392 - Principal AI Software Engineer

About the role

You will own the end to end design and delivery of scalable AI driven software solutions that directly support the Corporate Discovery Services mission for a key government client located in Fort Meade Maryland. In this role you act as the critical bridge between data science research prototypes and production grade software engineering ensuring that innovative solutions are robust reliable and ready for operational deployment. You will capture detailed requirements from stakeholders translate complex algorithmic concepts into concrete system architectures and lead the implementation of high impact applications. This position offers the opportunity to shape technology direction influence architectural decisions and have a direct impact on every client engagement you work with. You will mentor junior engineers establish best practices for AI software development and drive continuous improvement across the development lifecycle. The successful candidate will bring disciplined engineering practices to advanced artificial intelligence initiatives while maintaining a sharp focus on delivery and client satisfaction. You will collaborate closely with data scientists product owners and government stakeholders to align technical solutions with evolving mission needs. This role is ideal for a hands on leader who thrives in a mission critical environment and wants to build scalable systems that make real world operational impact.

Key facts

What you'll do

Architect and design scalable software solutions that integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities into mission critical government applications.

Lead the translation of data science prototypes and research models into production ready software components that meet stringent performance and reliability standards.

Capture and analyze stakeholder requirements working directly with government clients to define technical specifications and success criteria for AI driven features.

Develop robust backend services and application programming interfaces that expose machine learning functionality to downstream systems and users.

Implement automated testing frameworks and validation procedures to ensure software quality security and compliance with government standards.

Collaborate with data scientists to optimize model inference pipelines streamline data workflows and improve overall system efficiency.

Guide technical implementation across the software development lifecycle from initial design through deployment and ongoing maintenance.

Mentor software engineers by providing code reviews technical guidance and leadership in artificial intelligence best practices.

Partner with product owners to prioritize features balance technical debt and deliver incremental value to clients in a timely manner.

Champion operational excellence by monitoring deployed systems driving improvements and incorporating feedback into future development cycles.

Define and enforce coding standards development workflows and documentation practices for AI software engineering initiatives.

Support the integration of third party APIs and data sources ensuring seamless interoperability within existing government technology ecosystems.

Lead proof of concept efforts to evaluate emerging artificial intelligence techniques and assess their applicability to mission requirements.

Act as a technical authority within the organization representing the team in cross functional discussions and decision making forums.

Requirements

Must be a United States citizen due to the sensitive nature of government work at the Fort Meade location.

Must possess an active Secret security clearance or be able to obtain one as a condition of employment for this role.

Must have a Bachelor degree in Computer Science Engineering or a related technical field or equivalent practical experience.

Must demonstrate extensive experience with Python as a primary programming language for software development and data integration tasks.

Must have a strong background in software engineering fundamentals including data structures algorithms and design patterns.

Must have proven experience building and deploying machine learning models or artificial intelligence applications in production environments.

Must be proficient in software development practices such as version control continuous integration and automated testing.

Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively collaborate with government stakeholders and technical teams.

Nice to have

Preferred experience with cloud platforms containerization and modern software deployment pipelines.

Preferred familiarity with government acquisition frameworks and compliance standards relevant to information technology projects.

Preferred experience with data engineering tools database systems and large scale data processing technologies.

Preferred knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning frameworks commonly used in research and production environments.

Practical notes

This is a full time position based in Fort Meade MD.

This role requires United States citizenship and the ability to obtain a Secret security clearance.

Travel may be required to support client needs as determined by project scope and stakeholder demands.

Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Requirements section without exception.