Lead AI Engineer

Mastercard • San Carlos, CA • 14h ago

Our Purpose

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

Lead AI Engineer

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry, connecting billions of consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, and businesses worldwide. We are driving the future of commerce by enabling secure, simple, and smart transactions. Artificial Intelligence is at the core of our strategy to make Mastercard stronger and commerce safer, smarter and more personal.

The Role:

At Mastercard, we're building next-generation AI-powered platforms to drive innovation and impact. As a Lead AI Engineer, you'll work with cutting-edge tools, large language models (LLMs), and emerging frameworks to develop intelligent systems. You'll collaborate with senior engineers, data scientists, and product teams-gaining hands-on experience while contributing to real-world AI solutions.

You'll help implement Agentic AI systems, develop backend services, and explore new AI capabilities. Your focus will include prompt engineering, guardrail design, and experimentation to ensure safe, scalable, and effective AI applications.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and enhance AI agents and backend systems for Mastercard's AI platform

Evaluate LLMs and emerging technologies to identify innovation opportunities

Design and optimize prompts for LLMs

Implement safeguards to ensure secure, ethical AI responses

Build APIs, microservices, and data integrations for AI features

Write clean, maintainable code following industry best practices

Stay current with advancements in AI and software engineering

All About You:

Strong hands-on experience and understanding of AI/ML concepts and enthusiasm for generative AI

Experience with Python and backend frameworks (e.g., FastAPI, Flask, Node.js)

Knowledge of REST APIs and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Strong analytical skills and curiosity for exploring new AI capabilities

Collaborative mindset and openness to feedback and mentorship

Interest in prompt engineering, AI safety, and scalable deployment

Why Join Us?

At Mastercard, you'll help shape the future of AI in global commerce-solving complex challenges at scale, driving financial inclusion, and reinforcing the trust and security that define our brand. You'll work with world-class talent, cutting-edge technologies, and will make a lasting impact.

AI1

Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role. In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact reasonable_accommodation@mastercard.com and identify the @type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email. The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly.

Corporate Security Responsibility

All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

Abide by Mastercard's security policies and practices;

Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;

Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and

Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard's guidelines.

In line with Mastercard's total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include: insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more.

Pay Ranges

Arlington, Virginia: $137,000 - $218,000 USD

O'Fallon, Missouri: $119,000 - $190,000 USD

Purchase, New York: $137,000 - $219,000 USD

San Francisco, California: $143,000 - $228,000 USD

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