Staff AI Software Engineer

The Staff AI Engineer is responsible for the techno-functional impact analysis, design, and development of software solutions supporting CVS Retail Pharmacy systems, including Tier 1 platforms such as RxConnect.

This role combines deep expertise in Java-based backend systems with strong capabilities in AI, conversational systems, and agent-based architectures. The engineer will drive innovation by integrating AI/ML and agentic workflows into enterprise-grade microservices.

The Staff AI Engineer will collaborate closely with development managers, architects, data scientists, MLOps, QA teams, and business stakeholders to deliver scalable, reliable, and intelligent solutions. The role requires ownership across the full software development lifecycle, ensuring high-quality delivery and proactive risk mitigation prior to production deployment.

• 7+ years of software development experience, including Java (Spring ecosystem) and enterprise/web applications
• 5+ years in cloud-native development, modern architectures, and Agile/DevOps practices
• 5+ years of AI/ML expertise, including conversational AI, agent-based systems, and production AI agents
• Experience integrating LLMs/GenAI and ML models into enterprise and microservices environments (REST/GraphQL APIs)
• Strong knowledge of MLOps lifecycle, NLP pipelines, and structured/unstructured data processing
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (GCP/AWS/Azure), Kubernetes, CI/CD, event streaming (Kafka), databases, and IaC, * Domain experience in Retail Pharmacy or Healthcare (Rx, claims adjudication) with advanced academic background (Master’s in CS or related field)
• Deep expertise in distributed systems, microservices architecture, and monolith-to-microservices migration
• Strong knowledge of cloud-native, 12-factor application design, and microservices best practices
• Experience with GCP (GKE, Vertex AI, Spanner) and modern service communication (GraphQL, gRPC)
• Solid understanding of GenAI, LLM prompt engineering, and agentic frameworks (LangChain, Semantic Kernel, Transformers)
• Experience integrating Python-based ML services into Java ecosystems and working with open-source frameworks (Apache, Spring, Google), * Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience (HS diploma + 4 years relevant experience)

California Remote $130,295 - $260,590 a year - Full-time, Pulled from the full job description

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance, $130,295.00 - $260,590.00

This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company’s equity award program.

Our people fuel our future. Our teams reflect the customers, patients, members and communities we serve and we are committed to fostering a workplace where every colleague feels valued and that they belong.

Great benefits for great people

We take pride in offering a comprehensive and competitive mix of pay and benefits that reflects our commitment to our colleagues and their families. This full-time position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of colleagues and their families. The benefits for this position include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement savings options, wellness programs, and other resources, based on eligibility.