AI/ML Engineer (sign-on bonus eligible)

Vantor Holdings, Inc.; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 242,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

401(k) with company match

Student loan repayment assistance

Adoption reimbursement

Pet insurance

Job summary

Vantor Holdings, Inc. is seeking a senior AI/ML engineer to develop and maintain AI-enabled applications, focusing on agent-based workflows, LLM integration, and RAG pipelines. You will design architectures, orchestrate tools, and build REST APIs to enable data retrieval and system integration.

The role requires deep knowledge of Python, data processing, and production-grade practices, with on-site work and US citizenship. Security clearance is expected for eligible candidates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related area of study.
• 8+ years with a BS, 7+ with MS, or 6+ with PhD.
• Active TS/SCI with required polygraph.
• Willingness to work onsite full time.
• US citizenship required.
• Proficiency in Python and common data/AI libraries.
• Experience developing AI/ML applications with LLM integration and RAG workflows.
• Experience with agent-based programming concepts and tool-based LLM development.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML foundations and data processing concepts.
• Experience designing REST APIs to retrieve/process data across systems.
• Familiarity with production-ready development practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain AI/ML-enabled applications focusing on agent workflows and RAG pipelines.
• Design agent-based architectures, orchestration logic, and tool integration.
• Implement and optimize REST APIs to support data retrieval and system integration.
• Support full-stack development of production-ready AI applications and enterprise deployment.
• Process and organize structured and unstructured data for AI/ML workflows.
• Refine PostgreSQL schemas to improve data organization and scalability.
• Optimize performance, reliability, and maintainability in enterprise environments.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure robust security, compliance, and operational excellence.

Skills

Python

AI/ML concepts

LLM integration

Agent-based programming

REST APIs

Data processing

Production readiness

Cloud environments

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science

Tools

Docker

PostgreSQL

AWS

FastAPI

Flask

Job description

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control/ITAR:

Please review the job details below. This position requires an active U.S. Government Security Clearance at the TS/SCI level with required polygraph.

Eligible for up to $15k sign-on bonus!

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain AI/ML-enabled applications with a focus on agent-based workflows, LLM integration, and retrieval-augmented generation capabilities.
• Design and support agent-based application architectures, including orchestration logic, tool use, memory management, and integration with external systems.
• Implement and maintain RAG pipelines, including document processing, embedding generation, retrieval configuration, prompt assembly, and response optimization.
• Integrate LLMs into applications using available APIs, AI frameworks, and emerging protocols such as MCP.
• Develop and maintain REST APIs, particularly Python-based services, to support data retrieval, system integration, agent workflows, and application functionality.
• Support full-stack development of production-ready AI applications, including backend services, user-facing components, and enterprise deployment considerations.
• Process, transform, and organize structured and unstructured data to support AI/ML workflows, model interaction, and application performance.
• Design or refine Postgres schemas and data models to improve data organization, query performance, and application scalability.
• Optimize AI-enabled applications for performance, reliability, usability, and maintainability in enterprise environments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related area of study.
• Senior Labor Category: Minimum 8 years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 7 years of experience with a Master’s degree; or 6 years of experience with a Doctorate.
• Active/current TS/SCI with required polygraph.
• Willingness to work onsite full time.
• US citizenship required.
• Proficiency in Python and common data/AI libraries.
• Experience developing AI/ML applications, including LLM-integrated applications, RAG workflows, or similar retrieval-based capabilities.
• Experience with agent-based programming concepts, AI frameworks, and tool-based LLM application development.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML foundational concepts, including transformers, algorithms, LLM behavior, data processing, and model integration patterns.
• Experience designing, developing, or integrating REST APIs to retrieve, process, or exchange data across systems.
• Familiarity with production-ready application development practices, including reliability, maintainability, testing, and deployment considerations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with MCP or similar protocols for connecting AI agents to tools, data sources, and enterprise systems.
• Experience developing full-stack agent-based applications, including frontend interfaces, backend services, orchestration layers, and enterprise deployment patterns.
• Experience with Python REST API frameworks such as FastAPI or Flask.
• Experience implementing or optimizing LLM memory management approaches, including conversational memory, session state, context management, and retrieval-based memory.
• Experience with agent-based application optimization techniques, including prompt/tool orchestration, latency reduction, context window management, evaluation, observability, and cost/performance tuning.
• Experience working with vector databases, embedding models, semantic search, and retrieval configuration.
• Experience with Docker containers and containerized development environments.
• Experience with AWS or other cloud environments.
• Experience with Postgres, data transformation, structured/unstructured data processing, and schema refinement.

Pay Transparency

To support pay transparency, Vantor includes salary ranges in all U.S. job postings. Starting pay for this role will fall within the listed range and will be based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, location, and market conditions. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role should not expect to receive compensation at the top of the range. The listed range reflects the expected pay for this position, and final offers will be determined based on each candidate’s experience, expertise, and alignment with the role.

• The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is: $165,000.00 - $220,000.00 - $242,000.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits

Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.

The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting.

EEO Policy

Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.