Staff Software Engineer - AI Team

Tech Lead, AI Engineering

JLL | AI Engineering | Full-Time

JLL is building an AI-native engineering organization, and the central AI platform team owns the foundations on which other AI applications depend. Today, that is an MCP Gateway and a shared RAG platform. Tomorrow, it will be whatever the AI-native stack demands next. The product surface is moving quickly, and the platform beneath it has to move faster.

You will set the technical direction for this layer and ship its core, working day-to-day with senior peers to keep the direction coherent.

We expect engineers at this level to operate with AI tools as a primary part of their workflow. Your leverage comes from the hooks, skills, workflows, and automations you install to ship safely to production.

What You'll Do

• Build the platform foundation, including the MCP Gateway and shared RAG services.
• Set technical direction through design documents and ship the components yourself.
• Own reliability, observability, and developer ergonomics.
• Track the AI tooling ecosystem and feed signal back into the roadmap.
• Carry services end-to-end.

Must Have

• Shipped and operated AI platform components in production.
• Owned a backend service end-to-end.
• Comfortable across multiple languages (Python, Node, .NET).
• Worked with diverse data stores: relational, NoSQL, object/blob, vector, and document.
• Familiarity with agent frameworks such as the Claude Agent SDK.
• Shipped AI-assisted production code.
• Infrastructure fluency (Terraform, IAM, and networking).

Traits:

• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Pragmatic technology judgment.
• Curiosity and healthy skepticism toward AI.
• Comfort with ambiguity.
• Systems thinking.

Why This Role

• JLL is a Fortune 200 company and a global leader in commercial real estate, with the stability of a $20B+ business and the resources to invest seriously in AI.
• The central AI engineering team at JLL builds the layer that AI applications across the company run on, and the work is visible from the CTO down.
• A mix of greenfield work and evolving existing systems, with a high ceiling and direct impact on how thousands of employees work. You will set technical direction, ship code to production, and partner day-to-day with strong senior engineers across the company.

This position does not provide visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Estimated compensation for this position:

180,000.00 – 220,000.00 USD per year

This range is an estimate and actual compensation may differ. Final compensation packages are determined by various considerations including but not limited to candidate qualifications, location, market conditions, and internal considerations.

Location:

Remote –Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, Texas - Other

If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet all the requirements. We're interested in getting to know you and what you bring to the table!

Personalized benefits that support personal well-being and growth:

• 401(k) plan with matching company contributions
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision Care
• Paid parental leave at 100% of salary
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay