Applied AI Engineer

Job Overview Active Top Secret (TS/SCI) clearance with polygraph is required. Visionist has an exciting new, fully FUNDED opportunity for an Applied AI Engineer on our largest PRIME contract. Our team of Analysts and Engineers is motivated by the direct impact on the mission, crafting specialized tools for enhanced efficiency and quick iterations for our operations user base. Seeing your tools in real-time action brings immediate gratification. This premier program encompasses traditional software services including Systems Design and Engineering, Database Administration, Data Science and Knowledge Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Integration and Test, as well as Operations and Systems Support. The program is characterized by innovation and excitement, fostering meaningful engagements, and offering distinctive collaboration opportunities with users, policy makers, and mission leadership, all while maintaining a service mindset. If you thrive in a collaborative work environment and enjoy utilizing a diverse tech stack, then this opportunity is tailor‑made for you For over 14 years, Visionist has been solving the Intelligence Community's toughest software and analysis challenges. As a 100% employee‑owned company, we prioritize our people—your job security is assured. We embed small engineering teams with analysts to rapidly identify and solve mission capability gaps playing a critical role in defending our nation’s cyber infrastructure & providing expertise in malware analysis, attribution, mapping adversarial infrastructure, pen testing, and operational planning. Our open‑door leadership team fosters a supportive culture, where internal growth and promotion opportunities are the norm. Don’t just take our word for it—check out our 4.8‑star review on Glassdoor. Join a company that feels like a family with regular happy hours, baseball games, activity clubs and more. Check us out at Responsibilities Rapidly prototype AI‑powered tools and integrations that enhance cyber operations capabilities Build and deploy agentic systems using modern orchestration frameworks such as LangGraph, CrewAI, or similar tools Create custom integrations that extend AI functionality into existing security and infrastructure ecosystems Develop Python applications that leverage multiple AI models and APIs in production Partner directly with cyber analysts to understand workflows and identify automation opportunities with mission impact Experiment with frontier models and techniques, quickly evaluating their operational viability Build robust API integrations that connect AI capabilities to data sources and security tooling Iterate rapidly based on user feedback, often shipping multiple improvements daily Document novel approaches and contribute to the team's knowledge base Build and maintain a library of reusable AI components and design patterns to accelerate future development Requirements Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline (additional 4 years of experience may substitute degree) 3 years of experience in software development Strong proficiency in Python Hands‑on experience building production‑grade AI applications (beyond prototypes or demos) Familiarity with modern AI frameworks and tooling (e.g., Pydantic AI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, or agent frameworks) Experience developing and integrating APIs (REST, GraphQL, or streaming APIs) Understanding of prompt engineering, structured outputs, and tool/function calling Strong debugging skills and ability to troubleshoot non‑deterministic AI behavior Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows Self‑directed learner who thrives in fast‑paced, evolving technical environments Genuine enthusiasm for exploring what’s possible at the frontier of AI and mission technology Benefits We are a 100% employee‑owned company, so our employees see the benefit of their contributions and have a stake in our overall success Competitive 15% retirement contribution (5% 401K match & 10% ESOP) 4 weeks paid time off that is never “use or lose”, 12 paid holidays, comp time, overtime, AND flexible work hours 80 hours of paid parental leave with an additional $8,000 supplemental payment upon returning from maternity Medical, dental & vision benefits for both individuals and families (those who waive medical benefits will receive an additional $4,160/year) Annual lifestyle bonus of $600 – use it towards gyms/fitness, new tech, or your HSA Annual merit increases & performance‑based bonuses Term life insurance, short‑term disability, & long‑term disability Salary range: $115,000 - $160,000 Disclaimer: Salary for this position, along with additional compensation options, will be determined on an individual basis following the interview process, considering various factors such as years of experience, skills, education/certifications, contract specifications, market conditions, etc. Not a good fit? Check out our other opportunities: Next steps: Apply online and one of our recruiters will reach out to you. We have a streamlined process of phone screen with a recruiter, interview with a Visionist team at our HQ in Columbia, MD, and that is all Interested in learning more about Visionist and the work we do? Check out our website U.S citizenship required (green card holders and permanent residents are not eligible). Applicants selected will be required to obtain / maintain a government security clearance. Visionist, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity / Protected Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr