Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Forward Financing is a financial technology company focused on unlocking capital for small businesses across America. The Staff Applied AI Engineer will architect and develop AI-powered systems, tools, and agents while integrating foundational AI models into backend services and complex technology stacks. The role will lead experimentation, scalable system design, AI service integration, and cross-functional implementation of solutions that address business opportunities.
Responsibilities
- Translate high-level business problems into functional AI solutions by creating and executing end-to-end solutions
- Design, build, and maintain backend services and APIs that deploy and integrate AI-powered features using existing foundational models (e.g., OpenAI, Claude, Hugging Face, etc.)
- Implement scalable, reliable, and maintainable backend architecture supporting AI workflows, automation, and data processing pipelines
- Integrate AI services into complex technology stacks, ensuring interoperability with microservices, AWS platform, and data systems (Snowflake)
- Enable rapid test-and-learn cycles by building experimentation frameworks that support iterative deployment of AI-driven functionalities
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including product managers, data scientists, and frontend engineers to translate business needs into technical implementations
- Stay abreast of the AI ecosystem, frameworks, and tools to guide implementation decisions and technical evaluations for adopting new AI capabilities
- Document backend system designs, APIs, workflows, and integration patterns clearly for team knowledge sharing and operational continuity
Skills
- • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline
- • Demonstrated experience as a backend software engineer with strong programming skills (Python preferred; experience with Ruby or Go is a plus)
- • Proven ability to design and develop scalable backend systems, APIs, and distributed services
- • Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure and platforms, container orchestration, and deployment pipelines
- • Strong knowledge of AI ecosystem components including major foundational model providers, AI APIs, data pipelines, and orchestration frameworks
- • Practical expertise in integrating third-party AI services and managing complex dependencies in multi-stack environments
- • Effective problem solver with a test-and-learn mindset, capable of rapid prototyping and iterative development
- • Excellent communication skills to present technical concepts clearly to both technical and business stakeholders
- • Familiarity with AI tools and frameworks like AWS Bedrock, Langchain, vector databases, or similar AI orchestration technologies
- • Experience with automation, knowledge systems, and backend optimization related to AI-driven processes
- • Understanding of responsible AI principles, data privacy, and system reliability considerations
- • Experience in building APIs and backend components for real-time or near-real-time AI applications
Benefits
- Annual Target Bonus: 12%
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Commuter benefits
- A flexible time-off policy
- Paid parental leave
- 401k match for US employees
- Wellness reimbursement
- Volunteering days
- Annual professional development budget
- Charitable donation match
- Forward is proud to be a remote-first company, keeping workplace flexibility a top priority for our employees.
- Employees are welcome to work from one of our premiere office locations
Company Overview
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