Staff AI-Native Software Engineer

Cricut•South Jordan, UT

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Cricut is seeking a Staff AI-Native Software Engineer to architect the future of a cross-platform design product. This role involves overseeing desktop and mobile apps for manual and AI-assisted design creation, cloud-saved projects, and connectivity with cutting machines via Bluetooth, USB, and Wi-Fi. The position requires deep systems thinking across client apps, backend services, device connectivity, and hardware/firmware integration, with a focus on making the entire stack secure, scalable, extensible, maintainable, observable, and user-friendly. A key aspect of this role is shaping how AI is integrated into both the product experience and the engineering organization's software development processes.

Requirements

8+ years shipping production software across the full stack—client apps, backend services, and device integration.
Strong proficiency in several of the following technologies: Swift, Kotlin, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#, React, and Python.
At least one year of hands-on, pragmatic use of modern AI engineering tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, agentic SDKs), with the credibility to lead a team in adopting them safely.
Production experience integrating AI/LLM capabilities: model orchestration, retrieval, agentic patterns, evals, and managing latency/cost/reliability tradeoffs.
Proven track record building cross-platform products at scale across iOS, Android, desktop, and web, using shared code, platform abstraction layers, and disciplined API contracts.
Strong expertise in device connectivity—Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB—including BLE GATT design, Wi-Fi provisioning, and mDNS/SSDP discovery, plus the real-world grit of pairing, interference, bandwidth, reconnection, and platform constraints.
Working knowledge of embedded and hardware integration: firmware constraints, command protocols, calibration, safety, OTA updates, and error codes/telemetry.
Strong backend experience with REST APIs, microservices, and backend integration.
A solid security foundation including hands-on asymmetric cryptography.
A track record leading large-scale refactors and modernization efforts.
Ability to communicate architecture clearly—diagrams, ADRs, tradeoffs.
Comfortable operating at roughly 90% hands-on implementation, 10% architecture leadership: someone who leads by building, not just directing.
Ability to stay focused when things move fast, prioritize what matters most and tune out the noise.
Ability to collaborate effectively, elevate others, communicate clearly, and bring a low-ego, high-output energy.
Embrace AI as part of your toolkit, leveraging it to accelerate innovation and amplify impact.

Nice To Haves

React Native or Flutter experience a plus.

Responsibilities

Champion AI-native engineering practices (agentic coding, AI-assisted review, test generation, AI-augmented design/ADRs) while remaining hands-on in critical code paths and maintaining quality, security, and human oversight.
Drive end-to-end architecture across app, cloud, and device layers, including data/control flow, latency, reliability, failure recovery, APIs/integration contracts (with versioning), cross-platform app design, and reliable Bluetooth/USB/Wi-Fi connectivity.
Lead architecture governance for major initiatives by authoring/reviewing ADRs, running architecture reviews, and ensuring major PRs are traceable to their ADRs.
Own planning, estimation, and delivery accountability, scrutinizing estimates and separating engineering effort from calendar time.
Ensure reliability, security, and performance through retries, secure auth, encryption, certificate validation, and permissions.
Partner cross-functionally with product, design, QA, manufacturing, firmware/EE, AI/ML, support, and security.
Mentor engineering leaders on performance/UX/reliability/cost tradeoffs.
Own safe shipping and release health, including feature flags, progressive rollout, kill-switches, A/B experiments, and telemetry-driven tracking of crash-free rate, performance budgets, and defect counts.
Communicate complex technical ideas with clarity—written and verbal—across engineering, product, and design.
Influence without authority, building genuine stakeholder alignment even when priorities compete.
Mentor with intent, with a track record of leveling up senior engineers into stronger technologists and leaders.
Think strategically without losing sight of implementation detail—equally comfortable setting direction and getting into the weeds.
Stay genuinely curious, tracking advances in software development, tooling, and platforms, and pull the best of what's new into the team's everyday practice.