Lead AI Engineer

MassMutual's AI & Data Science team is seeking an impact-driven Lead AI Engineer to join our high-performing, cross-functional team. In this role, you will lead the design, deployment, and production scaling of advanced AI solutions that solve complex, high-value problems across the enterprise. You'll architect and deliver generative AI, agentic AI, and LLM-based systems by applying rigorous scientific methods, writing high-quality production code, and communicating results to senior leadership.

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside experts in applied AI, statistics, and computer science, collaborating on initiatives that shape the future of MassMutual and the life insurance industry at large. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in machine learning and AI science, paired with the software engineering skills to take solutions from research prototypes to reliable, scalable production systems.

Overall Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and lead end-to-end AI solutions supporting a range of enterprise use cases- from ideation through production deployment and monitoring-using LLMs, agentic AI, machine learning, and probabilistic modeling with accountability for reliability, performance, and maintainability.

• Design and conduct rigorous evaluations of AI system performance, including experimentation, benchmarking across foundation models, and quantitative analysis, to validate approaches and inform technical decisions.

• Drive innovation by identifying emerging technologies, translating cutting-edge research into practical applications, and establishing team-wide best practices in AI development and responsible AI deployment.

• Build rapid prototypes to test and validate AI approaches and deliver production-grade AI-powered applications (e.g., intelligent interfaces, dashboards, automated workflows) when solutions prove viable.

• Collaborate with engineering teams to build robust, production-grade AI pipelines and APIs that integrate into the broader enterprise technology ecosystem.

• Influence senior leadership by aligning AI initiatives with enterprise strategy and communicating insights effectively.

• Mentor and develop junior talent, fostering a culture of technical excellence, scientific rigor, and continuous learning.

Candidate Qualifications - Required

• 7 years of experience in data science, machine learning, or AI engineering, with a track record of delivering impactful AI/ML solutions at scale.

• Deep expertise in machine learning, statistics, NLP, and LLMs, including generative AI, agentic architectures, prompt engineering, and LLM evaluation across a variety of foundation models and benchmarks.

• Demonstrated ability to build, deploy, and scale production of AI systems from architecture planning through orchestration, monitoring, and end-user delivery.

• Strong programming skills in Python, with the ability to write clean, well-tested, production-quality code. Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, and other orchestration and deployment frameworks.

• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex AI concepts and quantitative findings into clear insights for non-technical stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Education - M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related quantitative field. Candidates with exceptional research credentials-such as published work, significant open-source contributions, or a strong record of scientific rigor applied in industry-are strongly encouraged to apply.

Candidate Qualifications - Preferred

• Familiarity with agentic AI tooling ecosystems, such as Bedrock AgentCore, AWS Strands, Azure, and MCP/A2A protocols.

• Experience with the development and evaluation of AI systems in a regulated industry, exceeding compliance standards for AI and privacy.

• Breadth across AI and data science methods, including traditional ML, causal inference, optimization, and Bayesian approaches, with comfort moving across techniques as problems demand.

• Proficiency in SQL and database design; familiarity with cloud-native data platforms, vector databases, and semantic search.

#LI-MC1

Salary Range:
$172,000-$225,700

At MassMutual, we focus on ensuring fair equitable pay, by providing competitive salaries, along with incentive and bonus opportunities for all employees. Your total compensation package includes either a bonus target or in a sales-focused role a Variable Incentive Compensation component.

Why Join Us.

We've been around since 1851. During our history, we've learned a few things about making sure our customers are our top priority. In order to meet and exceed their expectations, we must have the best people providing the best thinking, products and services. To accomplish this, we celebrate an inclusive, vibrant and diverse culture that encourages growth, openness and opportunities for everyone. A career with MassMutual means you will be part of a strong, stable and ethical business with industry leading pay and benefits. And your voice will always be heard.

We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. As a company owned by our policyowners, we are defined by mutuality and our vision to put customers first. It's more than our company structure - it's our way of life. We are a company of people protecting people. Our company exists because people are willing to share risk and resources, and rely on each other when it counts. At MassMutual, we Live Mutual.

MassMutual is an equal employment opportunity employer. We welcome all persons to apply.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.

At MassMutual, we focus on ensuring fair, equitable pay by providing competitive salaries, along with incentive and bonus opportunities for all employees. Your total compensation package includes either a bonus target or in a sales-focused role a Variable Incentive Compensation component. For more information about our extensive benefits offerings please check out our Total Rewards at a Glance.

Salary : $172,000 - $225,700