Staff Software Engineer - AI Growth Lead at Coinbase

Ready to be pushed beyond what you think you’re capable of? 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. We want someone who is passionate about our mission and who believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology to update the financial system. We want someone who is eager to leave their mark on the world, who relishes the pressure and privilege of working with high caliber colleagues, and who actively seeks feedback to keep leveling up. 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. But if you want to build the future alongside others who excel in their disciplines and expect the same from you, there’s no better place to be. While many roles at Coinbase are remote-first, we are not remote-only. In-person participation is required throughout the year. Team and company-wide offsites are held multiple times annually to foster collaboration, connection, and alignment. Attendance is expected and fully supported. Coinbase is on a mission to become an "AI-Native" company by 2028, fundamentally transforming how we operate across all functions. As an Staff Software Engineer (AI Growth Lead), you will drive AI adoption across Coinbase by working within one or more AI Growth Pods — internal accelerators that partner with non-engineering functions (e.g., Finance, HR, Legal, Operations, Marketing, Security) to identify, prototype, and scale high-impact AI automation solutions. You will serve as the AI Automation DRI (Directly Responsible Individual) for your assigned pods, driving initiatives from ideation to initial implementation and broader productionalization, while ensuring these solutions deliver tangible ROI and pave the way for broader AI adoption. This role requires a unique blend of strategic thinking, hands-on technical ability, and exceptional cross-functional collaboration. What You'll Do: • Lead AI Opportunity Discovery: Partner with leaders and teams across the organization to deeply understand workflows, identify pain points, and uncover high-leverage opportunities for AI automation and efficiency gains. Translate complex business challenges into actionable AI use cases. • Design & Prototype AI Solutions: Apply advanced GenAI techniques, including large language models (LLMs) and Agentic AI, to rapidly design, build, and iterate on functional prototypes (e.g., AI agents, custom copilots, intelligent workflows) that address business needs. 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 organizational 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 existing infrastructure, contribute to shared knowledge bases, and ensure scalability and security of solutions. • Ensure Responsible AI: Work with Security, Legal, and Compliance teams to ensure all AI solutions adhere to strict security, privacy, and ethical guidelines, especially for sensitive data and high-risk workflows. • Measure & Communicate Impact: Define success metrics, track ROI, and effectively 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 to bring cutting-edge solutions to Coinbase. What We're Looking For: • Experience: 8+ years of experience 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 LangChain/LangGraph, Python). • Proven ability to rapidly prototype and demonstrate working solutions. • Background in AI/LLM infrastructure is a plus. • Strong Software Engineering Skills: • Proven expertise in designing, building, scaling, and maintaining production services, with a strong understanding of microservices architecture. • Ability to write high-quality, well-tested code that meets customer needs. • Strong technical skills in system design, coding, and debugging complex technical issues to enhance system reliability and scalability. • Exceptional Business Acumen: • Demonstrated ability to understand complex business processes and translate them into technical requirements and AI opportunities. • Strong ROI-driven mindset with experience quantifying business value from technology initiatives. • Familiarity with financial services, crypto, or high-growth tech environments is a plus. • Consulting & Influence Skills: • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences. • Proven track record of influencing stakeholders and driving adoption of new technologies or processes 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 in a fast-paced environment. • 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 a BizOps, Data Science, Data Engineering, or Product Engineering role with a strong focus on automation. • Prior experience building or implementing AI agents or advanced workflow automation solutions. • Active participation in the broader AI community (e.g., open-source contributions, conference presentations). Job #: P73531 Pay Transparency Notice: Depending on your work location, the target annual base salary for this position can range as detailed below. Full time offers from Coinbase also include bonus eligibility + equity eligibility + benefits (including medical, dental, vision and 401(k)). Base salary range shown. Total compensation also includes equity and bonus eligibility and benefits:$218,025—$256,500 USDPlease be advised that each candidate may submit a maximum of four applications within any 30-day period. We encourage you to carefully evaluate how your skills and interests align with Coinbase's roles before applying. Commitment to Equal Opportunity Coinbase is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by applicable law. Coinbase will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. For US applicants, you may view the Employee Rights and the Know Your Rights notices by clicking on their corresponding links. Additionally, Coinbase participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Coinbase is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at accommodations[at]coinbase.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. For quick access to screen reading technology compatible with this site click here to download a free compatible screen reader (free step by step tutorial can be found here). Global Data Privacy Notice for Job Candidates and Applicants Depending on your location, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may regulate the way we manage the data of job applicants. Our full notice outlining how data will be processed as part of the application procedure for applicable locations is available here. By submitting your application, you are agreeing to our use and processing of your data as required. AI Disclosure For select roles, Coinbase is piloting an AI tool based on machine learning technologies to conduct initial screening interviews to qualified applicants. The tool simulates realistic interview scenarios and engages in dynamic conversation. A human recruiter will review your interview responses, provided in the form of a voice recording and/or transcript, to assess them against the qualifications and characteristics outlined in the job description. For select roles, Coinbase is also piloting an AI interview intelligence platform to transcribe and summarize interview notes, allowing our interviewers to fully focus on you as the candidate. The above pilots are for testing purposes and Coinbase will not use AI to make decisions impacting employment. To request a reasonable accommodation due to disability, please contact accommodations[at]coinbase.com