Sr Developer - AI Application Backend (GCP, Python)

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard-when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a highly skilled with strong expertise in Python and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to design, build, and scale AI-driven backend systems.

This role focuses on developing production-grade AI applications, building scalable APIs, integrating LLMs and ML models, and deploying cloud-native solutions on GCP. You will collaborate closely with AI engineers, data scientists, frontend developers, and DevOps teams to deliver intelligent, reliable, and high-performance backend services.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience in building AI-enabled systems using modern Python frameworks and cloud infrastructure, with strong knowledge of distributed systems and scalable architecture.

Key Responsibilities

AI Application Development

• Design and develop backend services to power AI-driven applications.

• Integrate Large Language Models (LLMs), ML models, or AI services into production systems.

• Build RESTful APIs and microservices using Python frameworks (FastAPI, Flask, Django).

• Implement RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipelines and AI orchestration workflows where applicable.

• Optimize AI inference performance, latency, and reliability.

Cloud & Infrastructure (GCP)

• Design and deploy AI backend services on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

• Work with GCP services such as:

• BigQuery

• Cloud Run

• Cloud Functions

• Compute Engine

• GKE (Kubernetes Engine)

• Cloud Storage

• Vertex AI (preferred)

• Ensure scalability, monitoring, and fault tolerance of cloud applications.

• Implement IAM policies, security best practices, and environment isolation.

Data & Integration

• Develop data pipelines to support AI models and analytics workflows.

• Integrate backend systems with third-party APIs and enterprise applications.

• Work with SQL and NoSQL databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, BigQuery).

• Handle data validation, transformation, and preprocessing logic.

DevOps & CI/CD

• Containerize applications using Docker.

• Deploy and manage services using Kubernetes (GKE preferred).

• Implement CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Cloud Build, Jenkins).

• Monitor application health and performance using logging and observability tools.

Collaboration & Engineering Excellence

• Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies.

• Write clean, maintainable, well-documented code.

• Conduct peer code reviews.

• Troubleshoot and debug production issues.

• Contribute to architectural decisions and continuous improvement.

Technical Skill Set

Programming

• Python (Advanced)

• SQL

Frameworks

• FastAPI / Flask / Django

• Async programming (asyncio)

Cloud

• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

• Vertex AI (preferred)

• BigQuery

• Cloud Run / GKE

DevOps

• Docker

• Kubernetes

• CI/CD pipelines

• Git

AI/ML

• LLM integrations

• RAG pipelines

• Prompt engineering basics

• Embedding & vector databases (Pinecone, FAISS, etc.)

Key Competencies

• Strong backend system design skills

• Ownership mindset

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Clear communication skills

• Ability to work in fast-paced, AI-driven environments

What We’re Looking For:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

• 5.5 to 9 years of backend development experience.

• Strong proficiency in Python.

• Hands-on experience with GCP cloud services.

• Experience building scalable backend systems and APIs.

• Knowledge of microservices architecture.

• Strong understanding of REST APIs and asynchronous programming.

• Experience with SQL-based databases.

• Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and cloud-native deployment.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AI/ML frameworks (LangChain, Hugging Face, TensorFlow, PyTorch).

• Experience with Vertex AI or GCP AI services.

• Experience building LLM-based applications (RAG, Agents, embeddings).

• Experience with message queues (Pub/Sub, Kafka).

• Knowledge of MLOps best practices.

• GCP certification (Professional Cloud Developer / Data Engineer / ML Engineer).

• Experience in high-scale, enterprise-grade AI systems.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

How We Work:

We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:

• We collaborate: Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
• We innovate: At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
• We execute: We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Our Approach to Flexible Work:

We embrace a flexible work model designed to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where every employee can reach their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, our focus is to optimize performance and drive connection for moments that matter.

Who We Are:

Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel’s award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Videos to watch:

The Culture at Mattel

Corporate Philanthropy