Lead Software & AI Engineer

Lead Software & AI Engineer

Position Overview

G2IT is seeking a highly skilled Lead Software & AI Engineer to support mission-critical Department of Defense initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in software engineering, cloud-native application development, DevSecOps, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) integration within operational environments.

This position requires a technical leader capable of designing, developing, and deploying advanced software solutions while integrating Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Large Language Models (LLMs) into secure enterprise and mission systems.

Security Clearance Requirements

Active Top Secret/SCI clearance or TS/SCI eligibility with a completed Tier 5 investigation at the time of submission.

Required Qualifications

Minimum five (5) years of hands-on experience developing and supporting microservices-based architectures.

Minimum five (5) years of experience with containerized applications and Kubernetes-based environments.

Demonstrated experience developing, integrating, or deploying Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and/or Large Language Models (LLMs) within operational systems.

DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II certification and/or intermediate proficiency baseline certification for Cyber Workforce Framework (CSWF) approval, such as:

Security+ CE

CySA+

Equivalent approved certification

Strong understanding of secure software development practices and DevSecOps methodologies.

Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, integration, and deployment of cloud-native software solutions supporting mission-critical operations.

Architect and implement AI/ML and LLM-enabled capabilities within enterprise and operational systems.

Design and develop scalable microservices and APIs using modern software engineering practices.

Collaborate with government and contractor stakeholders to define technical requirements and deliver innovative solutions.

Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to development and engineering teams.

Support system modernization efforts through automation, cloud adoption, and DevSecOps best practices.

Ensure security, scalability, reliability, and maintainability across all software solutions.

Technical Requirements

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Experience developing, integrating, and operationalizing:

Machine Learning models

Artificial Intelligence solutions

Large Language Models (LLMs)

AI-enabled workflows and applications

Familiarity with modern AI frameworks, model deployment, inference pipelines, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architectures is highly desirable.

Containerization & Orchestration

Experience implementing and managing containerized applications using:

Docker

Podman

Buildah

Experience designing and maintaining orchestration platforms utilizing:

Kubernetes

OpenShift

Helm

DevSecOps & CI/CD

Experience developing and optimizing CI/CD pipelines using:

GitLab

Jenkins

AWS CodeBuild

Strong understanding of automated testing, deployment, and release management processes.

Infrastructure as Code & Automation

Experience automating infrastructure provisioning and configuration management using:

Terraform

Ansible

AWS CloudFormation

Experience implementing repeatable and scalable infrastructure solutions.

Linux Systems Administration

Experience administering and supporting Linux-based environments including:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

CentOS

Ubuntu

Scripting & Automation

Experience creating automation tools and operational scripts using:

Bash

Python

PowerShell

Cloud Platforms

Experience designing, deploying, and maintaining applications and infrastructure within:

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Microsoft Azure

Software Development

Experience developing full-stack applications utilizing:

Java

Python

TypeScript

React

SQL

Agile & Collaboration Tools

Experience supporting Agile development teams using:

Jira

Confluence

Bitbucket

Experience with source code control, documentation, and project management best practices.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, or federal government programs.

Experience implementing AI/ML capabilities in classified or secure environments.

Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure).

Kubernetes, OpenShift, Terraform, or DevSecOps certifications.

Experience leading software development teams and technical modernization initiatives.

Salary: $200- 225k depending on experience