AI Engineer

Role Description

EMKS is seeking an AI Engineer to support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information Technology (OIT). This position will lead the design, development, and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI, Machine Learning (ML), and intelligent automation solutions that enhance enterprise software engineering, testing, DevSecOps, and IT operations.

The successful candidate will collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify high-value AI opportunities, develop proof-of-concepts, and deliver secure, scalable, production-ready AI solutions aligned with VA AI governance and Trustworthy AI principles.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Design and develop AI-powered applications using Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI, and Machine Learning.
• Build AI Copilots, AI Agents, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions to improve software engineering, testing, documentation, and operational workflows.
• Develop intelligent automation solutions for test case generation, defect analysis, knowledge management, predictive analytics, and process optimization.
• Integrate AI capabilities into enterprise applications, APIs, Azure cloud services, and DevSecOps pipelines.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and rapidly develop Proofs of Concept (PoCs).
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, testers, and business stakeholders to identify and implement innovative AI solutions.
• Ensure all AI solutions comply with VA cybersecurity, privacy, accessibility, and Trustworthy AI requirements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in overall software engineering experience.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience developing AI, Machine Learning, or Generative AI solutions.
• Strong programming experience with Python.
• Experience with Azure OpenAI, OpenAI APIs, or similar LLM platforms.
• Experience with LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel, or comparable AI frameworks.
• Experience building Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) applications and AI Agents.
• Experience developing REST APIs using FastAPI or similar frameworks.
• Familiarity with Git, Azure DevOps, CI/CD, Docker, and cloud-native development.
• Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Requirements

• Experience supporting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or other Federal agencies.
• Experience with healthcare IT, EHRM, VistA, Oracle Health Millennium, FHIR, or HL7.
• Experience with Azure AI Studio, Azure Machine Learning, vector databases, and prompt engineering.
• Knowledge of NIST AI Risk Management Framework, Responsible AI, and Federal AI governance.

Education/Technical Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or related field.
• Python
• Azure OpenAI
• OpenAI APIs
• LangChain
• LangGraph
• LlamaIndex
• Semantic Kernel
• RAG
• AI Agents
• Machine Learning
• FastAPI
• Azure AI Studio
• Azure DevOps
• Docker
• Kubernetes
• SQL
• Git
• REST APIs
• Vector Databases

Clearance

• S. Citizenship is required as is successfully passing a thorough Government background screening (Public Trust) requiring the completion of detailed forms and fingerprinting.
• Ability to obtain and maintain necessary security clearances as required for access to classified information.