{"id":712894,"url":"https://alion.io/job/darkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme","title":"AI Software Engineer - SME","company":{"id":716229,"name":"Dark Wolf Solutions","domain":"darkwolf.io","url":"https://alion.io/company/darkwolf","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":95,"open_postings":11,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.182,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":55,"computed_at":"2026-10-23T05:54:15Z"}},"role":"Backend","role_family":"Backend","seniority":"staff","employment_type":"contractor","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Chantilly, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":185000,"max":240000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":240000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":15,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":false},{"name":"AWS","optional":false},{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Fine-tuning","optional":false},{"name":"Kubernetes","optional":false},{"name":"Machine Learning","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Zero Trust","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-18T16:52:32Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-24","last_verified_at":"2026-10-23T21:03:00Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":66,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":66},"description":"Dark Wolf constructs and deploys data management and analytics solutions for the defense and intelligence communities. We’re proud to boast a world-class engineering team that thrives on rolling up their sleeves to solve your mission’s biggest challenges.\nDark Wolf is seeking an AI Software Engineer Subject Matter Expert (SME) to architect, lead, and execute complex, high-assurance AI/ML engineering initiatives. As the primary technical authority, you will drive enterprise-scale architectural vision, design novel AI systems, oversee multi-cloud and air-gapped infrastructure, and advise key government stakeholders on high-impact AI strategies.\nKey Responsibilities\nArchitect and lead the end-to-end technical execution of enterprise-scale AI software systems.\nServe as the principal technical authority on novel AI frameworks, LLMs, and high-assurance ML capabilities.\nDefine enterprise security standards and mandate security scanning tool integrations across complex systems.\nSet the strategic vision for multi-cloud, hybrid, and air-gapped infrastructure design.\nInterface directly with executive and agency leadership to align software engineering roadmaps with high-priority mission objectives.\nQualifications:\nClearance: Must be a US Citizen holding an active TS/SCI security clearance with an active Full-Scope Polygraph.\n Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field (Master’s degree preferred).\nExperience: 15+ years of software engineering experience.\nTechnical Competencies:\nAI Frameworks: Enterprise AI ecosystem architecture, framework governance, and strategic platform selection.\nAI Models: Architecting novel model architectures, fine-tuning strategies, and deployment of LLMs in air-gapped environments.\nMachine Learning: Enterprise MLOps architecture, governance, lifecycle management, and scalable ML operations.\n Programming & Scripting: Polyglot mastery across high-performance languages (Python, C++, Go) and system optimization.\nContainerization: Enterprise multi-cluster architecture, zero-trust container security, and orchestration strategy.\nAgile Frameworks: Strategic Agile leadership, enterprise scaling frameworks, and organizational Agile transformation.\nMulti-Cloud Architecture: Hybrid, multi-cloud, and secure air-gapped enterprise cloud architecture design.\nSecurity Scanning Tooling: Enterprise DevSecOps security posture, compliance authority, and vulnerability remediation leadership.\nDesired Qualifications:\n Advanced Certifications: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Kubernetes Certified Administrator (CKA), or specialized AI/ML certifications.\nDeep understanding of high-assurance software engineering, zero-trust architecture, and classified deployment constraints.\nPosition Clearance Requirement: \nUS Citizenship with an active TS/SCI security clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph\n\nLocation: Chantilly/Herndon, VA. \nTarget Salary Range: $185,000.00 - $240,000.00+ (Commensurate with specialized expertise and technical skillset).\nEqual Opportunity Employer:\nWe are proud to be an EEO/AA employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity, confirm US Citizenship, and complete the required employment eligibility verification upon hire.\nWe are strictly looking for direct, full-time W2 employees. We do not engage with third-party staffing agencies, C2C, or 1099 independent contractors for this role.","description_format":"text","description_chars":3591,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":15,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Information Security","DevSecOps","Managed Security","Custom Software Development"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-11T05:11:58Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":36,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.821,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":65,"expected_fill_days":55,"reasons":["conf:3","velocity","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-10-23T05:54:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":240000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/darkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/darkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-23T21:53:29Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":4285,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-24T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":716229},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=716229"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fdarkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fdarkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fdarkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/darkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fdarkwolfsolutions-ai-software-engineer-sme"}]}