Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Engineer 1

Build and deploy language-model powered AI systems in a hands-on, production-focused role on an onsite team in Annapolis Junction, MD. Akina supports employees with strong benefits, paid time off, and training support, while you design, fine-tune, evaluate, and integrate AI/ML algorithms into scalable cloud environments. This position supports work across model architecture, data pipelines, and metrics, with collaboration across data science, product, and engineering.

Responsibilities

• Design, create, test, and productize AI/ML algorithms to address business challenges and support customer requirements.
• Work across model architecture, data pipeline interactions, and metrics, including application, interpretation, and presentation.
• Build, train, and fine-tune machine learning models, with a focus on language models.
• Apply best practices for model training, tuning, and optimization to improve performance.
• Design and implement solutions that enhance model performance.
• Conduct rigorous model evaluation, including performance analysis and benchmarking.
• Perform error analysis, debugging, and model diagnostics to support quality and reliability.
• Use cloud-based AI platforms, especially AWS SageMaker, to deploy and scale models.
• Integrate machine learning models into production environments, ensuring seamless integration with other systems.
• Contribute to the full stack for AI model-based applications, including front-end and back-end components.
• Collaborate with software engineers to build scalable, efficient deployment pipelines.
• Work closely with data scientists, product teams, and engineers to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Document workflows, model design processes, and technical specifications; select appropriate datasets; perform statistical analysis.
• Run standard test and evaluation protocols and provide system integration oversight.
• Train and retrain systems when needed, including deployment, scheduling, monitoring, and iterative improvement; may lead geographically diverse teams as a primary POC for AI-related matters.

Requirements

• Knowledge and experience with language models, including Marian and multi-lingual model development.
• Knowledge of computational linguistics.
• Experience with open-source model libraries.
• Experience with Deep Learning Containers (DLC) and GPU technologies.
• Strong programming experience in Java, C, and C++.
• Proficiency in AI/ML frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Hugging Face.
• Hands-on experience with AWS tools including SageMaker, Lambda, EC2, and S3.
• Experience developing full-stack software applications (JavaScript, Python, Java, etc.).
• Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and system design.
• Extensive experience in machine learning model development, including NLP and natural language processing.
• Experience with model evaluation, optimization, and performance monitoring.
• Experience with model versioning and management using tools such as MLFlow or Git.
• Familiarity with containerization tools such as Kubernetes.
• Two (2) years of applied machine learning experience in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity required.
• A B.S. degree in advanced math (e.g., calculus, linear algebra, or Bayesian statistics), computer science, or related STEM discipline from an accredited institution required.
• Three (3) years of additional machine learning experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree.

Technologies

• Marian, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face
• AWS SageMaker, AWS Lambda, AWS EC2, AWS S3
• MLFlow, Git, Kubernetes
• Deep Learning Containers (DLC), GPU technologies
• Java, C, C++, JavaScript, Python
• NLP, Large Language Models (LLMs)

Benefits

• 24 days PTO accrued annually
• 11 federal holidays
• 401(k) 100% vested on your start date
• Company direct contribution worth 10% of your salary
• Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees; 50% toward dependents
• Educational assistance toward college classes
• Training and certification support for job-related needs

Security Clearance

• TS/SCI with Polygraph required within 7 years

Desired Skills

• Willingness to support occasional on-call duties
• Experience in a government or defense-related environment
• Experience with secure data handling and compliance requirements
• Experience working with Large Language Models (LLMs)

Salary range: $170,000 to $208,000 per year. The displayed range is a likely range for this position and is not a guarantee; compensation will be set based on experience, geographic location, and possible contractual requirements.