AI Growth Lead (Staff Software Engineer)

Details

At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world. It’s a massive, ambitious opportunity that demands the best of us, every day, as we build the emerging onchain platform — and with it, the future global financial system.

To achieve our mission, we’re seeking a very specific candidate who is passionate about our mission and believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology. We want someone who will run towards, not away from, solving the company’s hardest problems. Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone; in-person participation is required throughout the year for team and company-wide offsites.

Coinbase is on a mission to become an "AI-Native" company by 2028. As an AI Growth Lead (individual contributor), you will drive AI adoption across Coinbase by working within one or more AI Growth Pods — internal accelerators that partner with non-engineering functions (Finance, HR, Legal, Operations, Marketing, Security) to identify, prototype, and scale high-impact AI automation solutions. You will serve as the AI Automation DRI for your assigned pods, driving initiatives from ideation to implementation and productionalization while ensuring tangible ROI.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI opportunity discovery: partner with leaders and teams across the organization to understand workflows, identify pain points, and uncover high-leverage AI automation opportunities. Translate business challenges into actionable AI use cases.
• Design & prototype AI solutions: apply advanced Generative AI techniques, including large language models (LLMs) and agentic AI, to rapidly design, build, and iterate functional prototypes (e.g., AI agents, custom copilots, intelligent workflows). Write high-quality, well-tested code in Python and Golang to support these solutions.
• Deploy sustainable solutions: collaborate with cross-functional teams to evolve prototypes into scalable, secure, production-grade AI solutions aligned with long-term goals.
• Act as an internal consultant & accelerator: provide expert guidance on AI capabilities, responsible AI usage, prompt engineering best practices, and strategic integration of AI into daily operations. Mentor team members on design principles, coding standards, and AI productivity tools adoption.
• Drive adoption & enablement: pilot new AI solutions with functional teams, gather feedback, iterate on prototypes, and support adoption to ensure demonstrable value and smooth transitions.
• Collaborate with core AI teams: partner with central AI Platform and DevX teams to leverage infrastructure, contribute to shared knowledge bases, and ensure scalability and security.
• Ensure responsible AI: work with Security, Legal, and Compliance to ensure AI solutions adhere to security, privacy, and ethical guidelines, especially for sensitive data and high-risk workflows.
• Measure & communicate impact: define success metrics, track ROI, and communicate the value delivered by AI initiatives to stakeholders.
• Stay ahead of the curve: continuously research and experiment with emerging AI models, tools, and industry best practices.

Requirements

• Experience: 8+ years in software engineering or a highly analytical, operational, or technical role, with at least 1+ years focused on applied AI, Generative AI, or intelligent automation.
• Deep AI & automation expertise:
  • Strong understanding of LLM capabilities, limitations, and architectures (e.g., RAG, agents, fine-tuning concepts).
  • Hands-on experience with AI tools and platforms (e.g., enterprise LLMs like Gemini/Claude, no-code/low-code automation platforms, agent frameworks such as LangChain and LangGraph, and Python).
  • Proven ability to rapidly prototype and demonstrate working solutions. Background in AI/LLM infrastructure is a plus.
• Strong software engineering skills:
  • Proven expertise designing, building, scaling, and maintaining production services with a strong understanding of microservices architecture.
  • Ability to write high-quality, well-tested code and debug complex technical issues to improve reliability and scalability.
• Exceptional business acumen:
  • Ability to understand complex business processes and translate them into technical requirements and AI opportunities.
  • Strong ROI-driven mindset with experience quantifying business value.
  • Familiarity with financial services, crypto, or high-growth tech environments is a plus.
• Consulting & influence skills:
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication and the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
  • Proven track record of influencing stakeholders and driving adoption in a matrixed organization.
• Problem-solving & agility:
  • Highly analytical and structured problem-solver, comfortable with ambiguity and rapid iteration.
  • Ability to manage multiple parallel initiatives and prioritize effectively.
• Collaboration & risk awareness:
  • Experience working cross-functionally with legal, security, compliance, and engineering teams.
  • Strong understanding of data privacy, security, and ethical considerations related to AI.

Nice to Haves

• Experience in BizOps, Data Science, Data Engineering, or Product Engineering with a focus on automation.
• Prior experience building or implementing AI agents or advanced workflow automation solutions.
• Active participation in the broader AI community (open-source contributions, conference presentations).

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay Range: $218,025—$256,500 USD (target annual salary; full-time offers also include bonus eligibility, equity eligibility, and benefits).
• Benefits include: medical, dental, vision, HSA contributions, disability and life insurance, 401(k) with company match, wellness stipend, mobile/internet reimbursement, connections stipend, volunteer time off, fertility counseling and benefits, generous time off/leave policy, and the option of getting paid in digital currency.

Additional Information

• Job #: GPBE06US-AI
• Location policy: Remote-first with required in-person participation throughout the year for team and company offsites. #LI-Remote
• Coinbase is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.
• AI disclosure: Coinbase may pilot AI tools for initial screening and interview transcription/summarization for select roles; human reviewers assess interview responses. To request accommodation, contact accommodations[at]coinbase.com.