Solutions Engineer

What We Do

The insurance industry is a $10 trillion market still largely reliant on outdated methods like PDFs, email threads, and manual reconciliation. Ascend has disrupted this space by creating the first and only comprehensive financial operations platform tailored for insurance. Since its inception, Ascend has grown to serve over 4,000 businesses, including more than half of the top 50 insurance brokers in the country, streamlining complex accounting operations.

How We Do It

AI is revolutionizing the cost of software, making it nearly free. By embedding AI directly into the transactions where money moves, Ascend captures value at the point of the transaction. Our customers achieve measurable efficiency with a proven 5–7x return on investment. With a 70-person team in San Francisco and Columbus, we combine deep expertise in insurance, fintech, and AI to build infrastructure that the industry has never seen before.

Why We Do It

The insurance industry has historically lacked the modern infrastructure needed to handle the trillions of dollars it manages. Ascend aims to be the leading financial automation platform for insurance by 2030, transforming the way trillions of dollars move. This role is crucial in shaping how automation powers the industry, improving accuracy, scalability, and customer experience.

Your Role

We are seeking a Solutions Engineer (Contract) to take full ownership of critical AI agent workflows. Your responsibilities will include optimizing prompt logic, technical implementation, customer collaboration, quality assurance, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Own and optimize prompt logic
• Build, test, and refine prompts that power AI agents using prompt engineering and analytical problem-solving
• Design systems that enable scalable, high-accuracy iteration on prompt workflows
• Partner with internal teams to improve testing, monitoring, and refinement processes
• Support new customer and organization onboarding through internal tooling improvements
• Provide feedback and insights to shape the broader product roadmap
• Work closely with internal and external users to gather context, troubleshoot challenges, and deliver consistent, high-quality results
• Track and analyze AI workflow accuracy metrics, uncovering trends and root causes
• Recommend process improvements to reduce manual work over time
• Build reusable playbooks and prompt strategies to support future automation efforts

Why This Role Matters

This role offers the opportunity to own a critical piece of Ascend’s AI-powered automation systems and see your work directly impact product performance, customer satisfaction, and company growth. If you enjoy solving complex technical problems, moving quickly, and building scalable systems, this role is perfect for you.

What We’re Looking For

• Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills, with a track record of breaking down complex problems into actionable solutions
• Experience with prompt engineering, AI agents, or AI-powered automation workflows
• Proven ability to work with complex, real-world systems to identify patterns and improve reliability
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Bonus: Familiarity with large language models (LLMs) and their applications in automation or data systems

Contract Details

• Location: On-site in San Francisco (SoMa)
• Compensation: $45 per hour (average working week 40 hours)
• Type: Contract to hire as a full time software engineer (6 months)

Benefits

• 100% health premiums covered for you and your dependents
• 401k with employer matching options
• A fast-growing team with an emphasis on promoting from within
• Unlimited PTO
• Company-paid commuter benefits
• Parental and family leave
• Lunch everyday
• Dog-friendly office!

Equal Opportunity

We are committed to equal opportunity employment and embrace diversity within our organization. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.