Hybrid Senior Engineering Lead – Tech R&D

at AAA

• Job title: Senior Engineering Lead – Tech R&D
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Senior
• Salary: $160,500 - $214,100 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Tech skills: Cloud, IoT
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Costa Mesa, United States

About the role

• Senior Engineering Lead driving technical leadership, R&D, and innovation at AAA. Leading teams to explore emerging technologies and delivering scalable digital solutions for members.

Responsibilities

• Stay actively engaged in architecture, design reviews, prototyping, and experimentation.
• Write code for high impact prototypes, technical spikes, or complex system components when needed.
• Break down ambiguous, exploratory concepts into testable experiments and incremental technical paths.
• Ensure solutions are cloud native, secure, observable, and aligned to long-term ClubLabs engineering standards.
• Lead the applied R&D function, overseeing discovery, technology scouting, prototyping, piloting, and structured experimentation.
• Establish a repeatable R&D methodology: hypothesis driven research, rapid iteration cycles, and clear criteria for progression or sunset.
• Explore emerging technologies (AI/ML, IoT, autonomous systems, data science, mobility, fintech/insurtech advancements) and assess strategic relevance.
• Build strong transition frameworks ensuring successful handoff of prototypes and pilots to production engineering teams.
• Lead, mentor, and grow engineering leaders—developing both technical and people leadership capabilities.
• Partner with Product, Design, QA, and operational teams to align priorities and sequence R&D pipelines.
• Identify systemic risks, dependencies, bottlenecks and drive resolutions.
• Champion an engineering culture rooted in context sharing, iteration, continuous improvement, and shared ownership.
• Foster a psychologically safe environment with direct, constructive feedback and a growth mindset.
• Strengthen cross team alignment and elevate the overall engineering craft.

Requirements

• Proven experience leading software engineering teams and developing other engineering leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to build prototypes, write code, and engage deeply in technical problem-solving.
• Strong product instincts with a history of running experiments and driving concepts from idea → pilot → measurable impact.
• Experience owning or contributing to applied R&D, innovation labs, or advanced technology exploration.
• Comfort operating in fast paced, iterative environments with evolving priorities.
• Exceptional communication, influencing, and cross functional partnership skills.
• Experience in AI/ML, IoT, autonomous systems, data platforms, mobility, fintech, or insurtech is a plus.
• High integrity, strong decision-making skills, and the ability to operate both strategically and tactically.

Benefits

• Health coverage for medical, dental, vision
• 401(K) saving plans with company match AND Pension
• Tuition assistance
• Floating holidays and PTO for community volunteer programs
• Paid parental leave
• Wellness programs
• Employee discounts (membership, insurance, travel, entertainment, services and more!)