Principal Platform & AI Engineering Lead

General Information LocationCary, North Carolina Alternative Location(s) Posting Location:Bridgewater, New Jersey Working Schedule Full-Time Work Arrangement Hybrid Travel Required 10% Relocation Assistance Available No Grade 13T Posted Date 07-Aug-2026 Job ID 18685 Description and Requirements The OpportunityThe Principal Platform & AI Engineering Lead is responsible for driving architecture selection, platform strategy, and execution at the solution and portfolio level for the Unified Actuarial Platform (UAP). This role provides enterprise-level technical leadership across actuarial, risk, and regulatory platforms, ensuring the platform remains scalable, secure, current, and aligned with rapidly evolving business and technology needs. The role operates with broad autonomy and accountability and establishes long-term technical direction for UAP.Key ResponsibilitiesPlatform & Architecture Leadership:Define architecture strategy for full-stack platforms (UX, APIs, infrastructure)Establish standards, guardrails, and reusable patternsLead solution design approvals for scalability and security UX Engineering:Define frontend strategy with React and micro-frontendsEstablish design system and accessibility standardsDeliver intuitive digital experiences for actuarial workflowsAPI & Microservices:Define API-first architecture strategyGovern REST, GraphQL, and event-driven servicesEnsure performance, scalability, and integrationPlatform Infrastructure:Lead cloud-native infrastructure frameworksDrive CI/CD, containerization, and Infrastructure-as-CodeEstablish DevSecOps practicesAI-First Engineering:Drive adoption of AI-assisted development (Copilot)Integrate GenAI into UX and engineering workflowsDelivery & Operations:Own performance, availability, and scalabilityLead production issue resolutionLeadership & Governance:Serve as principal technical authorityMentor engineers and lead governance forumsRequired QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent10+ years in full-stack engineeringExpertise in React, APIs, and cloud platformsExperience with microservices architectureCI/CD, containerization, Infrastructure-as-CodeAI-assisted development experienceStrong communication skillsPreferred QualificationsExperience in actuarial or regulated domainsUX design systems and enterprise applicationsAPI gateways and micro-frontend architecturesGitHub Enterprise and Copilot adoptionAzure or Kubernetes certificationsLocation Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.The expected salary range for this position is$140,000- $180,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation and stock-based long-term incentives. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms. Benefits We Offer Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more! For more information regarding MetLife’s U.S. benefits, please click here.About MetLifeRecognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.As part of our New Frontier strategy, MetLife is building an AI-enabled, people-centered future. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, adaptability, and a growth mindset as we use AI to enhance how we serve customers, support communities, and evolve the way work gets done. At MetLife, AI is a responsible partner that supports human judgment, creativity, and continuous improvement while helping us build trust, inclusion, and long-term value.Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”).If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at View email address on click.appcast.io. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.This posting is for a current vacancy and is anticipated to remain open for at least 90 days from the listed posting date.