This article was originally featured on Built In
Technologists within MetLife's Global Technology and Operations (GTO) organization aren’t just adapting to change—they’re driving it.
Across the globe, team members are shaping the future of the financial services sector, leveraging the latest tools and each other’s expertise to create innovative solutions. For Full-Stack Software Engineer Neha Gambhir, who leads technical implementation at MetLife’s Global Capability Center (MGCC) in India, this opportunity to make an impact is just as exciting as the cutting-edge technologies she and her team members use to build solutions for customers around the world.
“Whether it’s optimizing the code or fixing critical bugs, knowing the fact that my work is going to directly impact our customers, or the business, is what motivates me the most,” she shared.
At MetLife, their technologists are at the forefront of creating innovative solutions that address complex challenges from every angle. By fostering a culture of collaboration and leveraging cutting-edge technology, their team members are empowered to drive meaningful transformation when developing new solutions.
“Financial services is inherently intricate, so building insurance software requires careful problem-solving,” Principal Full Stack Software Engineer Bill Horan said. “However, the nuances and complexity of factoring in business, customer, technology and financial needs are what makes the work interesting and rewarding. Engineers have a passion for solving meaningful problems and its why after 20 years at MetLife I am still learning and enjoying the work.”
Horan works out of the company’s global technology hub in Cary, North Carolina, and stays busy maintaining the company’s group insurance platform, which requires the use of advanced technologies such as AI in addition to cross-functional teamwork.
While he may sit in North Carolina, his teammates spread across the globe have the same opportunity to tackle real-world challenges and make an impactful difference.
Innovation in Action
Leonardo Delgadillo, a Full Stack Software Engineer based in Mexico said he enjoys the opportunity to address complex tasks, as it allows him to expand his skill set and elevate his technical expertise.
"Having a career in application development at a financial services company offers stability and technical growth opportunities. As a developer, I also feel aligned with our purpose to provide solutions that care for millions of people,” Delgadillo shared.
At MetLife, teams are empowered with the right practices and tools to manage even the most complex challenges effectively. Operating under the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Delgadillo and other technologists benefit from having a structured approach to scaling processes across large teams and multiple departments. This framework ensures that work aligns with strategic business objectives, which he believes has significantly improved the technology team’s ability to deliver high-quality solutions at scale.
While adhering to the SAFe framework, he and his teammates leverage various tools, such as GitHub Copilot, which enable them to find solutions more quickly and promote strong code development practices.
On her team, Gambhir and her peers rely on a contemporary tech stack that includes React and Angular as well as Node.js, Java and Spring Boot.
“These technologies, in addition to many others that we’re equipped with, enable us to create scalable and viable applications. From rapid prototyping to delivering new features, we have everything we need for seamless end-to-end development,” she said.
AI plays a key role in MetLife’s technological endeavors as well. Gambhir shared that as part of a server upgrade for end-of-life machines her team integrated AI to resolve critical bugs while migrating code between servers.
“Traditionally, this process involved manually rewriting the code to remove bugs, which is rather time-consuming and prone to errors,” she explained. “We introduced a machine learning model that uses historical data to fix these bugs and allows our team to focus on more complex tasks. This has significantly reduced the turnaround time and received positive responses from stakeholders.”
On the other hand, Horan and his peers had already been using generative AI for a quoting solution when they decided to apply it to broker quoting APIs in an effort to provide additional insight into errors during the request for proposal process. They were able to pass a stack trace and some context into a large language model (LLM) prompt, and as a result, the LLM was able to provide a user-friendly explanation of what the error was.
“As opposed to the traditional approach of crafting messages for every error condition or relying on technical resources to help debug errors, we were able to easily provide business users enough information to fix a problem without having to take time away from the engineering team,” Horan said.
He added that operating a platform in the cloud has its advantages, allowing the team to deliver new solutions successfully — and quickly.
“Once you abstract away the complexity of managing infrastructure and deployments, development and innovation can move with some serious velocity,” Horan said.
The Benefits of Being Global
Horan emphasized that collaboration is not merely a buzzword at MetLife; it’s a fundamental principle that drives innovation and success.
With team members in locations across the globe, he’s regularly connecting with peers in different time zones to get projects across the finish line. He shared that diverse perspectives are key to developing solutions that are both creative and effective.
“Every voice is heard, regardless of role or tenure,” Horan said.
Having team members across the globe has introduced Gambhir to a range of working styles, deepening her appreciation for cultural differences and time zone management while strengthening her technical expertise.
“As a developer, I’ve come to appreciate how region-based user expectations and regulatory requirements shape the product from design to final implementation,” she said. “This exposure has made me more adaptable and expanded my business knowledge. I am constantly learning new tools and approaches used by teams in different regions.”
Delgadillo has had a similar experience working with global teams.
“Collaborating with team members across regions has introduced me to different coding techniques and cultural nuances,” he said. “It has also helped my teammates and me refine our communication skills by navigating challenges with an international lens.”
Solving problems becomes easier when you have a network of minds across the world eager to contribute their expertise. Beyond that, Horan noted, working globally offers valuable insight into international customs and traditions, making it as much a personal journey as a professional one.
“It substantially broadens your perspective,” Horan said.
Harness Creativity to Drive Impact
With a diverse tech stack spread across two different clouds in addition to on-premises software, MetLife technologists are constantly exploring new frontiers—and according to Horan, that’s what makes the work so rewarding.
“Each challenge, whether it’s a new technology or a complex problem, presents an opportunity to showcase your ability to analyze, learn, and demonstrate the value you bring to the company,” he said.
At MetLife, you can and will learn something new every day. Delgadillo believes this focus on continuous growth is fostered by a culture that encourages employees to think outside of the box.
“I feel there is a free atmosphere in which we can present ideas, which allows us to explore our creative capacity,” he said.
When team members share their ingenuity with others, they’re empowered to bring those concepts to life and receive recognition for it, which is a facet of the company’s culture that Gambhir values.
“I really appreciate how achievements are celebrated here, however big or small they are,” she shared. “It motivates me to see my work being rewarded or appreciated by leadership and my colleagues.”
Being a technologist at MetLife is about more than pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the financial services industry; it’s about finding space to pursue ambitious career goals — and changing the lives of millions of people in the process.
“At MetLife, you are provided the space and the tools to carve out a future for yourself while making a meaningful impact on the company. It’s a place where your work aligns with a greater purpose, allowing you to grow and contribute in ways that truly matter,” Gambhir said.
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