Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Rackner is a software consultancy focused on building mission-critical systems for the U.S. government. They are seeking an R&D Software Engineer — AI/ML Mission Solutions to help build, prototype, validate, and improve AI/data-driven software capabilities for defense-relevant use cases.
Responsibilities
- Design, prototype, test, and refine AI/data-driven software capabilities for mission-focused use cases
- Create software supporting data workflows, AI/ML experimentation, model integration, simulation, algorithmic processing, and applied R&D prototypes
- Develop and enhance data pipelines, schema transformations, JSON workflows, APIs, backend services, and integration layers
- Contribute to AI/ML processes including inference, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and model-serving patterns
- Ensure output quality through testing, data validation, evaluation techniques, debugging, monitoring, and failure analysis
- Diagnose and resolve complex issues across software, data, model, and integration layers
- Collaborate with engineers and technical leadership to assess tradeoffs, identify constraints, and strengthen solution design
- Participate in technical demos, R&D events, mission-user discussions, and iterative feedback cycles as needed
- Convert stakeholder or mission feedback into actionable technical steps
- Clearly convey technical concepts to engineering teams, program stakeholders, customers, and mission users
Skills
- U.S. citizenship required due to federal contract requirements
- Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
- Strong software engineering background with hands-on experience building, testing, debugging, and improving modern systems
- Proficiency in Python, C++, Java, Go, SQL, or a similar language used for backend, data, AI/ML, or algorithmic work
- Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems involving data workflows, algorithms, AI/ML systems, simulations, pipelines, integrations, or applied R&D
- Ability to clearly explain system architecture, data flow, tradeoffs, validation methods, failure modes, and individual contributions
- Familiarity with real-world data workflows, including data sources, APIs, schemas, transformations, databases, files, events, and logs
- Comfortable working in fast-paced environments with evolving requirements
- Willingness to travel approximately 15% for R&D events, demos, collaboration sessions, or customer and mission engagements
- Active Secret clearance or higher
- DoD, Air Force, Platform One, Big Bang, mission planning, C2, ISR, autonomy, or defense technology experience
- AI/ML systems, applied AI workflows, model integration, model evaluation, model deployment, model serving, model registry, or model monitoring
- MLOps tools or workflows such as MLflow, SageMaker, Databricks, Kubeflow, Airflow, Dagster, Prefect, or similar tools
- Data pipelines, ETL/ELT workflows, schema transformations, JSON transformations, dbt pipelines, or messy data integration workflows
- Data validation, data quality checks, pipeline monitoring, failure handling, debugging, or observability for data/model workflows
- Algorithms, optimization, simulation, scientific computing, applied mathematics, physics-informed software, computer vision, autonomy, or robotics
- Python, C++, SQL, PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, FastAPI, Postgres, or related software/data/AI tooling
- Technical demos, pilots, field exercises, workshops, briefings, or customer / mission-user discussions
- Cloud, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD, DevSecOps, ATO, or secure delivery experience
Benefits
- Company-supported certifications aligned to current and future program work, including cloud, Kubernetes, DevSecOps, security, AI/ML, project management, and related technical areas
- Clear advancement tracks and future leadership opportunities
- 401(k) with 100% match up to 6%
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage
- Generous PTO and paid holidays
- Home-office equipment plan and remote work support
- Fitness and wellness reimbursement
- Weekly pay schedule and modern perks, including team events
Company Overview