Staff Software Engineer - AI (Guided Study)
Pearson Learning Studio
Overview
Pearson Learning Studio is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead the technical vision and architecture for our Guided Study platform. This role is designed for a deeply technical leader who thrives at the intersection of modern web architecture and emerging AI technologies, particularly agentic AI systems.
You will serve as a hands-on technical authority, driving architectural decisions, mentoring senior engineers, and shaping next-generation AI-powered learning experiences.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
Define and drive the architecture for scalable, high-performance web applications supporting Guided Study experiences.
Lead system design discussions and make strategic technology decisions across frontend, backend, and AI components.
Architect and implement AI-powered workflows using agentic AI frameworks and LLM-based systems.
Design and optimize data pipelines and backend services using Java, Python, and SQL.
Ensure best practices in scalability, observability, performance, and security.
AI & Intelligent Systems Development
Develop and integrate at least one Large Language Model (LLM) into production workflows.
Design and implement Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines.
Apply advanced prompt engineering techniques to improve learning personalization and response quality.
Evaluate emerging AI technologies and define roadmap integration strategies.
Full-Stack Engineering
Lead frontend architecture using ReactJS.
Develop backend systems using Java and Python.
Design and optimize relational databases and complex SQL queries.
Ensure clean API design and seamless frontend-backend integration.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with Product, Data Science, UX, and Content teams to deliver intelligent learning features.
Mentor senior engineers and influence engineering standards across the organization.
Contribute to technical strategy and long-term platform evolution.
Required Qualifications
10+ years of experience in design, architecture, and development of web applications.
Agentic AI systems
Strong experience in At least one Large Language Model (LLM)
Experience in Prompt Engineering
Experience in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
Hands-on experience in ReactJS
Hands-on experience in Java
Hands-on experience in Python
Hands-on experience inSQL
Demonstrated experience designing scalable, distributed systems.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and system-thinking capabilities.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience deploying AI systems in production environments.
Familiarity with vector databases and embedding pipelines.
Experience with cloud-native architectures (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
Experience in EdTech or learning platforms.
This is a hybrid work setup, where the candidate will be required to work three days onsite at our Hoboken office.
Applications will be accepted through February 10. This window may be extended depending on business needs.
Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC laws, the pay range for this position is as follows:
The full-time salary range for this role is between $160,000 - $175,000
This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here
Who we are:
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.
Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing [email protected].
Job: Engineering
Job Family: TECHNOLOGY
Organization: Higher Education
Schedule: FULL_TIME
Workplace Type: On-site
Req ID: 22618
