Ulta Beauty · 8 hours ago
Software Architect - AI
Bolingbrook, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level
$119K/yr - $170K/yr
7+ years expUlta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, and salon services. The Software Architect - AI will provide technical solutions for digital initiatives, focusing on backend architecture, AI platform enablement, and innovation while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive the architecture of digital products and capabilities.
BeautyConsumer GoodsCosmeticsRetail
Responsibilities
Backend Architecture & System Design
Architect and evolve secure, scalable backend platforms (APIs, microservices, event-driven systems) to support AI and non-AI workloads
Ensure systems are reliable, observable, and extensible for future AI integrations
AI Platform Enablement
Collaborate with data science, ML engineering, and product teams to define backend interfaces, data pipelines, and integration patterns for AI/ML models and real-time analytics
Lead the adoption of AI-first engineering practices for model deployment, inference, and monitoring
Innovation & Rapid Prototyping
Rapidly prototype and pilot test innovative solutions, transitioning successful pilots into production with delivery teams
Evaluate emerging technologies and frameworks to accelerate business capabilities and impact
Integration & Orchestration
Architect seamless integration between backend systems and AI platforms (e.g., Vertex AI, Databricks, AgentSpace)
Champion modern integration patterns such as event streaming, serverless functions, and service mesh for intelligent orchestration
Technical Leadership & Standards
Define and enforce programming and architectural standards, including secure development practices
Mentor teams on scalable architecture, AI enablement, and platform operations with an innovation-driven mindset
Governance, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
Ensure backend and AI systems comply with enterprise security, regulatory, and responsible AI standards
Continuously assess new technologies, trends, and methods to drive business process improvement and digital transformation
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent professional experience
7+ years of digital technology or information technology including architecture, design, and development
Proven experience as a backend architect or lead engineer (Java, Python, Node.js, Go, or similar)
Strong knowledge of API design, distributed systems, microservices, cloud-native architectures (GCP, AWS, Azure)
Deep experience building scalable, production-grade systems with modern DevOps and CI/CD practices
Familiarity with database technologies (both SQL and NoSQL), and an understanding of data modeling and management strategies
Experience partnering with ML/AI teams and architecting backend systems to support AI/ML workflows
Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
Ability to translate complex backend and AI needs for both technical and business stakeholders
Possess a strong work ethic; takes pride in producing a quality product
Must be driven, self-motivated, and passionate for technology
Self-starter requiring minimal supervision
Preferred
Understanding of AI/ML model serving, monitoring, and integration (bonus: hands-on with platforms like Vertex AI, Databricks, or similar)
Exposure to agentic AI, conversational AI, or intelligent automation frameworks
Experience in retail, ecommerce, or other high-scale consumer digital environments
Knowledge of observability, telemetry, and AI governance best practices
Benefits
Paid time off
Health
Dental
Vision
Life and disability benefits
Company
Ulta Beauty
Ulta Beauty is a beauty retailer that offers a wide range of products including cosmetics, fragrances, skincare, and hair care.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ulta Beauty has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2020 (9)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$266.3MKey Investors
Berkshire HathawayDimensional Fund Advisors
2024-08-14Post Ipo Equity· $266.3M
2016-10-11Post Ipo Equity
2007-10-25IPO
Leadership Team
Chris Lialios
Interim Chief Financial Officer
Paula Oyibo
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
Global Cosmetics News
2025-12-30
Global Cosmetics News
2025-12-22
Global Cosmetics News
2025-12-22
Company data provided by crunchbase