First American

Staff Software Engineer (AI-Native Platform)

First American$148K — $198K *
US-AnywhereRemote in Santa Ana, CA
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 8+ years of experience in production software systems with leadership in large-scale technical initiatives
  • Proven track record in driving multi-team architecture and technical direction
  • Expertise in cloud-native distributed systems using modern practices
  • Experience with production AI systems and development workflows
  • Strong background in establishing engineering standards and operational best practices
  • Excellent communication skills for bridging technical and non-technical audiences
  • Ability to mentor and elevate senior engineers

Responsibilities

  • Lead technical initiatives across multiple engineering teams and products
  • Define and drive architectural direction to enhance scalability and reliability
  • Design and evolve AI development practices for AI-powered product creation
  • Establish engineering standards and ensure software quality improvements organization-wide
  • Mentor technical leaders to enhance their effectiveness and decision-making abilities
  • Develop operational excellence initiatives for improved reliability and security
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business strategies into technical solutions

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • Paid time off and paid sick leave
  • Employee stock purchase plan
  • Comprehensive benefits package promoting employee wellbeing
Full Job Description
Remote Work Welcome Be part of a transformative engineering organization shaping how First American builds and delivers world-class AI-native technology products that power the real estate industry. We are looking for exceptional engineers who thrive in ambiguity, influence without authority, and create technical leverage across teams. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will provide technical leadership across multiple engineering teams, driving architecture, engineering standards, and reusable platforms that enable teams to build intelligent software faster, safer, and more consistently. You will partner with engineering leaders, product management, architects, and AI practitioners to solve complex technical challenges that span products and organizations. You will play a critical role in modernizing our platform through cloud-native architecture, shared engineering platforms, and production AI systems that improve both customer outcomes and engineering velocity. What You'll Do Drive Cross-Organization Technical Strategy - Lead technical initiatives that span multiple teams, products, and domains. Define architectural direction, align engineering organizations around common approaches, and guide long-term technical investments that improve organizational scalability, reliability, and developer productivity. - Navigate ambiguity, resolve competing priorities, and build consensus across engineering, product, and business stakeholders. Build with AI - Design and evolve the AI development practices and help drive the creation of AI powered products for our - AI is not just transforming how we build, it changes what we build. We are looking for a Staff Engineer who can help mentor teams on both. Architect Complex Distributed Systems - Define architecture for large-scale, distributed systems spanning multiple services, domains, and business capabilities. - Drive architectural consistency around: - APIs - event-driven systems - cloud infrastructure - reliability - security - observability - operational excellence - Simplify complex systems through thoughtful abstractions and reusable patterns. Raise the Engineering Bar - Establish engineering standards that improve software quality across the organization. - Lead architectural reviews, influence design decisions, and help engineering teams make pragmatic tradeoffs between speed, simplicity, scalability, reliability, and cost. - Champion modern engineering practices including AI-assisted software development, automated testing, observability, continuous delivery, and platform engineering. Mentor Technical Leaders - Multiply the effectiveness of senior engineers and technical leads through coaching, architectural guidance, and design mentorship. - Help engineers grow their system thinking, technical judgment, and decision-making while creating an engineering culture centered on curiosity, ownership, and continuous improvement. Drive Operational Excellence - Lead initiatives that improve organizational reliability, resiliency, security, and operational maturity. - Define engineering patterns for: - observability - production diagnostics - AI evaluation - latency budgets - cost optimization - incident response - resiliency - governance - Establish measurable engineering standards that improve the health of production systems over time. Collaborate Across the Organization - Partner closely with engineering leadership, product management, solution architecture, security, platform engineering, infrastructure, and AI practitioners to translate business strategy into scalable technical solutions. - Influence decisions through technical expertise, data, and strong communication rather than organizational authority. What You'll Bring - 8+ years of experience designing and building production software systems, including significant experience leading large-scale technical initiatives - Demonstrated experience driving architecture across multiple teams, services, or business domains - Deep experience building cloud-native distributed systems using modern software engineering practices - Experience designing and operating production AI systems, including LLM-powered applications and agentic workflows - Strong experience creating reusable engineering platforms, frameworks, libraries, or shared infrastructure adopted across multiple teams - Expertise designing APIs, event-driven architectures, and highly available distributed systems - Experience establishing engineering standards, architectural patterns, and operational best practices across organizations - Demonstrated experience leading technical direction through influence rather than direct management - Deep understanding of AI operational concerns including evaluation strategies, model selection, latency optimization, cost management, observability, governance, and safety - Experience designing AI development workflows that improve engineering productivity through responsible use of AI-assisted development tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar - Strong understanding of software architecture, cloud infrastructure, reliability engineering, and platform design - Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences - Proven ability to mentor senior engineers and elevate engineering organizations through coaching and technical leadership - Strong systems thinking with an outcome-oriented mindset focused on creating durable organizational leverage Ideally, You'll Also Have Experience With - Enterprise AI platforms (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Anthropic, Databricks) - C# (.NET), Python, TypeScript, Go, Java, or similar languages - Kubernetes, Docker, and modern platform engineering practices - Infrastructure as Code using Terraform, CDK, or similar tooling - Observability platforms including OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, or similar - Large-scale platform modernization or cloud migration initiatives - Highly regulated industries such as Financial Services, Insurance, Healthcare, or similar Pay Range: $148,600.00 - $198,200.00 AnnuallyThis hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location. What We Offer By choice, we don’t simply accept individuality – we embrace it, we support it, and we thrive on it! Our People First culture is inclusive for all employees - not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the key to our success. We are proud to foster an authentic and inclusive workplace For All. You are free and encouraged to bring your entire, unique self to work. First American is an equal opportunity employer in every sense of the term. Based on eligibility, First American offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO/paid sick leave and other great benefits like an employee stock purchase plan.

About First American

First American provides financial services through its Title Insurance and Services segment and its Specialty Insurance segment. The First American Family of Companies' core business lines include title insurance and closing/settlement services; title plant management services; title and other real property records and images; valuation products and services; home warranty products; property and casualty insurance; and banking, trust, and investment advisory services.

First American Careers

Join the vibrant team at First American, a leading company renowned for its commitment to innovation, leadership, and professional excellence. As one of the most respected names in the industry, First American offers unparalleled job opportunities that propel your career to new heights.

Work You’ll Do

At First American, your work transcends ordinary job responsibilities. You will be part of a dynamic team that drives industry standards through innovation and leadership. Engage in projects that transform our services and, by extension, the industry itself, making an impact that matters.

Explore a World of Opportunities

Whether you're looking for an entry-level position or a more senior role, First American presents a spectrum of career paths across various departments. Our job opportunities are designed to foster professional growth and personal achievement.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with First American’s internship programs. These opportunities are perfect for gaining real-world experience, enhancing your skills, and networking with industry leaders. Our internships provide a robust foundation for future employment and are a stepping stone to full-time positions within the company.

Culture and Benefits

First American is committed to creating a workplace where every team member feels valued. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment. Our benefits package is comprehensive, supporting both your professional and personal life, including health, wellness, and continuous learning opportunities.

Professional Development and Training

We believe in nurturing our team’s skills through targeted training programs, including leadership development and diversity training. These initiatives ensure that you are equipped to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and personal growth.

Join Our Team

Embark on your First American journey today by exploring the various positions available. We are actively hiring and looking for talented individuals who are passionate, curious, and driven to excel. Check out our open positions, tailor your resume, and prepare for an interview where you can showcase your unique abilities.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest in career tips, industry news, and job openings at First American. Subscribe to our job alert emails and never miss an opportunity to advance your career with us.

Networking and Growth

At First American, career growth is complemented by opportunities to connect and collaborate with professionals across the company. Engage in networking events that can open doors to numerous career paths and professional relationships.

Why First American?

Choosing First American means opting for a career where your skills are appreciated and your contributions are valued. Here, every employee is empowered to reach their full potential, supported by our culture of growth, leadership, and innovation. Join First American today and be part of a team that is reshaping the future through exceptional service, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. Explore the positions we have available and take the first step towards a rewarding career at First American.
Learn more about First American
Size
22,233 employees
Market Cap
$5.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$696.4 million
Founded
1889
5 Year Trend
+10.6%
Revenue
$7 billion
NASDAQ

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