Data & AI Engineer (Agentic Systems)

Defense Unicorns is looking for an Applied AI Engineer to embed with a government team and help build agentic AI capabilities for mission applications. The work centers on turning large language model technology into reliable software that can securely operate in classified environments, connecting models to enterprise data, APIs, and tools with strong engineering discipline.

In this onsite Virginia role, you will design and deliver backend services and AI agent workflows that support end-to-end mission workflows, including retrieval-augmented generation and orchestration patterns that remain dependable as requirements evolve.

What you’ll do

• Design, build, and maintain agentic AI applications that integrate LLMs, tools, APIs, and enterprise data to support mission workflows.
• Develop AI agents that execute multi-step tasks, interact with external services, and coordinate actions across existing systems.
• Implement agent orchestration, including tool calling, workflow state management, error handling, and appropriate human oversight.
• Build and integrate RAG pipelines for semantic search, embeddings, and vector-based retrieval to provide relevant context.
• Develop backend services and APIs using Python and modern software engineering practices.
• Integrate agentic AI capabilities into existing applications, software delivery workflows, and enterprise platforms.
• Establish testing, evaluation, monitoring, and reliability practices for AI agents and LLM-powered applications.
• Collaborate with data engineers to ensure agents can access reliable, relevant, and appropriately governed enterprise data.
• Work with platform engineers to deploy and operate AI applications in Kubernetes/OpenShift and integrate them into CI/CD workflows.
• Troubleshoot end-to-end issues across agent behavior, tool execution, APIs, data access, application services, and infrastructure.
• Work directly with government engineers and commercial technology partners to resolve integration challenges and remove blockers to mission delivery.
• Create documentation, reusable components, and operational standards that make successful implementation patterns repeatable.
• Operate effectively in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment where technologies, security requirements, and mission priorities continue to evolve.

What you bring

• Approximately 3–5 years of software engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated technical capability.
• Hands-on experience building agentic AI applications, including AI agents, LLM tool calling, multi-step workflows, or agent orchestration.
• Strong proficiency with Python and backend software development.
• Experience integrating LLMs into applications using APIs, SDKs, or comparable technologies.
• Experience building and integrating REST APIs and connecting applications with external services or data sources.
• Understanding of agent workflows, tool execution, state management, and error handling.
• Experience with Git, testing, debugging, and modern software development practices.
• Experience working in cloud-native or containerized environments and collaborating with platform engineering teams.
• Ability to troubleshoot application and integration issues across APIs, data services, infrastructure, and AI components.
• Ability to work independently, rapidly learn new technologies, and translate ambiguous mission needs into working software.
• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility required.

Technologies

• Python, LLMs, REST APIs, Git
• Kubernetes, OpenShift, CI/CD
• RAG, semantic search, embeddings, vector-based retrieval, vector databases
• Helm, Kustomize, Terraform, Pulumi, GitOps, CNCF projects
• LangGraph, LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen
• Model Context Protocol (MCP), knowledge graphs
• Open-source products and packages

Location and work schedule

• Virginia (onsite)
• Local to the National Capital Region
• Ability to support approximately 2–3 days per week onsite at a government facility in Springfield, VA, with additional onsite presence as mission needs increase

Compensation

• USD 148,750 - 201,250 per year

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Premiums are 100% Company Paid
• Health Savings Account
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Company Stock Options
• Home Office Budget
• Flexible Time Off (FTO) plus all Federal Holidays, one week for Thanksgiving, and two weeks for Christmas and New Year’s
• Paid Parental Leave
• Reimbursement for approved trainings/subscriptions
• Conferences (travel, lodging, and fees)