Staff Software Engineer

Cantor Fitzgerald; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 190,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Cantor Fitzgerald in Chicago, IL is seeking a senior software architect to own the technical architecture of cross-team full-stack initiatives, spanning front-end, backend, and data layers in a cloud-native environment.

You will design scalable web apps, integrate agentic AI workflows, mentor engineers, set coding standards, and translate business strategy into scalable roadmaps, with a focus on AI-driven capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, MIS, or related field.
• 12+ years of software engineering experience architecting full-stack web applications at scale.
• Deep understanding of distributed systems design, microservices, and API design (REST/GraphQL).
• Strong experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP) and cloud-native architecture patterns.
• Hands-on experience building or integrating agentic AI systems, LLM-powered applications, or AI agent orchestration frameworks (e.g., LangChain, AutoGen, Semantic Kernel, MCP).
• Proven track record of leading large-scale technical initiatives across multiple teams.
• Strong background in database design, including both relational (SQL) and NoSQL data stores.
• Deep understanding of CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code, and DevOps practices.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and influence technical direction without direct reporting authority.
• Preferred: multi-agent systems, event-driven architectures, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the technical architecture for cross-team full-stack initiatives spanning front-end, backend, and data layers.
• Design, build, and maintain scalable web applications and distributed services in a cloud-native environment.
• Architect and integrate agentic AI workflows (autonomous agents, LLM-driven automation, AI copilots) into engineering and product systems.
• Set engineering standards and best practices for code quality, system design, testing, and deployment, including AI-assisted tools.
• Lead technical design reviews and provide architectural guidance to multiple engineering teams.
• Translate business strategy into scalable technical roadmaps, including AI-driven product capabilities.
• Identify and resolve systemic performance, reliability, and scalability issues across the stack.
• Mentor and coach senior and mid-level engineers, raising the technical bar across the organization.
• Drive adoption of modern frameworks, tools, and engineering practices, including agentic AI and LLM tooling, to improve velocity and resilience.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and trends in agentic AI and automation, assessing applicability to the business.

Skills

Full-stack architecture

Distributed systems

API design (REST/GraphQL)

Cloud platforms (Azure/AWS/GCP)

Agentic AI / LLM orchestration

Leadership / mentorship

CI/CD / DevOps

Relational & NoSQL databases

Multi-team leadership

LangChain / AutoGen / Semantic Kernel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, MIS, or related field

Tools

LangChain

AutoGen

Semantic Kernel

MCP

Docker

Kubernetes

Kafka

Job description

Chicago, IL, United States
Dallas, TX, United States

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Own and drive the technical architecture for complex, cross-team full-stack initiatives spanning front-end, backend, and data layers.

Design, build, and maintain scalable, high-performance web applications and distributed services in a cloud-native environment.

Architect and integrate agentic AI workflows (autonomous agents, LLM-driven automation, AI copilots) into engineering and product systems to drive efficiency and new capabilities.

Set engineering standards and best practices for code quality, system design, testing, and deployment across the organization, including responsible use of AI-assisted development tools.

Lead technical design reviews and provide architectural guidance to multiple engineering teams.

Partner with product, design, and engineering leadership to translate business strategy into scalable technical roadmaps, including AI-driven product capabilities.

Identify and resolve systemic performance, reliability, and scalability issues across the stack.

Mentor and coach senior and mid-level engineers, raising the technical bar across the organization on both full-stack and AI engineering practices.

Drive adoption of modern frameworks, tools, and engineering practices, including agentic AI and LLM tooling, to improve developer velocity and system resilience.

Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and industry trends, particularly in agentic AI and automation, and assess their applicability to the business.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, MIS, or related field preferred.

12+ years of experience in software engineering, with demonstrated experience architecting full-stack web applications at scale.

Deep understanding of distributed systems design, microservices architecture, and API design (REST/GraphQL).

Strong experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP) and cloud-native architecture patterns.

Hands-on experience building or integrating agentic AI systems, LLM-powered applications, or AI agent orchestration frameworks (e.g., LangChain, AutoGen, Semantic Kernel, MCP).

Proven track record of leading large-scale technical initiatives across multiple teams.

Strong background in database design, including both relational (SQL) and NoSQL data stores.

Deep understanding of CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code, and DevOps practices.

Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and influence technical direction without direct reporting authority.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience designing multi-agent systems, tool-calling architectures, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines.

Experience with event-driven architectures and real-time data processing (e.g., Kafka, Event Hubs, Kinesis).

Familiarity with containerization and orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).

Prior experience in commercial real estate, fintech, or operations/transaction systems.

Track record of speaking, writing, or open-source contributions that demonstrate technical thought leadership, especially in applied AI.

Why Join Us?

Shape the technical direction of business-critical platforms at enterprise scale, including next-generation agentic AI initiatives.

Be part of a high-impact team where ownership, innovation, and technical excellence drive success.

Competitive compensation, growth opportunities, and access to world-class engineering and AI resources.

Collaborative Culture:Join a high-caliber team with deep expertise across full-stack development, cloud, agentic AI, and distributed systems.

Growth & Learning:Access world-class learning resources and mentorship to advance your career.

Work-Life Balance:Flexible working hours and hybrid options.

If you're passionate about architecting scalable systems, building agentic AI-driven solutions, and shaping engineering culture, we'd love to hear from you!

The expected base salary for this position ranges from $190,000 to $250,000 annually. The actual base salary will be determined on an individualized basis taking into account a wide range of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, education, and, where applicable, licenses or certifications held. In addition to base salary and a competitive benefits package, this position may be eligible for additional types of compensation including discretionary bonuses and other short- and long-term incentives (e.g., deferred cash, equity, etc.).

Job Info

• Job Identification 249513
• Posting Date 07/31/2026, 01:44 PM
• Locations Chicago, IL, United States Dallas, TX, United States