Machine Learning Engineer

TechTrend is looking for a hands-on AI Engineer to join our Rapid Innovation Team—a collaborative group focused on designing, prototyping, and delivering innovative AI solutions for enterprise and U.S. Government customers.

This is an opportunity to work with emerging AI technologies and turn ideas into practical solutions. You'll collaborate with experienced cloud, software, and AI engineers to build Generative AI applications, intelligent automation, AI assistants, and machine learning solutions that address real-world customer challenges.

The ideal candidate is a strong software engineer with practical experience building AI/ML or Generative AI solutions and a passion for learning new technologies.

Important : U.S. citizenship is required due to federal customer requirements. This position is based in Reston, VA and follows a hybrid schedule with three days per week in the office. Candidates must be able to pass a background investigation and obtain/maintain any required government clearance or public trust, if applicable.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and develop AI and Generative AI solutions using Python and cloud-based AI services.
• Build prototypes and proof-of-concepts that demonstrate how emerging AI technologies can solve customer and business problems.
• Develop applications using LLMs, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), embeddings, vector databases, prompt engineering, and AI orchestration frameworks.
• Build AI-powered assistants, copilots, workflow automation, and decision-support applications.
• Develop APIs and integrate AI capabilities into existing enterprise applications and workflows.
• Work with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and services such as Vertex AI, Gemini, BigQuery, and Document AI.
• Build and deploy AI applications using Docker and cloud-native technologies, with exposure to Kubernetes/GKE.
• Develop data pipelines and supporting services required to move AI solutions from prototype to production.
• Implement software engineering best practices including version control, automated testing, CI/CD, and infrastructure automation.
• Collaborate with software engineers, cloud architects, product owners, and business stakeholders to translate customer needs into practical AI solutions.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies, frameworks, and models and recommend approaches that can improve customer solutions.
• Contribute to responsible, secure, and scalable AI solutions appropriate for mission-critical and government environments.
• Share knowledge and contribute to AI engineering standards and best practices across the team.

TECHNOLOGIES YOU WILL WORK WITH

• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• Vertex AI and Gemini
• Generative AI and LLMs
• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
• Embeddings and vector databases
• Git and CI/CD

Additional Technologies

• LangChain and/or LangGraph
• BigQuery and BigQuery ML
• TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn
• Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Services
• Infrastructure as Code
• AI agents and conversational AI

You do not need to be an expert in every technology listed above. We are looking for strong engineering fundamentals, practical AI experience, and the ability to learn and apply new technologies quickly.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of professional software engineering or related technical experience.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience developing AI/ML or Generative AI solutions.
• Experience building applications using LLMs, Generative AI, RAG, embeddings, or related AI technologies.
• Experience developing and integrating REST APIs or similar application interfaces.
• Experience deploying applications to a cloud environment, preferably GCP.
• Familiarity with software development practices including Git, testing, CI/CD, and containerization.
• Ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to learn new AI technologies quickly.
• Demonstrated ability to take an AI concept or prototype and contribute to turning it into a working application.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Google Cloud Vertex AI, Gemini, or other GCP AI services.
• Experience with LangChain, LangGraph, or similar AI orchestration frameworks.
• Experience with vector databases and RAG architectures.
• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes/GKE.
• Experience with Azure OpenAI or Azure AI Services.
• Experience developing AI agents, copilots, or conversational applications.
• Familiarity with machine learning frameworks such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, or TensorFlow.
• Experience with BigQuery, Document AI, or cloud-based data pipelines.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government or federal customers.
• Existing security clearance or public trust.
• Google Cloud certification such as Professional Machine Learning Engineer or Professional Cloud Architect.
• Familiarity with AI governance, responsible AI, or AI security.
• Travel: Minimal (10% or less)

About TechTrend

Founded in 2003, TechTrend is an award‑winning technology consulting firm delivering cloud, AI, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and enterprise IT solutions to federal and commercial customers. We help organizations solve complex challenges by combining technical excellence with a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.