Staff Software Engineer — AI

Build the intelligence layer that powers Gallup’s next era.

In this role, you’ll serve as the foundational technical architect, partnering directly with our Head of AI to design, build and evolve the infrastructure that powers Gallup’s next generation of AI systems.

You’ll co-develop architecture from AI-designed starting points, challenge what won’t hold up and build systems well enough that other teams can take them forward. This team builds first versions of ambitious systems, validates them with real users and real data, and hands off what works for production scale. You’ll solve high-impact problems, ship production-quality software quickly and raise the bar across security, reliability and measurement.

If you’re excited to shape the technical foundation of AI at a global organization where AI is how the team builds, not just what it builds, apply today.

What You’ll Do

• Build AI-powered systems end-to-end, including multi-agent architectures, data integrations, front-end interfaces and deployment pipelines on top of Gallup’s extensive proprietary organizational science data
• Design and implement first versions of multi-agent systems, behavioral telemetry and data integrations that connect AI tools to Gallup’s enterprise infrastructure
• Integrate frontier AI models into production applications, selecting the right model for the job and managing real-world trade-offs across cost, latency and quality
• Connect systems to enterprise infrastructure (SSO, CRM, data lake) and establish lightweight engineering standards that enable speed, including CI/CD, observability and secure defaults
• Evaluate emerging AI tools hands-on and provide technical recommendations grounded in performance data
• Expand your influence into broader technical leadership as the team grows

What Makes You Stand Out

• Startup drive: You are energized by building from zero — defining architecture, setting standards and moving quickly to advance priorities. You thrive in fast-moving, high-impact environments where experimentation and iteration fuel progress.
• AI conviction: You are genuinely energized by the rapid evolution of AI. You experiment constantly, stay current with frontier models and frameworks, and think deeply about how AI transforms products and workflows.
• Collaborative mindset: You thrive in real-time design conversations, communicate trade-offs with clarity and simplicity, and value working through complex challenges alongside others with differing viewpoints.
• Strategic ownership: You shape technical direction, not just implementation. You challenge assumptions, propose alternatives and influence execution when you see a better path.
• Systems thinking: You see beyond individual features to how data flows between agents, how telemetry informs decisions and how today’s prototype becomes tomorrow’s platform.
• Speed and discipline: You ship quickly without compromising durability. You know when to move fast and when to engineer for the long term, and you can articulate the difference.

What You Need

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent experience, required
• At least five years of professional experience building production software with strong full-stack depth required
• At least three years of professional experience leading architecture conversations and shaping technical strategy for complex systems required
• Deep hands-on experience building AI-powered systems (LLMs, embeddings, RAG, agent frameworks) required; demonstrated capability and technical depth matter more than time in seat or experience with specific tools
• Experience designing multi-agent or distributed AI systems with orchestration, state management and agent communication patterns required
• Experience with scalable API design, cloud-native architecture (AWS) and practical database and data modeling required
• Solid front-end experience (React, TypeScript) for building interactive prototypes and experimental UIs required
• Understanding of AI model economics, including token costs, latency trade-offs, model selection and cost optimization required
• Experience with data pipeline design or event-driven architectures preferred
• Experience with security-minded development, including authentication, authorization, PII protection and secrets management preferred
• A commitment to working on-site at Gallup’s San Francisco office at least three days per week required

About Gallup’s AI Team

At Gallup, AI is not an add-on — it is a core development tool and strategic priority. Our AI team operates like a startup, where passion for shaping fast-moving technology and commitment to exceptional outcomes are expected. With the freedom to explore and test frontier models as they ship, we work with real users and real data, rapidly build ambitious systems, prove what works, and hand off what is validated for production scale.

About Gallup

At Gallup, we change the world, one client at a time, through extraordinary analytics and advice on everything important facing humankind. Learn more about our work and life at Gallup. 

Gallup offers a robust benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life and other insurance options; a fully vested 401(k) retirement savings plan with company matching; an employee stock ownership program; mass transit reimbursement; family-building benefits; an employee assistance program; and various reimbursements and activities that enhance our associates’ wellbeing. We also offer an estimated annual salary range of $240,000-$290,000 for this role. Salaries are based on a variety of factors, including an individual’s education, experience and skills.

Gallup is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

To review Gallup’s Privacy Statement, please click this link: https://www.gallup.com/privacy. This privacy policy is meant to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, and how you can update, manage and delete your information. Your application and the information you provide will be processed and stored in the United States.

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