AI Engineer Topsecret Clearance

We are seeking a highly skilled AI Engineer to support a mission-critical U.S. Government program in the Dulles, Virginia area. The ideal candidate will have expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Generative AI, cybersecurity, and secure software development within classified environments. This role requires designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining AI-driven solutions that support national security and cyber defense initiatives., * Design, develop, and deploy AI/ML solutions for mission-critical government applications.

• Build and optimize Large Language Model (LLM) and Generative AI applications.
• Develop Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions using secure enterprise data.
• Fine-tune foundation models for classified and mission-specific use cases.
• Design scalable AI architectures using cloud and on-premises environments.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to ensure AI systems comply with federal security requirements.
• Implement secure AI development practices and defend AI systems against adversarial attacks.
• Perform model evaluation, validation, monitoring, and continuous improvement.
• Develop APIs and microservices to integrate AI capabilities into enterprise applications.
• Participate in architecture reviews, code reviews, and security assessments.
• Prepare technical documentation, implementation guides, and system design artifacts.
• Support Authority to Operate (ATO) activities and security compliance documentation.
• Work closely with government stakeholders and program leadership to deliver mission objectives.

The successful candidate must possess strong technical skills, experience working with secure government systems, and the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering and cybersecurity teams., * Active Top Secret Clearance (TS required).

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of software engineering experience.
• 3+ years of hands-on AI/ML engineering experience.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Experience with TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, LangChain, LlamaIndex, Hugging Face Transformers, or similar AI frameworks.
• Experience developing Generative AI and Large Language Model applications.
• Knowledge of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), vector databases, embeddings, and prompt engineering.
• Experience with REST APIs, Docker, Kubernetes, and Git.
• Experience deploying AI applications in AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, or secure on-premises environments.
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices and Agile methodologies.

Cybersecurity Requirements

Candidates should have strong knowledge of:

• Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)
• Zero Trust Architecture
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
• NIST SP 800-53 Security Controls
• RMF (Risk Management Framework)
• Secure AI/ML model deployment
• Identity and Access Management (IAM)
• Vulnerability Management
• Threat Modeling
• Security Automation
• Container Security
• Cloud Security
• Data Protection and Encryption
• AI Security and Adversarial Machine Learning
• Compliance with federal cybersecurity standards

Preferred Qualifications

• TS/SCI Clearance.
• CISSP, Security+, CEH, or GIAC certifications.
• AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty.
• Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate.
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA).
• Experience supporting DoD, DHS, IC, or Federal Civilian Agencies.
• Experience with MLOps platforms.
• Knowledge of NVIDIA AI technologies.
• Experience with GPU acceleration and distributed model training.
• Experience deploying secure AI pipelines using Kubernetes and OpenShift.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible).

Technical Skills

• Python
• SQL
• Java or C++
• PyTorch
• TensorFlow
• LangChain
• LlamaIndex
• Hugging Face
• OpenAI APIs
• Vector Databases (Pinecone, Milvus, FAISS, ChromaDB)
• Docker
• Kubernetes
• Git
• Jenkins/GitHub Actions
• Linux
• AWS GovCloud
• Azure Government
• Elasticsearch
• Redis

Pulled from the full job description

• Professional development assistance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Parental leave
• 401(k)
• Retirement plan
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off, * 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement