Research Engineer I

The Opportunity

As a dedicated Research Engineer I, you will plan and conduct research efforts to identify, investigate, evaluate, and explore capabilities and limitations associated with USAA's Generative A.

I. technologies in support of the Bank’s Advanced Analytics and Strategy Enablement initiatives.

You will be part of a dynamic organization that is passionate about enabling and using AI / ML methods to drive business outcomes in the banking and finance industry.

Your work will include a range of activities such as : researching new technologies especially in the field of Generative AI for suitability to use cases, collaborating with cross-functional teams to scale and deliver execution support, developing the technology skills within the organization, helping people through the development of functioning applications, written reports, presentations, and collaboration with teams across the Enterprise.

You will apply working knowledge of applicable business practices and IT processes to tailor recommendations and deliver insights to meet customer needs.

This position can work remotely in the continental U.S. with occasional business travel.

What you'll do :

Independently conducts research to identify technology capabilities and limitations.

Independently and proactively maintains awareness of the external landscape, to include technology trends in the industry.

Conducts hands-on experimentation and / or prototype development, when required, to further research objectives.

Develops and maintains relationships with internal and external partners to increase the impact of research efforts.

Participates in the generation and protection of intellectual property.

When applicable, provides technical analysis during planning for integration of new capabilities into the Enterprise.

Communicates research results and recommendations through written reports, presentations, and / or demonstrations to inform business decisions.

Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.

What you have :

Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics related field; OR 4 years of related experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree.

4 years of experience conducting technical research, analysis, testing, and / or prototype design and development of hardware or software solutions.

Working knowledge in current IT infrastructure and / or software development tools / methodologies.

Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn and apply technical skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills that demonstrate the ability to explain complex ideas.

Prior experience developing and executing test plans, analyzing results, and communicating conclusions and recommendations.

Experience testing and learning in a fast-paced environment.

Prior experience analyzing, researching, and prototyping new hardware or software solutions.

Understanding of research best practices and risk management policies and procedures.

What sets you apart :

2 or more years of post-academic / non-internship professional software development experience

Self driven and independent problem solver

Developing expertise in Generative AI; experience with generative models and experience in deploying AI models in production environments

Proficiency in programming; ability to write robust code in Python (preferred) or another programming language

Demonstrated knowledge of RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation), Zeroshot (ZSL), Multishot prompting and other prompt engineering approaches, common AI / ML frameworks (e.

g., TensorFlow, PyTorch), GIT, Docker and vector databases

Demonstrated knowledge of cloud AI services (AWS SageMaker, GCP AI Platform, Azure ML) and APIs

Proficiency in using and configuring Linux systems

A demonstrated proficiency in containerization technologies such as docker

Additional coursework or certifications in machine learning, NLP, Large Language Models (LLMs), multi-modal foundation models, and generative AI techniques

Innovative prompt design skills possessing the ability to develop and refine advanced prompts to maximize the efficacy and creativity of AI responses

Understanding of trends in the GenAI landscape and know how to prioritize and apply them to our offerings and projects

Excited to share knowledge, open and / or participate in why discussions, computational cognitive science or the idea of building an AI being, and commitment to ethical AI practices

The above description reflects the details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job.

What we offer :

Compensation : USAA has an effective process for assessing market data and establishing ranges to ensure we remain competitive.

You are paid within the salary range based on your experience and market data of the position. The actual salary for this role may vary by location.

The salary range for this position is : $89,990.00-$172,000.00 .

Employees may be eligible for pay incentives based on overall corporate and individual performance and at the discretion of the USAA Board of Directors.

Benefits : At USAA our employees enjoy best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellness.

These benefits include comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans, 401(k), pension, life insurance, parental benefits, adoption assistance, paid time off program with paid holidays plus 16 paid volunteer hours, and various wellness programs.

Additionally, our career path planning and continuing education assists employees with their professional goals.