Principal AI Software Engineer, Payroll

Gusto; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 261,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm seeks a seasoned software developer to lead the integration of AI into payroll solutions. This role focuses on enhancing user experiences through intelligent automation, requiring deep expertise in Agentic AI and Machine Learning. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you'll simplify complex workflows and drive impactful solutions. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of payroll services while working in a collaborative environment that values diversity and inclusion. Join a team dedicated to empowering small businesses and transforming the way they manage their workforce.

Benefits

Health Insurance

401(k) Plans

Stock Equity

Flexible Work Hours

Qualifications

• 15+ years of software development experience required.
• Expertise in Agentic AI and Machine Learning is essential.

Responsibilities

• Understand customer journeys and identify opportunities for AI integration.
• Design multi-agent AI systems to automate customer workflows.

Skills

Agentic AI

Machine Learning

Software Development

Product Management

Problem Solving

Job description

Denver, CO; San Francisco, CA; New York, NY

About Gusto

Gusto is a modern, online people platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams. On top of full-service payroll, Gusto offers health insurance, 401(k)s, expert HR, and team management tools. Today, Gusto offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York serve more than 400,000 businesses nationwide.

Our mission is to create a world where work empowers a better life, and it starts right here at Gusto. That’s why we’re committed to building a collaborative and inclusive workplace, both physically and virtually. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy.

About the Role:

We are looking for someone to help us accelerate our payroll mission via intelligent use and integration of conversational and agentic AI into the products that serve small and medium business owners and their teams. This person should not only be familiar with AI technologies but should have experience applying them to enhance existing product experiences.

About the Team:

Payroll is the beating heart of Gusto’s business. Payroll Services teams are responsible for the product, ops, and service components Gusto uses to onboard customers, process payrolls, calculate taxes & deductions, pay and file with tax agencies, and maintain compliance on behalf of the customers. The domain is highly complex and offers the opportunity to engage in system design that simplifies this for customers, both internal and external.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Deeply understand the customer journey—both on and off the Gusto platform—and identify high-impact opportunities to simplify, automate, and delight through AI.
• Design and build multi-agent AI systems that collaborate effectively to automate key customer workflows and jobs to be done.
• Partner closely with engineers, product managers, designers, and other cross-functional teams to bring innovative AI-powered experiences to life quickly.
• Continuously iterate on AI-driven features to improve customer outcomes and drive measurable business impact.
• Support Payroll and Tax teams in applying AI to build more intuitive, efficient, and delightful experiences for both internal and external users.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 15+ years of software development experience
• Expertise in Agentic AI, Machine Learning, and LLMs is essential. You should be considered an expert in this field and have applied it to existing products.
• Proficiency in designing and implementing standardized software architecture principles across a broad range of applications, teams, and products.
• Product-minded and thrives in creative problem-solving, seamlessly transitioning between engineering and product management roles to drive impactful solutions.
• An aptitude and interest in bringing clarity and simplicity to complex and ambiguous problems.
• Ability to communicate technical complexity and help facilitate informed tradeoffs.
• Experience building products in highly regulated domains is desired, but not required.
• Experience in one of these domains is desired but not required: Payroll, Taxes, or Compliance.

Please note that travel to Gusto’s Denver office for onboarding is required for this position. If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please share with your recruiter.

Our cash compensation amount for this role is targeted at $222,000/yr to $247,000/yr in Denver & most remote locations, and $261,000/yr to $290,000/yr for San Francisco, Seattle & New York. Stock equity is additional. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role).

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto.

Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.