AI Solutions Engineer (Hybrid | Wash, DC)

Strategic Innovation Group (SIG) is seeking a candidate with experience supporting large organizations across multiple domains in public-sector and private-sector environments, including work in ambiguous settings where success depends on identifying hidden gaps, clarifying uncertainty, and tackling unknown unknowns. $145,000 to $165,000 The purpose of this engagement is to provide specialized AI empowerment engineering services and leveraging expertise across various commercial platforms. This work will also support data ecosystem readiness in areas such as data preparation, matching, and governance for enterprise AI projects. The AI Solutions Engineer will focus on enabling, developing, and innovating within enterprise AI environments, supporting both the architecture and implementation of advanced AI solutions. They will build and deploy AI applications leveraging large language models (LLMs), agent frameworks, and cloud-native services., The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Design, develop, and deploy scalable AI/ML solutions, including LLM-powered applications, RAG architectures, and agent-based workflows, in complex, enterprise environments.
• Serve as both a hands-on engineer and solution architect, translating business needs into technical requirements and production-grade AI systems.
• Build and maintain end-to-end ML pipelines (data engineering, model development, deployment, monitoring, and retraining) using Python, SQL, Spark/PySpark, and modern MLOps practices.
• Develop and integrate AI applications using foundation models (e.g., Claude, Hugging Face) and cloud-native services across AWS and Azure (e.g., Bedrock, SageMaker, OpenAI Service, AI Search).
• Design secure, auditable, and explainable AI systems with strong governance, traceability, and human-in-the-loop controls for mission-critical and compliance-sensitive environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to prepare data, enable semantic retrieval, and deliver robust AI-driven solutions aligned to operational needs.
• Continuously monitor, evaluate, and optimize AI system performance to meet client-defined objectives for accuracy, reliability, and scalability.
• Establish and maintain scalable AI infrastructure using containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Document solutions and provide knowledge transfer to ensure long-term sustainability and adoption of AI capabilities., Additionally, this position is expected to be generally remote, with occasional visits to the office and client facilities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area as needed. The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of hands-on experience spanning AI/ML, data engineering, and advanced analytics, with a proven track record of designing, building, and deploying production-grade solutions in complex operational environments.
• 1+ years of hands-on experience working with large language models (LLMs) and AI/ML systems.
• Proficiency in Python and experience with API integration, prompt engineering, and vector database interaction.
• Demonstrated experience building and deploying AI solutions using AWS and/or Azure AI services.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with foundation models such as Claude (v3.5+) and HuggingFace offerings.
• Familiarity with distributed data processing (e.g., Apache Spark).
• Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Exposure to Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools and enterprise automation use cases.
• Prior experience in federal contracting or highly regulated enterprise environments.
• Knowledge of cloud-native services such as AWS Bedrock, SageMaker, OpenSearch, Azure OpenAI, AI Studio, Data Factory, and related tools.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong documentation skills and a commitment to scalable, maintainable engineering practices.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/SECURITY CLEARANCE

• Must have ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance

SIG is a fast growing 8(a) government contractor based in Arlington, Virginia. We offer a broad range of technical expertise and experience in Digital Transformation, Data Management/Data Science, and Systems Modernization. At SIG, our people are our mission. Come join our team! A successful candidate will be offered the following:

• Great work/life balance
• Eligibility for performance-based participation in cash bonuses
• Potential to participate in growth of the company through incentives
• Excellent benefits, including health, dental, vision, generous PTO, a 401(k) with match, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and a health savings account (HSA)