Lead GenAI Backend Platform Software Engineer

The Lead GenAI Backend Platform Software Engineer works independently and develops robust, scalable software solutions across the full stack from cloud infrastructure to backend API integrations to agentic workflows and MCP servers.
This role is central to architecting and implementing a cutting-edge generative AI regulatory chat assistant. The Lead Software Engineer improves overall product quality throughout the software development lifecycle, guides team members in best practices and technical leadership, and helps identify and mitigate architectural risks. This position reports directly to a Director or Senior Director.

Essential Job Functions:

Architectural Leadership & Design:

• Design and develop industry-leading solutions that meet defined quality standards, reliability specifications, and strategic objectives
• Lead the architecture of robust, scalable software solutions, with strong focus on backend services (FastAPI, Python) and LLM technologies
• Assist with architecting and developing cloud-native solutions leveraging AWS services, including Bedrock, S3, Fargate, Aurora, Lambda, Step Functions, and emerging technologies
• Collaborate on system architecture decisions and API design, ensuring secure, performant, and maintainable patterns
• Demonstrate solid understanding of systems and processes within the job area and recommend improvements

Engineering Excellence & Quality:

• Design and implement high-performance, secure APIs using FastAPI and Python, establishing patterns that the team replicates
• Guide the team in industry-leading practices for software development, code quality, system design, and test automation
• Excellent understanding of computer science fundamentals, including algorithm design, problem solving, complexity analysis and data structures
• Lead implementation of comprehensive test strategies, including unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end testing methodologies; champion test-driven development (TDD) practices and automated testing frameworks

DevOps & Infrastructure:

• Assist with implementing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, fostering a strong DevOps culture within the team
• Help identify gaps between system components and designs and delivers solutions that enable team autonomy
• Take broad perspective to infrastructure problems and exercises independent judgment in selecting techniques and evaluation criteria to obtain results
• Develop actionable insights from analyzing software development trends and software engineering best practices, communicating integration recommendations to management

Mentorship & Cultural Leadership:

• Mentor and guide less experienced team members in techniques, processes, and best practices for full-stack development, API design, and system architecture
• Coach and train colleagues in how to write clean, maintainable, secure code and how to think systemically about software design
• Champion collaborative resolution of defects and lead or co-lead internal process improvement initiatives
• Provide feedback on processes by offering suggestions in line with FINRA's values of collaboration, expertise, innovation, and responsibility

Product & Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Work on complex features requiring strong knowledge of generative AI industry practices
• Partner within and across teams meet shared goals and priorities
• Openly share progress and priorities with key stakeholders, communicating complex or technical information at the right level
• Contribute proactively to the full product development lifecycle, from ideation through deployment

Generative AI & Emerging Technologies:

• Develop and refine the system's integration with large language models (LLMs) and generative AI technologies (e.g., agents and MCP servers) as they evolve
• Design secure patterns for handling sensitive data within AI-powered workflows, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
• Identify innovative applications of AI/LLM capabilities to improve system functionality and user experience
• Stays informed of advances in LLM frameworks (e.g., LangGraph , Google ADK, AWS Strands), optimization approaches, and emerging AI capabilities

Security & Compliance:

• Ensure all work products meet or exceed FINRA and team standards for secure development practices
• Assist with adherence to technology policies and comply with all security controls
• Lead secure coding practices and threat modeling for API and infrastructure components
• Ensure secure handling of personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive regulatory data throughout the development lifecycle

Education/Experience Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems or related discipline with at least 7 years of related experience, or equivalent training and/or work experience.

• Strong system design experience

• Strong experience in object-oriented development

• Strong experience with cloud technologies

• Strong experience in data storage technologies

• Strong experience in performance tuning and optimization

• Strong experience in DevOps and CI\CD technologies

• Strong experience test automation and unit testing

• Strong experience software security

Working Conditions:

• Hybrid work environment, with defined in-person presence requirements.

• Hybrid work environment, with defined in-person presence requirements.

• Occasional travel and extended hours may be required.

For work that is performed in San Francisco, CA, CO, FL, TX, IL, PA, MA, MD, VA, Washington, DC, NY and NJ, please refer to the chart below for the salary range for the corresponding location. FINRA complies with all state and local pay transparency laws and regulations requiring the disclosure of salary ranges for the position. In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and market considerations. 

San Francisco, CA: Minimum Salary $171,942, Maximum Salary $248,700

CO/FL/TX: Minimum Salary $114,200, Maximum Salary $207,200

IL/PA: Minimum Salary $125,900, Maximum Salary $228,000
MA/MD/VA/Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $131,200, Maximum Salary $238,300

NY/NJ: Minimum Salary $131,200, Maximum Salary $248,700

#LI-Hybrid

To be considered for this position, please submit an application. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.

Please note: If the “Apply Now” button on a job board posting does not take you directly to the FINRA Careers site, enter www.finra.org/careers into your browser to reach our site directly.

Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law. As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance. Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal. FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.

Time Off and Paid Leave*

FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program of 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year). Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule). Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment). Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.

*Based on full-time schedule

Important Information

FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator. FINRA employees are required to disclose to FIN