Applied AI Engineer 1 - (Python, LLM, React)

Akina, Inc. is hiring an Applied AI Engineer 1 to work onsite in Columbia, MD, embedded with mission operators and analysts. In this role, you will build and improve trusted autonomous AI agents and tools, pairing agentic AI development with evaluation, testing, and documentation to support safe adoption.

You will develop agentic AI components in Python, including MCP servers and integrations with mission data sources, while also creating scripts, test cases, and evaluation examples that help validate correctness and reliability. The position supports daily development with AI coding agents, along with collaboration across engineers to refine workflows.

What you’ll do

• Develop and test components of agentic AI solutions in Python, including MCP servers, Skills, and integrations with mission data sources and tools.
• Join requirements discussions with operators and analysts, learning workflows and tradecraft to inform engineering decisions.
• Build scripts and tools to convert, normalize, and extract information from customer data.
• Create test cases and evaluation examples to confirm whether AI capabilities return correct and reliable results.
• Use AI coding agents in daily development, and review generated code before committing.
• Collaborate with other engineers to test workflows, identify issues, and recommend fixes.
• Produce documentation and user guides that support mission users adopting new AI tools.

Requirements

• Python proficiency, including experience with JSON, REST APIs, and data manipulation.
• Software engineering fundamentals, including Git, testing, and debugging.
• Understanding of LLM concepts such as prompt engineering, structured outputs, and tool/function calling.
• Experience using AI coding assistants (for example, Claude Code and Copilot) to write, debug, or test code.
• Familiarity with Linux environments and command-line usage.
• Strong communication skills and willingness to learn from senior engineers and mission subject matter experts.

Technologies you may work with

• Python, JSON, REST APIs, Git, Linux
• MCP servers, LLM, prompt engineering, structured outputs, tool/function calling
• Claude Code, Copilot, React, TypeScript
• Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD
• RAG, vector databases, Elasticsearch

Benefits

• 24 days PTO accrued annually
• 11 federal holidays
• 401k is 100% vested on your start date
• Company makes a direct contribution worth 10% of your salary
• Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees
• Akina covers 50% toward dependents
• Educational assistance towards college classes
• Akina covers costs associated with job-related training and certifications

Clearance

• TS/SCI - Polygraph required

Nice to have

• Experience building agentic workflows, MCP servers, or Skills
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, or GitLab CI/CD
• Experience with retrieval systems (RAG, vector databases, Elasticsearch)
• Experience building web interfaces with React or TypeScript
• Background in cybersecurity, or knowledge of CNO operations and SIGINT collection and analysis systems

Minimum qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience as a Software Engineer in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity
• 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

Salary range: USD 169,000 - 207,000 per year