actively invest in opportunities to help people thrive in an evolving world. As a premier global asset management organization with more than 85 years of experience, we provide investment solutions and a broad range of equity, fixed income, and multi-asset capabilities to individuals, advisors, institutions, and retirement plan sponsors. We take an active, independent approach to investing, offering our dynamic perspective and meaningful partnership so our clients can feel more confident.

We believe doing the right thing for our clients and our associates is good business. With a career at the firm, you can expect opportunities to create real impact at work and in your community. You'll enjoy resources to support your career path, as well as compensation, benefits, and flexibility to enrich your life. Here, you'll find a collaborative culture that respects and values differences and colleagues who share a spirit of generosity.

Join us for the opportunity to grow and make a difference in ways that matter to you.

Role Summary

Lead the design, development, and deployment of production-grade agentic AI systems embedded directly into the investment lifecycle as part of the Investments Technology team.

Work in cross-functional squads across Investments, Investments Technology, and TRP Labs to architect, build, and operationalize autonomous AI agents that interact with proprietary financial data, enterprise systems, and investment professionals. AI agents will encompass investment research, quantitative analysis, portfolio management, and trading business functions.

Help define the technical standards, architectural patterns, governance frameworks, and engineering discipline required to scale AI responsibly across a global asset management platform.

This role could have the opportunity for split onsite hybrid between our Baltimore and Washington DC locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of AI systems, providing technical mentorship and oversight to engineering squads.
• Collaborate in cross-functional squads to ensure responsible AI solutions are scaled across the enterprise.
• Partner with business stakeholders to develop agent-driven workflows that automate complex processes and generate actionable insights.
• Champion engineering excellence by establishing and enforcing best practices in AI development, continuous integration, and code quality.
• Oversee projects on agent orchestration, prompt engineering, and real-time, data-driven automation.
• Prioritize and manage technical debt, driving ongoing improvements in AI platforms and infrastructure.
• Proactively identify and pursue opportunities to apply AI agents for increased business value and operational efficiency.

Business Knowledge

• Engage directly with business stakeholders to thoroughly understand organizational needs, strategic priorities, and evolving market demands.
• Make informed technology decisions that align with the firm’s long-term strategy, organizational objectives, and fiscal responsibility.
• Leverage deep business knowledge to translate complex requirements into robust, scalable technology solutions that drive measurable business value.

Qualifications

Required

• BS or MS in Computer Science or a related technical field (or equivalent experience), with 8+ years of progressive professional development experience in object‑oriented languages (such as Java, Python, or JavaScript), including demonstrated leadership of engineering teams.
• Extensive hands‑on expertise in architecting and delivering cloud‑native solutions using AWS or Azure, containerized microservices, and agent frameworks.
• Exceptional analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a proven ability to guide teams through complex technical challenges.
• Able to communicate with and influence both business stakeholders and technical teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to engineering excellence through setting and upholding standards for automated testing, code reviews, and continuous delivery.
• Results‑oriented leader with a passion for mentoring others, fostering innovation, and staying at the forefront of emerging technologies.

Preferred

• Hands‑on experience building LLM‑powered or agent‑based systems in production.
• Experience with retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG), vector databases, MCP servers, agent orchestration frameworks, prompt evaluation and iteration, model benchmarking, and performance testing.
• Experience with Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, AWS Kiro, and OpenAI Codex.
• Experience in asset management, financial markets, or quantitative research environments.
• Solid understanding of financial markets, financial instruments, and financial datasets.

FINRA Requirements

FINRA licenses are not required and will not be supported for this role.

Work Flexibility

This role is eligible for hybrid work, with up to three days per week from home.

Base Salary Ranges

$145,000.00 - $247,000.00 for the location of: Maryland, Colorado, Washington and remote workers

$159,000.00 - $272,000.00 for the location of: Washington, D.C.

$181,000.00 - $309,000.00 for the location of: New York, California

Placement within the range provided above is based on the individual’s relevant experience and skills for the role. Base salary is only one component of our total compensation package. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, which is determined upon company and individual performance.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At T. Rowe Price, our associates are our greatest asset. We thrive because our company culture is built on inclusion and because we sustain a work environment where associates can bring their best selves to work every day. The backgrounds, talents, and experiences of our global associates allow us to embrace new ideas and perspectives that move our business priorities forward and enable us to deliver strong client outcomes. Here, you can expect equal opportunity and fair and consistent treatment for all.

Benefits

We value your goals and needs, at work and in life. As an associate, you'll be supported with resources, benefits, and work‑life balance so you can thrive in ways that matter to you.

• Competitive compensation
• Annual bonus eligibility
• A generous retirement plan
• Hybrid work schedule
• Health and wellness benefits, including online therapy
• Paid time off for vacation, illness, medical appointments, and volunteering days
• Family care resources, including fertility and adoption benefits

Learn more about our benefits.

T. Rowe Price is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity of thought, gender, and race. We believe our continued success depends upon the equal treatment of all associates and applicants for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, age, mental or physical disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or any other classification protected by country, federal, state, or local law.