AI/ML Software Engineer

Role Description

FTI Defense is seeking an AI/ML Software Engineer to design, build, and deploy secure, scalable software and data systems that support mission operations, analytics, and simulation environments. This role is for a hands-on engineer and someone who loves writing code, building systems end-to-end, and solving real-world technical challenges in secure, distributed environments.

Responsibilities

• Software Design & Development
  • Design and implement APIs, data pipelines, and simulation runtime logic that connect and enable mission applications.
  • Develop software using modern programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, or TypeScript/Angular.
  • Write clean, testable, and maintainable code following secure coding and software engineering best practices.
  • Build and integrate modular microservices to improve scalability, maintainability, and interoperability.
• Cloud & Containerized Environments
  • Build and deploy containerized, cloud-native services using Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines (GitLab, Jenkins, or equivalent).
  • Implement Infrastructure-as-Code and automation scripts to accelerate deployment and configuration management.
  • Contribute to secure deployments across hybrid or disconnected environments (IL4–IL6, AWS GovCloud, or on-prem).
• Systems Integration & Distributed Computing
  • Develop distributed systems and data integration frameworks using message buses such as Kafka or Redis.
  • Engineer data flow between analytic, AI, and simulation components to support real-time mission use cases.
  • Collaborate with system engineers and architects to ensure interoperability across software ecosystems.
• Data & Analytics Integration
  • Build and manage databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, graph DBs) and model complex data relationships.
  • Develop data services that feed analytics pipelines or integrate AI/ML outputs into runtime systems.
  • Work with serialization and exchange formats such as JSON, Protobuf, GeoJSON, or KML.
• Security, Testing & Sustainment
  • Write, test, and deploy software within secure or classified environments.
  • Automate testing and monitoring to ensure performance, reliability, and repeatable deployments.
  • Support the transition of prototypes to operational systems, focusing on maintainability and observability.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen and be willing to obtain and maintain a security clearance, as needed.
• 6-10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• 3+ years of professional experience with DevSecOps, Zero-Trust, or ATO/RMF processes in Department of Defense (DoD/DoW) environments.
• Strong full-stack or systems engineering background.
• Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Java, Python, C++, or TypeScript/Angular.
• Experience building containerized, cloud-native solutions using Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Complete understanding of distributed systems and message buses (Kafka, Redis, etc.).
• Experience developing or integrating analytics and AI models into production systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience deploying code in IL4–IL6 or edge/disconnected environments.
• Familiarity with databases such as PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or graph databases.
• Knowledge of Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, CloudFormation, or CDK).
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Active Secret clearance preferred; ability to obtain one is required.