Distinguished AI Engineer

Elevance Health•Walnut Creek, CA

2d•$277,728 - $416,592•Hybrid

About The Position

The Distinguished AI Engineer will be responsible for leading the design, development, and deployment of large-scale, production-grade artificial intelligence (AI) systems and platforms that enable enterprise-wide innovation and modernization. This role requires associates to be in-office 3 days per week, fostering collaboration and connectivity, while providing flexibility to support productivity and work-life balance. This approach combines structured office engagement with the autonomy of virtual work, promoting a dynamic and adaptable workplace. Alternate locations may be considered if candidates reside within a commuting distance from an office. Candidates not within a reasonable commuting distance from the posting location(s) will not be considered for employment, unless an accommodation is granted as required by law.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field and a minimum of 15 years of experience in software engineering, deep expertise in distributed systems and large-scale architecture, or any combination of education and experience, which would provide an equivalent background.

Nice To Haves

Experience delivering production-grade AI/ML systems at scale, building agentic systems or complex LLM-based applications, modernizing large, complex legacy systems, and delivering high-quality systems is preferred.
Strong programming expertise in Python, Java, or similar technology is preferred.
Deep experience with APIs, microservices, and event-driven architectures, cloud platforms, and CI/CD and DevOps practices is preferred.

Responsibilities

Architect and deliver scalable, resilient AI solutions leveraging technologies such as agentic systems, large language models (LLMs), distributed systems, and event-driven architectures.
Define enterprise-wide technical direction, including architecture patterns, integration standards, and reusable platform capabilities.
Lead AI-driven modernization of legacy systems through automated code transformation, service decomposition, and continuous optimization.
Design and implement AI-enabled software development lifecycle (SDLC) practices to improve engineering velocity and quality.
Establish technical standards, governance frameworks, and best practices for AI systems, including monitoring, evaluation, and responsible AI.
Partner with engineering teams and stakeholders to enable adoption of AI-assisted development and drive continuous improvement in system performance and productivity.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship while influencing enterprise technology decisions through deep expertise and hands-on engineering.