Senior Backend Engineer, AI Team at Acorns

Feedinkoo; United States; Remote; USD 185,000 - 217,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Comprehensive benefits

401(k) matching

Flexible work location

Paid time off

Job summary

Acorns is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our AI team, focused on building a customer service virtual agent and advancing fintech AI capabilities. This remote-first role offers optional Irvine office access and emphasizes collaboration across data science, engineering, and product teams.

Requires 5+ years software engineering, 3+ years AI/ML, and strong cloud experience (AWS, Bedrock, Sagemaker, Databricks, Kubernetes).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in CS, SE, data science or related STEM field.
• 5+ years of software engineering experience.
• 3+ years in AI/ML engineering.
• 3+ years with cloud platforms (AWS, Bedrock, Sagemaker, Databricks, Kubernetes).
• Experience with Generative AI, Transformers, LLM tuning, and RAG improvements.

Responsibilities

• Understand Acorns’ mission, vision, and fintech context, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Review data pipelines and vector databases; identify gaps and propose improvements.
• Contribute to customer-facing AI projects; debug and deploy the virtual support bot MVP.
• Collaborate to align AI efforts with business goals; mentor junior team members.
• Build scalable monitoring and roadmap for AI innovations in fintech.

Skills

AI/ML engineering

Cloud

Python/PyTorch

Data tools

HuggingFace/LangChain

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS/SE/Data Science

Tools

AWS

Bedrock

SageMaker

Databricks

Kubernetes

Job description

Job Overview

Acorns is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our AI team! Are you passionate about cutting-edge AI technologies? Do you thrive in an environment where your skills can redefine customer experiences and positively impact lives? Join Acorns as we build the future of Fintech with a customer service virtual agent that’s as empowering as our mission.

Acorns is a remote-first organization, offering the flexibility to work remotely while providing optional access to office space in Irvine, CA.

What You Will Do

• Understand Acorns’ mission, vision, strategic objectives, and fintech industry knowledge while building relationships with team members, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams.
• Review and analyze proprietary datasets, existing Vector database architecture, pipelines, and tools to identify gaps and propose improvements.
• Contribute to key customer-facing projects, debugging and enhancing models, scaling pipelines, and delivering the virtual support bot MVP to production.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align AI efforts with business goals, mentor junior team members, and drive innovation through LLM capabilities.
• Optimize data pipelines, establish scalable monitoring processes, and develop a roadmap for innovation aligned with fintech objectives.

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Statistics, or a STEM-related field
• 5+ years of total software engineering experience
• 3+ years of experience in artificial intelligence, data science, or machine learning engineering
• 3+ years of experience with modern cloud computing technologies, such as AWS, Bedrock, Sagemaker, Databricks, or Kubernetes
• Foundational knowledge with Generative AI, Transformer, fine tuning LLM, Search ranking, RAG improvement, and LLM Agent
• Experience tuning neural networks on custom datasets.
• Experience with Huggingface, LangChain, chatbot development
• Proficiency in programming languages and analytical tools, such as Python or PyTorch, Pandas, NumPy, SciKit-Learn, Matplotlib
• Hunger to deliver game-changing products
• Exceptional drive and precision in delivery
• A belief that your work is tied to your life’s mission
• Optimistic about the potential of societal change
• You are not expected to have experience with all listed requirements. If you feel passionate about Acorns’ mission, vision, and values, please apply.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and stock options
• A comprehensive benefits package for you and your family
• Flexible work location, hours, and paid time off
• 401(k) matching
• Monthly Acorns account contribution & GoHenry account for your family
• Mindfulness and Financial Wellness resources, Headspace and Addition Wealth
• Acorns Career Development Program (Ongoing training sessions, development plans, development check-ins, Cornerstone’s online training platform)
• Roots Leadership Program for Emerging Leaders
• Community week onsite gatherings and various virtual events
• Talented and motivated team members who care deeply about one another, our mission, and our customers.

Compensation

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $184,500 and $217,100/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a sign-on bonus, equity grants, and discretionary cash bonus awards in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered.