Senior AI Software Engineer

About the role

Dark Wolf constructs and deploys data management and analytics solutions for the defense and intelligence communities. We're proud to boast a world-class engineering team that thrives on rolling up their sleeves to solve your mission's biggest challenges.

Dark Wolf is seeking a Senior AI Software Engineer to design, build, and integrate AI/ML solutions and microservices. You will work directly on integrating open-source and proprietary models, fine-tuning workflows, constructing RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) applications, and deploying secure software in multi-cloud environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Fine-tune open-source and proprietary AI models for domain-specific mission requirements.
• Develop RAG pipelines and vector search integrations using modern AI frameworks.
• Build, deploy, and manage containerized microservices using Docker and Kubernetes.
• Integrate automated security scanning tools directly into continuous integration pipelines.
• Collaborate within Agile teams to break down technical requirements, conduct technical reviews, and mentor junior developers.

Required Qualifications

• Clearance: Must be a US Citizen holding an active TS/SCI security clearance with an active Full-Scope Polygraph.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field (Master's degree preferred).
• Experience: 4-7 years of software engineering experience.

Technical Competencies

• AI Frameworks: Hands-on experience with frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, or Hugging Face.
• AI Models: Practical experience fine-tuning Large Language Models (LLMs) and Small Language Models (SLMs).
• Machine Learning: End-to-end knowledge of model training, dataset curation, and data pipeline design.
• Programming & Scripting: Strong proficiency in Python, C++, and REST API architecture.
• Containerization: Proficient with Docker, Kubernetes cluster orchestration, and Helm charts.
• Agile Frameworks: Active participation in Agile sprint execution, story estimation, and backlog refinement.
• Multi-Cloud Architecture: Experience configuring and managing cloud services across AWS or Azure GovCloud environments.
• Security Scanning Tooling: Experience embedding SAST/DAST tools into CI/CD build environments.

Desired Qualifications

• Specialized technical certifications such as Kubernetes Certified Administrator (CKA) or AWS Certified Developer/Architect.
• Experience working on high-assurance or government security projects.

Position Clearance Requirement

• US Citizenship with an active TS/SCI security clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph
• Location: Chantilly/Herndon, VA.

Target Salary Range

$130,000.00 - $170,000.00 (Commensurate with specialized expertise and technical skillset).