Consultant, Software Engineer (Emerging Technology Development Lab)

Nationwide Mutual Insurance•Columbus, OH

12d•$118,000 - $222,000•Hybrid

About The Position

If you’re passionate about innovation and love working in an environment where you can constantly improve and adopt new technologies to drive business results, then Nationwide’s Information Technology team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care. This role will work a hybrid schedule coming into the Columbus, Ohio office 2 days per week on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. About the Role We’re launching the Emerging Technology Development Lab - a small, high-impact group within Nationwide’s Emerging Technology team — built to explore, prototype, and validate the technologies that will shape our next 3–5 years. As a Consultant, Software Engineering , you’ll be a hands-on technical leader, working across a broad spectrum of emerging technologies — from Quantum Computing and Neuromorphic Hardware to Physical AI, Immersive Experiences, Ambient Intelligence, and Conversational AI . You will partner closely with other engineers, designers, and researchers (both on-site and offshore) to experiment, build, and demonstrate what’s possible , guiding the organization toward meaningful adoption of next-generation platforms and paradigms.

Requirements

Demonstrated understanding of Emerging Technology & Innovation frameworks, experimentation models, and governance processes, with the ability to apply these approaches to advance current and future emerging technology initiatives
Strong software engineering background with experience in one or more programming languages (Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, C#, Go, Rust, etc.)
Demonstrated experience with modern development practices (cloud-native architectures, DevOps pipelines, REST APIs, microservices, containerization, CI/CD, serverless architectures)
Exposure to or deep interest in one or more emerging domains: AI/ML, Generative AI, and Autonomous Systems – experience with or interest in:
Developing, training, and fine-tuning machine learning and large language models (LLMs)
Applying prompt engineering and context engineering strategies to optimize model outputs, reduce hallucinations, and improve grounding and task accuracy
Leveraging retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), vector databases, and embeddings for domain-specific intelligence
Experimenting with few-shot learning, adapter tuning, LoRA, and other fine-tuning approaches for efficiency and customization
Building intelligent agents or autonomous workflows integrating perception, reasoning, and action loops
Quantum computing or quantum-inspired algorithms – understanding of quantum principles, hybrid algorithms, or quantum simulation techniques
Building AI-driven robotics pipelines that connect perception (vision/voice), reasoning (LLMs), and actuation (robot control APIs)
Spatial or immersive computing (AR/VR/XR) – familiarity with 3D engines, spatial UX, and mixed-reality interfaces
Edge/IoT and ambient intelligence systems – integrating sensing, connectivity, and AI inference at the edge
Natural language or multimodal interfaces (Conversational AI) – experience designing, training, or integrating NLP/NLU systems, voice agents, or multimodal assistants
Neuromorphic or bio-inspired computing models – awareness of next-gen architectures that mimic biological computation and perception
Experience building quick-turn prototypes and proof-of-concepts, with a focus on experimentation, iteration, and demonstration of emerging capabilities
Comfort with ambiguity, exploration, and iterative learning; able to operate effectively in uncharted or rapidly evolving technology spaces
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into compelling narratives and articulate the story behind the technology
Six years of experience in programming and systems analysis.
Knowledge of software development lifecycle.
Proven ability to tackle sophisticated business and development problems.
Ability to thrive in a team environment.

Nice To Haves

Three years of experience in project management is preferred.
Insurance/financial services industry knowledge a plus.
Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.
Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and Human Resources Business Partner.

Responsibilities

Explore & Prototype: Rapidly evaluate emerging technologies through proof-of-concept builds, prototypes, and technical demonstrations.
Engineer the Future: Design and develop software solutions that blend classical and next-generation computing models (e.g., AI/ML, quantum simulation, spatial computing, edge intelligence).
Experiment & Learn: Continuously research, tinker, and learn — bringing new tools, platforms, and methodologies into the lab to test their applicability in an enterprise context.
Collaborate Across Boundaries: Partner with on-site engineers, offshore development teams, researchers, and business partners to co-develop experiments and share learnings.
Tell the Story: Translate complex technical findings into clear narratives that inspire action and help business and technology leaders understand potential impacts.
Champion Adoption: Help design playbooks, frameworks, and developer enablement tools that accelerate company-wide adoption of proven emerging technologies.
Responsible for applying secure software and systems engineering practices throughout the delivery lifecycle to ensure our data and technology solutions are protected from threats and vulnerabilities.
Mentors and trains other team members on design techniques, tools and coding standards.
Provides strategic advice on using technology to achieve goals.
Drives cross-collaboration and execution of projects across multiple teams.
Analyzes, solutions, develops, tests, debugs, documents and deploys software according to standards and optimal practices.
Champions the use of DevSecOps practices, tooling and techniques.
Ensures continuous learning and improvement through ongoing training, practice and innovation.
Manages individual project priorities, deadlines and deliverables.
May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

medical/dental/vision
life insurance
short and long term disability coverage
paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date
nine paid holidays
8 hours of Lifetime paid time off
8 hours of Unity Day paid time off
401(k) with company match
company-paid pension plan
business casual attire