Staff Engineer I - AI Business Engineer Lead

Western Alliance Bancorporation
dental insurance, tuition assistance, 401(k)
United States, Arizona, Phoenix
Oct 01, 2025
Job Title: Staff Engineer I - AI Business Engineer Lead Location: Block 23 What you'll do: As an IT Staff Engineer I, you'll work in a mid-level role with proficiency in one or more key products who is responsible for managing and supporting the organization's IT infrastructure or applications. You'll identify development and support needs as well as taking on design responsibilities supporting project tasks. As a IT Staff Engineer I, you'll facilitate dialogue and activities, while also ensuring team collaboration. The AI Business Engineering Lead is a dynamic blend of planner, coordinator, coach, and builder within the AI Forward Engineering team. This role is designed for individuals who are excited about innovative technologies and keeps current with AI developments. They find purpose in coaching & empowering non-technical users and unlocking productivity through intelligent automation; has the curiosity to explore, the skill to solve, and the drive to apply AI solutions to real-world challenges. A basic understanding of banking processes and ability to prototype AI solutions to showcase tangible business value is a huge plus. In addition to contributing as an individual contributor, this role involves leading and coordinating the efforts of other business engineers across the enterprise. The AI Business Engineering Lead will: Plan, guide and coordinate activities of business engineers embedded within various business lines Bringing forward use-cases and recommendation to the AI Council for prioritization and execution Serve as the eyes and ears within business operations spotting opportunities where AI can revolutionize workflows Champion adoption across business units and generate ideas that enhance productivity and efficiency, bringing them forward to the AI Council for prioritization and execution As a strategic bridge between business operations, business engineers and the AI Council, the Lead will help surface AI opportunities that could help shape the roadmap for execution. This role offers significant growth potential and the chance to leave a lasting mark on the organization's innovation journey. Coordinate and plan out efforts of business engineers embedded within various operational lines. Conduct office-hours teaching and informing the enterprise about existing and new capabilities within AI space. Create forums for discovery sprints and AI ideation efforts that translate business needs into technical possibilities. Facilitate cross-functional alignment and knowledge sharing. Serve as the primary point of contact between business engineers and the AI Council. Represent the AI Forward Engineering team in strategic planning discussions. Take assignments that can be worked on individually without supervision and manage work effort from concept to completion. Design and implement engineering principles aimed at reliability practices and sound recovery procedures. Design transaction specific application performance monitoring metrics that can be captured and passed to business partners. In Addition, will layout reference architecture and visual diagrams that capture work. Ensure compliance with IT policies, procedures, and industry standards, including reviewing and refining IT control enhancements. What you'll need: 5+ years of related experience in IT App Support, IT Development, IT Networking, or similar field. Bachelor's degree in related field required. Proven experience coaching and leading cross-functional teams or mentoring peers. Ability to influence and drive change across business units. Experience and knowledge of M365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, and exposure to cloud platforms and rapid prototyping tools. Knowledge of advancements in Agentic AI space including knowledge of MCP, A2A and LLM based development patterns. Full stack developer preferred with some project management experience. Ability to work effectively in a dynamic team environment. Intermediate to advanced knowledge of general Financial Services or Banking preferred. Advanced knowledge of applicable regulatory and legal compliance obligations, rules and regulations, industry standards and practices. Advanced proven experience in leading cross-functional teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously. Additional experience with pipeline development and leveraging Azure DevOps while working on multiple projects simultaneously. Intermediate to advanced ability to see the big picture and align projects with organizational goals. Capable of leading and motivating cross-functional teams. Expertise in resolving conflicts and addressing challenges as well as skilled at identifying and mitigating risks at the project level. Proficient in governance patterns tied to intake, technical reviews and architectural compliance. Advanced speaking and writing communication skills. May require up to 25% travel. Benefits you'll love: We offer all the important things you'd want - like competitive salaries, an ownership stake in the company, medical and dental insurance, time off, a great 401k matching program, tuition assistance program, an employee volunteer program, and a wellness program. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to bolster your business knowledge, learning the ins and outs of how successful companies operate and manage their finances, giving you invaluable hands-on experience to help grow your career! About the company: Western Alliance Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Alliance Bancorporation. Alliance Bank of Arizona, Alliance Association Bank, Bank of Nevada, Bridge Bank, First Independent Bank, and Torrey Pines Bank are divisions of Western Alliance Bank; Member FDIC. AmeriHome Mortgage is a Western Alliance Bank company. Western Alliance Bancorporation is committed to equal employment and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, color, religion, age, nation origin, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information. Western Alliance Bancorporation is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process and/or need an alternative method of applying, please email HR@westernalliancebank.com or call 602-386-2488. When contacting us, please provide your contact information and state the nature of your accessibility issue. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests that involve a reasonable accommodation in the application process. Western Alliance Bancorporation