Platform & API Lead Engineer for AI-Driven Backend

Humana; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 155,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus incentive plan

Health, dental, vision benefits

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Humana’s Centerwell is building its AI engineering function and seeks a Lead Software Engineer to design and implement the service layer that connects AI capabilities, data systems, and product frontends. You will guide backend architecture, security patterns, and deployment practices for an enterprise-grade platform serving care teams and patients.

The role emphasizes leading API design, security-by-design, and scalable observability, while contributing to full-stack development with TypeScript

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8+ years of software engineering experience with deep expertise in backend and platform engineering.
• Strong proficiency in TypeScript and/or Python for API and service development.
• Proven track record building scalable, production-grade REST or GraphQL APIs.
• Solid understanding of authentication (OAuth2, OIDC), API security patterns, and authorization model design.
• Working knowledge of HIPAA requirements, particularly secure transmission, storage, and access control for PHI.
• Experience with Next.js and React sufficient for full-stack feature contribution.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex backend systems end-to-end, from architecture through production operation.
• Hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools and LLM coding harnesses (Claude Code, Pi Agent, Cursor, Codex, or similar).

Responsibilities

• Platform and API Architecture: Design and lead development of core backend services, REST and GraphQL APIs, and service-to-service integrations that connect all layers of Centerwell's AI product stack.
• Security and Compliance by Design: Establish patterns for authentication, authorization, rate limiting, PHI access control, and audit logging. Ensure HIPAA compliance is embedded in platform design from day one—not bolted on after the fact.
• AI and LLM Integration Patterns: Define and implement reusable patterns for integrating AI capabilities into product APIs, including LLM routing, streaming responses, tool orchestration, and model output handling.
• Observability and Reliability: Build logging, monitoring, and alerting infrastructure so the platform is operable and debuggable at scale.
• Full-Stack Feature Delivery: Contribute to product feature development end-to-end using TypeScript and Next.js, from server-side APIs to rendered UI.
• Architecture Reviews and Standards: Drive architecture reviews and define backend engineering standards that the full engineering team builds on.

Skills

Backend engineering

TypeScript

Python

GraphQL APIs

REST APIs

API security

HIPAA compliance

LLM tooling

Full-stack development

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Next.js

React

Claude Code

Pi Agent

Codex

Job description

Humana’s Centerwell is building its AI engineering function and seeks a Lead Software Engineer to design and implement the service layer that connects AI capabilities, data systems, and product frontends. You will guide backend architecture, security patterns, and deployment practices for an enterprise-grade platform serving care teams and patients.

The role emphasizes leading API design, security-by-design, and scalable observability, while contributing to full-stack development with TypeScript