Software Engineer 2 (Backend AI)

$98K - $115K Atlanta, GA, US Mid Level AI Software Engineer

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Skills & Technologies

AwsAzureBedrockDockerKubernetesLangchainOpenaiPrompt EngineeringPythonRag

About This Role

AI job market dashboard showing open roles by category

At U.S. Bank, we’re on a journey to do our best. Helping the customers and businesses we serve to make better and smarter financial decisions and enabling the communities we support to grow and succeed. We believe it takes all of us to bring our shared ambition to life, and each person is unique in their potential. A career with U.S. Bank gives you a wide, ever\-growing range of opportunities to discover what makes you thrive at every stage of your career. Try new things, learn new skills and discover what you excel at—all from Day One.

Job Description

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This position will be responsible for the analysis, design, testing, development and maintenance of best in class software experiences. The candidate is a self\-motivated individual who can collaborate with a team and across the organization. The candidate takes responsibility of the software artifacts produced adhering to U.S. Bank standards in order to ensure minimal impact to the customer experience. The candidate will be adept with the agile software development lifecycle and DevOps principles.

Essential Responsibilities:

  • Responsible for designing, developing, testing, operating and maintaining products
  • Takes full stack ownership by consistently writing production\-ready and testable code
  • Consistently creates optimal design adhering to architectural best practices; considers scalability, reliability and performance of systems/contexts affected when defining technical designs
  • Performs analysis on failures, propose design changes, and encourage operational improvements
  • Makes sound design/coding decisions keeping customer experience in the forefront
  • Takes feedback from code review and apply changes to meet standards
  • Conducts code reviews to provide guidance on engineering best practices and compliance with development procedures
  • Accountable for ensuring all aspects of product development follow compliance and security best practices
  • Exhibits relentless focus in software reliability engineering standards embedded into development standards
  • Embraces emerging technology opportunities and contributes to the best practices in support of the bank’s technology transformation
  • Contributes to a culture of innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement
  • Reviews tasks critically and ensures they are appropriately prioritized and sized for incremental delivery; anticipates and communicates blockers and delays before they require escalation

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent work experience
  • Three to five years of relevant experience

\*This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship or transfer of visa sponsorship\*

*This position is only available as a hybrid role* *requiring a minimum of 3 days in office per week at one of the listed office locations in:* *Earth City, MO; Denver, CO; Hopkins, MN; Cincinnati, OH; Irving, TX; Brookfield, WI.*

### Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience building AI/GenAI\-powered applications using Large Language Models (LLMs).
  • Hands\-on experience with Retrieval\-Augmented Generation (RAG), vector databases, prompt engineering, and AI orchestration frameworks.
  • Experience with agentic AI frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel, or similar technologies.
  • Familiarity with Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Services, AWS Bedrock, or equivalent AI platforms.
  • Experience integrating AI services with enterprise systems, APIs, workflows, and data platforms.
  • Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
  • Knowledge of distributed systems, scalability, observability, and performance optimization.
  • Experience with GitHub Copilot or other AI\-assisted software development tools.
  • Understanding of responsible AI, AI governance, and model evaluation practices.

### Key Technical Skills

  • Java, Python, Spring Boot, FastAPI, Node.js
  • REST APIs, GraphQL, Microservices
  • Azure, AWS, Cloud\-Native Architecture
  • Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD Pipelines
  • SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB
  • Vector Databases, Embedding Models, RAG
  • Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, LLM APIs
  • LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel
  • GitHub, GitHub Copilot, DevOps Tooling

### Professional Skills

  • Excellent problem\-solving and analytical abilities.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions.
  • Demonstrated collaboration with product, architecture, security, and business teams.
  • Commitment to continuous learning and adoption of emerging AI technologies.

Location expectations

This role requires working from a U.S. Bank location three (3\) or more days per week.

If there’s anything we can do to accommodate a disability during any portion of the application or hiring process, please refer to our disability accommodations for applicants.

Benefits:

Our approach to benefits and total rewards considers our team members’ whole selves and what may be needed to thrive in and outside work. That's why our benefits are designed to help you and your family boost your health, protect your financial security and give you peace of mind. Our benefits include the following:

  • Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)
  • Basic term and optional term life insurance
  • Short\-term and long\-term disability
  • Pregnancy disability and parental leave
  • 401(k) and employer\-funded retirement plan
  • Paid vacation (from two to five weeks depending on salary grade and tenure)
  • Up to 11 paid holiday opportunities
  • Adoption assistance
  • Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law

Review our full benefits available by employment status here.

U.S. Bank is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, and other factors protected under applicable law.

E\-Verify

U.S. Bank participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E\-Verify program in all facilities located in the United States and certain U.S. territories. The E\-Verify program is an Internet\-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The salary range reflects figures based on the primary location, which is listed first. The actual range for the role may differ based on the location of the role. In addition to salary, U.S. Bank offers a comprehensive benefits package, including incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase 401(k) contribution and pension (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). Pay Range: $98,175\.00 \- $115,500\.00

U.S. Bank will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment. U.S. Bank conducts background checks consistent with applicable local laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act as well as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. U.S. Bank is subject to, and conducts background checks consistent with the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA). In addition, certain positions may also be subject to the requirements of FINRA, NMLS registration, Reg Z, Reg G, OFAC, the NFA, the FCPA, the Bank Secrecy Act, the SAFE Act, and/or federal guidelines applicable to an agreement, such as those related to ethics, safety, or operational procedures.

Applicants must be able to comply with U.S. Bank policies and procedures including the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and related workplace conduct and safety policies.

Posting may be closed earlier due to high volume of applicants.

Salary Context

This $98K-$115K range is in the lower quartile for AI Software Engineer roles in our dataset (median: $183K across 194 roles with salary data).

Role Details

Company U.S. Bank
Title Software Engineer 2 (Backend AI)
Location Atlanta, GA, US
Category AI Software Engineer
Experience Mid Level
Salary $98K - $115K
Remote No

About This Role

AI Software Engineers build the applications and systems that AI models run inside. They own the API layers, data pipelines, frontend integrations, and infrastructure that turn a model into a product users interact with. Every AI company needs engineers who can build the software around the AI.

The challenge is building reliable systems around inherently unreliable components. Models are probabilistic. They'll give different answers to the same question. They hallucinate. They're slow. They're expensive. Your job is to build an application layer that handles all of this gracefully while delivering a product that users trust and enjoy.

Across the 3,708 AI roles we're tracking, AI Software Engineer positions make up 7% of the market. At U.S. Bank, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.

AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.

What the Work Looks Like

A typical week includes: building API endpoints that serve model inference with caching and fallback logic, designing the data pipeline that feeds context to a RAG system, implementing streaming responses in the frontend, debugging a race condition in the async inference pipeline, and optimizing database queries for the vector search layer. It's full-stack engineering with AI at the center.

AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.

Skills Required

Aws (30% of roles) Azure (24% of roles) Bedrock (6% of roles) Docker (10% of roles) Kubernetes (12% of roles) Langchain (10% of roles) Openai (11% of roles) Prompt Engineering (15% of roles) Python (51% of roles) Rag (23% of roles)

Full-stack engineering skills with AI integration experience. Python and TypeScript are the most common requirements. You'll need to understand API design, database architecture, and how to build reliable systems around probabilistic outputs. Experience with streaming, async processing, and caching patterns is increasingly important as real-time AI applications proliferate.

Knowledge of vector databases, embedding APIs, and LLM integration patterns (function calling, structured outputs, retry logic) differentiates AI software engineers from general software engineers. Understanding cost optimization (caching strategies, model routing, batched inference) is valuable since inference costs can dominate application economics.

Strong postings describe the product you'll be building, the AI integration patterns you'll work with, and the scale requirements. Look for companies that have existing AI features and need engineers to improve and expand them, not companies that are 'planning to add AI' someday.

Compensation Benchmarks

AI Software Engineer roles pay a median of $219,250 based on 424 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $200,000. This role's midpoint ($106K) sits 51% below the category median. Disclosed range: $98K to $115K.

Across all AI roles, the market median is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($300,000) and Research Engineer ($280,000). By seniority level: Entry: $120,000; Mid: $200,000; Senior: $230,000; Director: $272,150; VP: $250,000.

U.S. Bank AI Hiring

U.S. Bank has 11 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across AI/ML Engineer, AI Product Manager, AI Software Engineer. Positions span New York, NY, US, Minneapolis, MN, US, Irving, TX, US. Compensation range: $101K - $252K.

Location Context

Across all AI roles, 14% (508 positions) offer remote work, while 3,180 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,045 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (810 roles, $277,088 median); Los Angeles (397 roles, $215,000 median).

Career Path

Common paths into AI Software Engineer roles include Software Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, Backend Engineer.

From here, career progression typically leads toward Staff Engineer, AI Architect, Engineering Manager.

If you're a software engineer, you're already 80% there. Learn the AI integration patterns: RAG, streaming inference, function calling, structured outputs. Build a project that demonstrates you can wrap an AI model in a production-quality application with proper error handling, caching, and user experience. That's the portfolio piece that gets you hired.

What to Expect in Interviews

Technical screens look like standard software engineering interviews with an AI twist. Expect system design questions about building reliable applications around probabilistic models: handling streaming responses, implementing retry logic for API failures, and designing caching strategies for LLM outputs. Coding rounds test standard algorithms plus practical integration patterns like async processing and rate limiting.

When evaluating opportunities: Strong postings describe the product you'll be building, the AI integration patterns you'll work with, and the scale requirements. Look for companies that have existing AI features and need engineers to improve and expand them, not companies that are 'planning to add AI' someday.

AI Hiring Overview

The AI job market has 3,708 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 102 entry-level, 1,705 mid-level, 1,469 senior, and 432 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 14% of the market (508 positions). The remaining 3,180 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.

The market median for AI roles is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($300,000 median, 21 roles); Research Engineer ($280,000 median, 147 roles); AI Architect ($254,798 median, 67 roles).

AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.

The AI Job Market Today

The AI job market spans 3,708 open positions across 16 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,605), Data Scientist (310), AI Software Engineer (259). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.

The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (102) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,705) and senior (1,469) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 432 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.

Remote work availability sits at 14% of all AI roles (508 positions), with 3,180 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.

AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $217,500. Top-quartile roles start at $272,100, and the 90th percentile reaches $325,000. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.

Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $300,000 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $140,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.

The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,890 postings), Aws (1,103 postings), Azure (877 postings), Rag (855 postings), Gcp (631 postings), Prompt Engineering (560 postings), Pytorch (545 postings), Claude (498 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 424 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for AI Software Engineer positions is $219,250. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
Full-stack engineering skills with AI integration experience. Python and TypeScript are the most common requirements. You'll need to understand API design, database architecture, and how to build reliable systems around probabilistic outputs. Experience with streaming, async processing, and caching patterns is increasingly important as real-time AI applications proliferate.
About 14% of the 3,708 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
U.S. Bank is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from AI Software Engineer positions include Staff Engineer, AI Architect, Engineering Manager. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

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