AI (ML) Engineer - Colorado Springs, CO

Davidson is distinguished in the aerospace and missile defense industry, in part, because of its excellence in hiring exceptional experts, engineers and software developers dedicated to delivering advanced, intelligent technology solutions in defense of our nation.

Davidson is seeking an AI (ML) Engineer in Colorado Springs, CO.

This position is an integral part of a fast-paced, innovative program for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) involving the creation of advanced M&S, Optimization, and AI capabilities in support of the Guam Defense System (GDS). The program works cross-functionally with innovative team members skilled in Modeling & Simulation (M&S), Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), DevSecOps, and Cybersecurity.

The ideal candidate will possess a fundamental understanding of AI/ML principles, experience supporting AI/ML projects from conception to deployment, and strong communication skills. As an AI/ML Engineer, you will be responsible for developing AI/ML products directly feeding the AI/ML strategy, communicating AI/ML concepts and results to both technical and non-technical audiences, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative AI-powered solutions. The selected individual must be able to work with little direct supervision, work as an integral member of a product delivery team and meet time critical delivery schedules.

Work will be performed at a contractor facility in Colorado Springs, CO and at Schriever SFB.

All team members should be able to:

• Experiment with innovative theories, ideas, and concepts to expand the realm of the possible
• Self-organize and participate in an Agile development lifecycle
• Ask questions and build consensus within a cross-functional team
• Provide design inputs and collaborate to decompose, estimate, and refine backlog requirements

Job Responsibilities:

• Candidate will serve as an AI Engineer for a team creating multiple AI/ML projects and the development and training environment in which they are created.
• Primary responsibilities include close collaboration with data team members, collaboration with functional SMEs, and developing advanced optimization models for customer product enhancement
• Train models and algorithms within a software product across a cross-functional team to provide value to our customer
• Support the full lifecycle of AI/ML projects, from problem definition and data collection to model development, deployment, and monitoring.
• Design, develop, and implement AI/ML models and algorithms using appropriate tools and techniques.
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of AI/ML models through rigorous testing and validation.
• Collaborate with software engineers, network security, and DevOps teams to deploy AI/ML models into production environments.
• Model performance of AI/ML models in production and identify areas for improvement.
• Communicate AI/ML concepts and results effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Work in close coordination with multiple teams that will use AI/ML products.
• Work with AI/ML Lead to define problem statements and success metrics for AI/ML products.

Job Requirements:

• AI Experience
  • Familiarity in a variety of AI/ML techniques, including deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and reinforcement learning.
  • Experience with Large Language Models/Generative AI and Prompt Engineering. Also, using LLM/GAI solutions for usage in human-machine teaming for Software Development. Algorithmic understanding of heuristic and black box approaches for optimization, such as Genetic Algorithms, Simulated Annealing, Bayesian Optimization, and Particle Swarm Optimization.
  • Familiarity with ML algorithms, such as Decision Tree, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Neural Network, Convolutional Neural Network, Long Short-Term Memory.
  • Experience evaluating models using common AI/ML concepts (e.g. cross-validation, drift monitoring, model cards, bias/fairness testing).
  • Familiarity with response AI/model governance.
• AI Development Experience
  • Proficient in building optimization models with one of the following languages: Python, C, C++
  • Understanding of Python's common data stack (NumPy, Pandas, SciPy)
  • Experience with common ML frameworks for Python (scikit-learn, Tensorflow, PyTorch)
• Development Environment Experience
  • Experience with collaborative programming tools (Git, Gitlab)
  • Familiarity with Linux operating systems.
• Team Environment and Communication
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills; including presentation skills.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Must be self-motivated, able to work effectively in a dynamic and collaborative team environment.
• Ability for some limited travel (less than 10% time) to support program meetings.
• Excellent communication skills

Desired Competencies/Experience/Certifications:

• 5+ years of relevant experience in Operations Research/Machine Learning
• Demonstrable experience building ML models in Python
• Experience with data manipulation and ML for big datasets
• Experience with MLOps tools (Kubeflow, MLflow, DVC)
• Knowledge of modern application development to include containerization (Docker/K8S)
• Demonstrable experience applying analytical and programming skills to solve optimization problems
• Strong algorithmic understanding of classical optimization techniques. (e.g., linear programming, gradient descent).
• Familiarity with Agile processes/development methodology
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Clearance Requirements:

• Holds active DoD Secret clearance at time of application and able to obtain Top Secret Security clearance.