Java Software Engineer (backend)

Java Software Engineer (backend)Columbia, MD (hybrid)Salary From: $150,000 per yearMUST:Experienced Software Engineer to join our team to help build foundational AI integration frameworks.Eligible to obtain secret clearance or above10+ years professional experience5+ years of experience Software Engineering, Modern Java Frameworks and Libraries (e.g. Spring, Guava) Bachelors in related field;Strong Java-based AI integration frameworks (e.g., Spring AI, LangChain4j) or Python equivalents (LangChain, LlamaIndex)Demonstrated understanding of modern applied AI concepts such as prompt engineering, function-calling/tool-use, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).Experience in designing enterprise APIsExperience in RESTful web servicesExperience in Microservices architectureExperience in Object Oriented Programming (OOP) paradigmsExperience with the agile software lifecycleExperience with configuration management tools (e.g. Git, Nexus, Maven)Comfortable working on a Linux command lineHas a proven ability to learn quickly and works well both independently as well as in a team settingProblem solving skills and ability to review information and compile data appropriately as neededMust be able to work in a hybrid environment, spending an average of 1-2 days per week at our Columbia, MD office. Flexibility is essential to adapt to schedule changes as needed.Highly desired:Experience with Vector Databases, semantic caching, and AI observability toolsExperience with NiFi, Kafka, AWS Infrastructure, and K8'sExperience in cloud based technologies (AWS, Azure)Experience in SQL databases (e.g., Postgres, MySQL), distributed databases, NoSQL databasesScripting experience (particularly Python, given its prominence in the AI ecosystem) is a huge plusPrior experience or familiarity with our Big Data Platform is a plusUnderstanding of agile software development methodologies and use of standard software development tool suites. (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, Youtrack, Github, etc.)DoD 8140 / 8570 IAT Level II compliance certifications may be required in this position as directed by the customerDUTIES:Hands-on experience or a strong aptitude for integrating commercial LLM APIs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) or open-source models into backend applicationsTake industry best practices, open-source capabilities, and large language models (LLMs), and build a secure framework that allows our other software capabilities to seamlessly leverage AI.Work closely with other talented engineers to create secure, enterprise-grade AI software solutions, including Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, reusable AI skills, strict safety guardrails, and other AI framework capabilities that meet the complex needs of our clients.Design and develop foundational AI frameworks, including internal APIs, middleware, and routing layers that allow other systems to securely utilize AI capabilitiesBuild Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and a library of reusable 'skills' (function calling/tools) that enable AI models to safely interact with our internal databases, microservices, and external APIsImplement strict enterprise AI guardrails, ensuring data privacy, sensitive data scrubbing, prompt injection defenses, and output validation to meet stringent security requirementsQuadrant is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, status as a protected veteran, or status as an individual with a disability. Healthcare benefits are offered to all eligible employees according to compliance mandated by the Affordable Care Act .