{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"d6fc03a811304f2cd734047d","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/d6fc03a811304f2cd734047d","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/d6fc03a811304f2cd734047d","title":"Senior Applied AI Engineer 3 - (Python, LLMs, RAG)","description":"Senior Applied AI Engineer 3 - (Python, LLMs, RAG)\n\nClearance: TS/SCI - Polygraph required\nPosition ID: 20-16-033-SWE3\nLocation: Annapolis Junction, Maryland\n\nDescription:\n\nJoin a fast-moving Tactical AI team developing production-quality AI applications that accelerate mission workflows through large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and modern software engineering. As a Senior Applied AI Engineer – Software Engineering, you will design and develop AI-powered applications that enable analysts and operators to interact with complex mission data using natural language and intelligent automation. You will work directly with mission customers to understand operational challenges, rapidly prototype solutions, and transition successful capabilities into production. Our team emphasizes practical AI, rapid iteration, and customer collaboration over lengthy development cycles. This position is ideal for an experienced software engineer who enjoys building scalable AI systems while shaping technical direction across the team.\n\nDesign, develop, and maintain production AI-enabled software applications using Python and modern software engineering practices.\nArchitect and implement LLM-powered workflows, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, and AI agent capabilities that solve mission problems.\nDevelop backend services, APIs, and data pipelines supporting AI-enabled applications.\nTranslate natural language user requests into deterministic analytical workflows through integration with mission data sources, databases, and search platforms.\nCollaborate directly with mission stakeholders to understand operational workflows and rapidly prototype customer-focused AI solutions.\nIntegrate structured and unstructured data from multiple sources into scalable AI applications.\nEvaluate emerging AI frameworks, models, and software engineering techniques for mission applicability.\nMentor junior engineers and contribute to technical architecture, engineering standards, and software design across the team.\n\nPosition Required Skills:\n\nProduction software development experience using Python.\nExperience designing and developing distributed or backend software systems.\nExperience building AI-enabled applications using LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), AI agents, or similar technologies.\nExperience developing REST APIs and integrating multiple data sources.\nExperience working with SQL, Elasticsearch, or other data storage technologies.\nStrong understanding of software architecture, object-oriented design, and software engineering best practices.\nStrong analytical and problem-solving skills.\nAbility to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.\nExperience collaborating directly with mission customers to understand requirements and deliver operational solutions.\n\nNice to Haves\n\nExperience with Model Context Protocol (MCP), PydanticAI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar AI frameworks.\nExperience deploying applications using Docker, Kubernetes, or containerized environments.\nExperience with React, TypeScript, Gradio, or modern web application development.\nExperience designing agentic AI workflows or multi-step reasoning systems.\nExperience supporting classified mission environments.\nExperience leading software engineering teams or technical projects.\n\nSWE3 Qualifications:\n\nA minimum of twelve (12) years of experience as a SWE in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Four ( 4) years of additional SWE experience on projects with similar software processes may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.\n\nSalary Range: $241k-$295k (Annually)\n\nThe range displayed above is a likely salary range for this position. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possible contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.\n\nAkina is a Woman Owned, Service Disabled, Veteran Owned, Small Business, looking for talented and ambitious individuals to join our team. We offer a generous compensation package that includes 24 days PTO accrued annually and 11 federal holidays. Our 401k is 100% vested on your start date and the company makes a direct contribution worth 10% of your salary. Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees and 50% toward dependents. We offer educational assistance towards college classes and will cover costs associated with job related training and certifications.\n\nAkina is committed to excellence and creating innovative and flexible solutions for our clients. We are a small company with an open ear to our employees' needs in order to attract and retain quality talent that enables our customer's mission.\n\nWe are an equal employment opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.\n\nwww.akina-inc.com/careers","company":"Akina","rawCompany":"akina","city":"Annapolis Junction","state":"MD","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-08-10T15:25:48.621Z","occupations":[{"code":"15-1252.00","title":"Software Developers","slug":"software-developers"},{"code":"15-1299.08","title":"Computer Systems Engineers/Architects","slug":"computer-systems-engineers-architects"},{"code":"15-1211.00","title":"Computer Systems Analysts","slug":"computer-systems-analysts"}],"industries":[{"code":"541512","title":"Computer Systems Design Services","slug":"computer-systems-design-services"},{"code":"541511","title":"Custom Computer Programming Services","slug":"custom-computer-programming-services"},{"code":"513210","title":"Software Publishers","slug":"software-publishers"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Senior Applied AI Engineer 3 - (Python, LLMs, RAG)","description":"Senior Applied AI Engineer 3 - (Python, LLMs, RAG)\n\nClearance: TS/SCI - Polygraph required\nPosition ID: 20-16-033-SWE3\nLocation: Annapolis Junction, Maryland\n\nDescription:\n\nJoin a fast-moving Tactical AI team developing production-quality AI applications that accelerate mission workflows through large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and modern software engineering. As a Senior Applied AI Engineer – Software Engineering, you will design and develop AI-powered applications that enable analysts and operators to interact with complex mission data using natural language and intelligent automation. You will work directly with mission customers to understand operational challenges, rapidly prototype solutions, and transition successful capabilities into production. Our team emphasizes practical AI, rapid iteration, and customer collaboration over lengthy development cycles. This position is ideal for an experienced software engineer who enjoys building scalable AI systems while shaping technical direction across the team.\n\nDesign, develop, and maintain production AI-enabled software applications using Python and modern software engineering practices.\nArchitect and implement LLM-powered workflows, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, and AI agent capabilities that solve mission problems.\nDevelop backend services, APIs, and data pipelines supporting AI-enabled applications.\nTranslate natural language user requests into deterministic analytical workflows through integration with mission data sources, databases, and search platforms.\nCollaborate directly with mission stakeholders to understand operational workflows and rapidly prototype customer-focused AI solutions.\nIntegrate structured and unstructured data from multiple sources into scalable AI applications.\nEvaluate emerging AI frameworks, models, and software engineering techniques for mission applicability.\nMentor junior engineers and contribute to technical architecture, engineering standards, and software design across the team.\n\nPosition Required Skills:\n\nProduction software development experience using Python.\nExperience designing and developing distributed or backend software systems.\nExperience building AI-enabled applications using LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), AI agents, or similar technologies.\nExperience developing REST APIs and integrating multiple data sources.\nExperience working with SQL, Elasticsearch, or other data storage technologies.\nStrong understanding of software architecture, object-oriented design, and software engineering best practices.\nStrong analytical and problem-solving skills.\nAbility to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.\nExperience collaborating directly with mission customers to understand requirements and deliver operational solutions.\n\nNice to Haves\n\nExperience with Model Context Protocol (MCP), PydanticAI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar AI frameworks.\nExperience deploying applications using Docker, Kubernetes, or containerized environments.\nExperience with React, TypeScript, Gradio, or modern web application development.\nExperience designing agentic AI workflows or multi-step reasoning systems.\nExperience supporting classified mission environments.\nExperience leading software engineering teams or technical projects.\n\nSWE3 Qualifications:\n\nA minimum of twelve (12) years of experience as a SWE in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Four ( 4) years of additional SWE experience on projects with similar software processes may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.\n\nSalary Range: $241k-$295k (Annually)\n\nThe range displayed above is a likely salary range for this position. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possible contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.\n\nAkina is a Woman Owned, Service Disabled, Veteran Owned, Small Business, looking for talented and ambitious individuals to join our team. We offer a generous compensation package that includes 24 days PTO accrued annually and 11 federal holidays. Our 401k is 100% vested on your start date and the company makes a direct contribution worth 10% of your salary. Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees and 50% toward dependents. We offer educational assistance towards college classes and will cover costs associated with job related training and certifications.\n\nAkina is committed to excellence and creating innovative and flexible solutions for our clients. We are a small company with an open ear to our employees' needs in order to attract and retain quality talent that enables our customer's mission.\n\nWe are an equal employment opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.\n\nwww.akina-inc.com/careers","datePosted":"2026-08-10T15:25:48.621Z","dateModified":"2026-08-10T15:25:48.621Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Akina","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Annapolis Junction","addressRegion":"MD","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"d6fc03a811304f2cd734047d"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/d6fc03a811304f2cd734047d"}}