Senior Software Engineer, Python

Senior Software Engineer, Python (Leawood, KS & Arlington, VA) 3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. Become Part of a Meaningful Mission Torch.AI is a defense-focused AI-software company on a mission to become the leading provider of critical data infrastructure for U.S. Defense and National Security. We deliver advanced AI and data software capabilities directly to customer mission owners to meet flexible, user-defined specifications and enable a decision advantage for the warfighter. Were passionate about solving complex problems that improve national security, support our warfighters, and protect our nation. Join us in our mission to help organizations Unlock Human Potential. The Environment: Unlock Your Potential As a Senior Software Engineer at Torch.AI, you will be at the forefront of building software that scales across Torch.AIs platform capabilities. Your software will be deployed across an array of operational and research & development efforts for mission-critical customer programs and projects. Our flat operating model puts every employee at the forefront of our customers missions. We value customer intimacy, unique perspectives, and dedication to delivering lasting impact and results. Youll have the opportunity to work on the frontlines of major customer programs and influence lasting success for Torch.AI and your teammates. Youll have the opportunity to gain experience across a wide range of projects and tasks, from designing and demonstrating early capabilities and prototypes to deploying large-scale mission systems. Youll contribute directly to Torch.AIs continued position as a market leader for data infrastructure AI and compete against multi-billion-dollar incumbents and high-tech AI companies. Responsibilities Lead design and development of Python-based backend services, using frameworks such as FastAPI, Flask, or custom microservice architectures. Engage in troubleshooting and root cause analysis of issues across staging and production environments. Translate data between formats (e.g., JSON, Parquet, Avro) and contribute to internal automation and scripting efforts. Collaborate with DevOps, security, and software teams to ensure delivery of secure, performant software. Contribute to documentation, test plans, and service-level reliability standards. Guide and mentor junior engineers through code reviews, technical planning, and architectural decisions. Oversee and improve CI/CD pipelines, development workflows, and service observability. Work with relational and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Neo4j) to enable data-driven applications. Manage application deployment on cloud platforms (AWS preferred), including use of S3, EC2, and related services. Architect and maintain RESTful APIs and service integrations across internal and external systems. What We Value B.S. degree in Computer Science, Technology, Engineering, or a relevant field. 8+ years of professional software development experience, including significant expertise in Python. Proven track record of designing, delivering, and supporting scalable backend systems. Strong knowledge of cloud-native software architecture, deployment strategies, and infrastructure-as-code concepts. Experience with SQL and NoSQL database design and performance tuning. Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, version control (Git), and Agile/Scrum processes. Solid understanding of security best practices, configuration management, and system integration techniques. Industry experience, preferably within the defense industry and/or intelligence community or related sectors, a plus. Ability to convey complex technical concepts to stakeholders. Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams. Awareness of ethical considerations and responsible AI practices. Strong drive for improving software quality, security, and performance. Ability to propose innovative solutions and optimizations based on application metrics and technical insights. Experience with NiFi, Airflow, or similar data integration tools (not required, nice to have). Experience with observability tooling (e.g., Kibana) or test automation frameworks (e.g., Selenium) (not required, nice to have). Background in high-side/cloud-isolated environments (e.g., C2S, AC2SP) (not required, nice to have). Exposure to Kafka, Spark, or time-series data environments. Familiarity with AI/ML platforms, or deploying services that interface with LLMs or model endpoints (not required, nice to have). Security Clearance We are hiring for multiple positions for each role. Some roles require a Secret, Top Secret, or Top Secret/SCI Security Clearance on Day 1. If you do not currently hold a clearance but are interested in this role and believe you are eligible for a clearance, we still encourage you to submit an application. Work Location We are hiring for roles at our headquarters in Leawood, KS and remotely in the Arlington, VA region. Candidates in the Arlington, VA region may work remotely while not on customer site. Candidates in the Leawood, KS region may require some limited travel to customer sites (