Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. FTI Defense is seeking an AI/ML Software Engineer to design, build, and deploy secure, scalable software and data systems that support mission operations, analytics, and simulation environments. This role involves hands-on engineering, writing code, building systems end-to-end, and solving real-world technical challenges in secure, distributed environments.
Responsibilities
- Design and implement APIs, data pipelines, and simulation runtime logic that connect and enable mission applications
- Develop software using modern programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, or TypeScript/Angular
- Write clean, testable, and maintainable code following secure coding and software engineering best practices
- Build and integrate modular microservices to improve scalability, maintainability, and interoperability
- Build and deploy containerized, cloud-native services using Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines (GitLab, Jenkins, or equivalent)
- Implement Infrastructure-as-Code and automation scripts to accelerate deployment and configuration management
- Contribute to secure deployments across hybrid or disconnected environments (IL4–IL6, AWS GovCloud, or on-prem)
- Develop distributed systems and data integration frameworks using message buses such as Kafka or Redis
- Engineer data flow between analytic, AI, and simulation components to support real-time mission use cases
- Collaborate with system engineers and architects to ensure interoperability across software ecosystems
- Build and manage databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, graph DBs) and model complex data relationships
- Develop data services that feed analytics pipelines or integrate AI/ML outputs into runtime systems
- Work with serialization and exchange formats such as JSON, Protobuf, GeoJSON, or KML
- Write, test, and deploy software within secure or classified environments
- Automate testing and monitoring to ensure performance, reliability, and repeatable deployments
- Support the transition of prototypes to operational systems, focusing on maintainability and observability
Skills
- Must be a U.S. citizen and be willing to obtain and maintain a security clearance, as needed
- 6-10+ years of professional software engineering experience
- 3+ years of professional experience with DevSecOps, Zero-Trust, or ATO/RMF processes in Department of Defense (DoD/DoW) environments
- Strong full-stack or systems engineering background
- Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Java, Python, C++, or TypeScript/Angular
- Experience building containerized, cloud-native solutions using Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines
- Complete understanding of distributed systems and message buses (Kafka, Redis, etc.)
- Experience developing or integrating analytics and AI models into production systems
- Experience deploying code in IL4–IL6 or edge/disconnected environments
- Familiarity with databases such as PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or graph databases
- Knowledge of Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, CloudFormation, or CDK)
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field
- Active Secret clearance preferred; ability to obtain one is required
Benefits
- FTI has a location-based compensation structure; there may be a different range for candidates in other locations.
- Starting pay will be based on a number of factors and commensurate with qualifications & experience.
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