AI Software Engineer, Senior

Booz Allen Hamilton; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 87,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

Booz Allen Hamilton is seeking a Senior AI Software Engineer to design, develop, and deploy production AI applications in a dynamic, mission-focused environment. You’ll work across data pipelines, prompting, retrieval systems, and agentic workflows to deliver measurable impact and robust, scalable solutions.

You’ll apply modern AI practices, collaborate with engineers, data scientists, and product teams, and help define architecture and engineering standards while ensuring security and

Qualifications

• 3+ years of software engineering experience in a professional setting.
• 2+ years developing AI or ML solutions in a professional environment.
• Experience building production AI applications with Python.
• Experience designing generative AI applications using LLMs.
• Experience building RAG solutions and integrating with enterprise data.
• Experience with AI orchestration frameworks such as LangChain.
• Experience deploying cloud-native apps on AWS and evaluating AI quality via testing and benchmarking.
• Secret clearance is required.
• Bachelor's degree in CS, Engineering, or a related tech field.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop production AI applications integrating foundation models, retrieval systems, tools, and data sources.
• Architect modular AI components for prompting, retrieval, orchestration, tool execution, memory, and evaluation.
• Build AI applications leveraging embeddings, RAG, long-context reasoning, and agentic workflows.
• Develop data pipelines for ingesting, transforming, indexing, and refreshing data used by AI apps.
• Implement evaluation frameworks to measure correctness, safety, and mission outcomes.
• Optimize AI applications for latency, reliability, and cost through experimentation.
• Apply asynchronous programming and event-driven design for long-running workflows.
• Ensure observability, guardrails, access controls, and responsible AI practices.

Skills

Software engineering

AI/ML development

Python programming

Generative AI (LLMs)

RAG integration

AI orchestration (LangChain)

Testing & benchmarking

Cloud deployment (AWS)

Security/clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a technology field

Tools

LangChain

AWS

Job description

AI Software Engineer, Senior The Opportunity: As an experienced software engineer, you know how to design, develop, and deliver production AI applications that demonstrate the practical value of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and autonomous workflows. You combine strong software engineering fundamentals with modern AI development practices to build reliable, scalable, and secure systems that solve real-world problems. In this role, you'll design AI applications that leverage prompting, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agentic workflows, evaluation pipelines, and human-in-the-loop interactions to deliver measurable mission impact. You'll build modular, reusable AI capabilities that integrate multiple model providers and external tools while optimizing for performance, cost, observability, and safety. You'll rapidly prototype and iterate using AI-assisted development tools, applying eval-driven development and continuous experimentation to validate solutions before deploying them into production. Working alongside data engineers, data scientists, solution architects, and product owners, you'll help define the architecture and engineering practices behind mission-critical AI applications while collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to deliver impactful mission solutions.

What You’ll Do:

• Design and develop production AI applications that integrate foundation models, retrieval systems, external tools, and enterprise data sources.
• Architect modular and reusable AI components for prompting, retrieval, orchestration, tool execution, memory, and evaluation.
• Build AI applications that leverage structured outputs, embeddings, RAG, long-context reasoning, and agentic workflows where appropriate.
• Develop data pipelines for ingesting, transforming, indexing, and refreshing structured and unstructured data used by AI applications.
• Implement evaluation frameworks to measure correctness, robustness, safety, and mission outcomes using both automated and human evaluation techniques.
• Optimize AI applications for latency, reliability, scalability, and operational cost through experimentation, benchmarking, and continuous improvement.
• Apply asynchronous programming and event-driven design patterns to support long-running workflows and distributed AI applications.
• Incorporate observability, monitoring, guardrails, access controls, and responsible AI practices throughout the application lifecycle.
• Deploy AI services securely on AWS or equivalent cloud platforms using Docker, Kubernetes, serverless, or other cloud-native deployment patterns.
• Apply modern software engineering practices, including automated testing, CI/CD, prompt and workflow versioning, and safe rollout of AI updates.
• Leverage AI-assisted development tools to accelerate implementation while maintaining engineering rigor, maintainability, and code quality.
• Collaborate with clients and cross-functional teams to identify high-value AI opportunities, rapidly prototype solutions, and transition successful concepts into production.
• Present technical solutions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Join us. The world can’t wait.

You Have:

• 3+ years of experience with software engineering in a professional work environment
• 2+ years of experience developing AI or machine learning solutions in a professional environment
• Experience building production AI applications using programming languages such as Python
• Experience designing and implementing generative AI applications using large language models
• Experience building retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions and integrating AI systems with enterprise data
• Experience with AI orchestration frameworks such as LangChain
• Experience developing AI applications that interact with external tools, APIs, or enterprise systems, and evaluating and improving AI application quality through testing, experimentation, or benchmarking
• Experience deploying cloud-native applications using cloud platforms such as AWS
• Secret clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a technology field

Nice If You Have:

• Experience building AI applications that incorporate autonomous or agentic workflows
• Experience with multimodal AI applications involving text, images, audio, or documents
• Experience designing AI evaluation, observability, or safety frameworks
• Experience deploying portable, edge, or offline-capable AI applications
• Experience developing user interfaces that enable effective interaction with AI applications
• Experience delivering technical solutions in client-facing environments
• Experience using AI-assisted software development tools to improve engineering productivity
• Master's degree in Computer Science, AI, or a related technical field

Clearance: Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; Secret clearance is required.

Skills Assessment

As part of Booz Allen’s skills first hiring process, candidates must complete the required skills assessment to ensure they meet the Basic Qualifications for this role. Candidates must complete the assessment and meet the minimum proficiency threshold to continue in the hiring process.

Compensation

At Booz Allen, we celebrate your contributions, provide you with opportunities and choices, and support your total well-being.

Our offerings include health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, work-life programs, and dependent care.

Our recognition awards program acknowledges employees for exceptional performance and superior demonstration of our values.

Full-time and part-time employees working at least 20 hours a week on a regular basis are eligible to participate in Booz Allen’s benefit programs. Individuals that do not meet the threshold are only eligible for select offerings, not inclusive of health benefits.

Salary at Booz Allen is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements. The projected compensation range for this position is $86,900.00 to $198,000.00 (annualized USD). The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of Booz Allen’s total compensation package for employees.

This posting will close within 90 days from the Posting Date.

Identity Statement

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

AI is a part of our daily work at Booz Allen, and we are committed to the responsible and ethical use of AI tools. However, we want to ensure a fair candidate process based on your own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or other tools to assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is prohibited unless permission is explicitly provided.

Work Model

Our people-first culture prioritizes the benefits of collaboration, whether it occurs in person or virtually. To support engagement and effective communication, employees working virtually are generally expected to have their cameras on during meetings. Remote: If this position is listed as remote, there may still be occasions when you are required to work in person at a Booz Allen or customer facility. Hybrid: If this position is listed as hybrid, you will be expected to work from a Booz Allen facility frequently, in alignment with leadership expectations and the needs of the role. You may also be required to work from or visit a customer facility. Onsite: If this position is listed as onsite, work will primarily be performed at a Booz Allen office or customer facility, where employees will collaborate directly with colleagues and customers as required by the role.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.

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About Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen is an advanced technology company delivering outcomes with speed for America’s most critical defense, civil, and national security priorities. We build technology solutions using AI, cyber, and other cutting-edge technologies to advance and protect the nation and its citizens. By focusing on outcomes, we enable our people, clients, and their missions to succeed—accelerating the nation to realize our purpose: Empower People to Change the World®.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.

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