AI Systems Engineering Intern - Summer 2027

CACI International Inc.; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

CACI International Inc. is seeking an AI Systems Engineering Intern for Summer 2027. The role focuses on scalable AI deployment, MLOps, and data pipeline automation on-site.

Candidates will work on CI/CD pipelines, RAG workflows, and system observability while preparing production-grade infrastructure for AI models. Ideal applicants pursue Systems Engineering degrees and have familiarity with AI workflows, SysML/UML modeling, and security clearances.

Qualifications

• Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Systems Engineering or a related field.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain security clearance.
• Experience with AI and agentic workflows.
• Familiarity with SysML/UML modeling languages.
• Ability to elicit, analyze, document, and manage system requirements.
• Understanding of SE lifecycle, risk management, and project coordination.
• Desirable TS/SCI clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph.
• Minimum GPA 3.0 or higher preferred.

Responsibilities

• Deploy and scale AI models using Docker and implementing automated CI/CD pipelines to cloud infrastructure.
• Build production-grade RAG pipelines using LLM orchestration frameworks for retrieval augmented generation workflows.
• Monitor performance benchmarks to optimize inference latency and cost efficiency.
• Engineer robust data pipelines with automated ETL processes for unstructured data.
• Implement AI observability tooling for monitoring and tracing system health, utilization, and latency.
• Document data provenance, configuration, and model version tracking to influence performance.

Skills

AI systems engineering

CI/CD pipelines

MLOps

Data pipelines

LLM orchestration

SysML/UML modeling

Requirements analysis

System decomposition

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Systems Engineering

Tools

Docker

Observability tooling

Cloud CI/CD tooling

Job description

Job Title: AI Systems Engineering Intern - Summer 2027Job Category: Intern/Co-opTime Type: Part timeMinimum Clearance Required to Start: TS/SCI with PolygraphEmployee Type: Part-Time On-CallPercentage of Travel Required: NoneType of Travel: None* * *The Opportunity:CACI is looking for a talented AI Systems Engineering Intern for Summer 2027! This position sits at the intersection of data engineering, software infrastructure, and machine learning operations (MLOps). Unlike a pure data science intern who focuses mostly on modeling, an AI Systems Engineer Intern focuses on scalability, deployment, and infrastructure orchestration. The internship will start in May, last 12 weeks, and you'll be required to work 100% on-site.Responsibilities:As an AI Systems Engineering Intern you’ll:Deploy and scale AI models by using Docker for containerization and implementing automated CI/CD pipelines to cloud infrastructure.Build production grade RAG pipelines using LLM orchestration frameworks to support retrieval augmented generation workflows.Monitor performance benchmarks to analyze and optimize inference latency and cost efficiency.Engineer robust data pipelines by developing automated ETL processes to preprocess, clean, and index unstructured data for AI systems.Implement AI observability tooling to integrate monitoring and tracing for system health, GPU/CPU utilization, API latencies, and token usage.Document and collaborate effectively by maintaining clear records of data provenance, configuration and model version tracking, and parameter decisions that influence model performance and evaluation.Qualifications:Required:Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Systems Engineering or a related field.Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.Must be able to obtain and maintain applicable security clearance.Working knowledge of AI and creating agentic workflows.Some knowledge of cybersecurity (equivalent to the level of knowledge included in the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) certification).Familiarity with SysML, UML, or similar modeling languages to represent system structures and behaviors.Ability to elicit, analyze, document, and manage system requirements using structured methodologies and tools.Understanding of system decomposition, interface definition, and trade-off analysis for complex systems.Understanding of systems engineering lifecycle phases, risk management, and technical project coordination.Desired:Top Secret/Secure Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph.Minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred, but not required.Previous internship/co-op or other work experience.-What You Can Expect: A culture of integrity.At CACI, we place character and innovation at the center of everything we do. As a valued team member, you’ll be part of a high-performing group dedicated to our customer’s missions and driven by a higher purpose – to ensure the safety of our nation.An environment of trust.CACI values the unique contributions that every employee brings to our company and our customers - every day. You’ll have the autonomy to take the time you need through a unique flexible time off benefit and have access to robust learning resources to make your ambitions a reality.A focus on continuous growth.Together, we will advance our nation's most critical missions, build on our lengthy track record of business success, and find opportunities to break new ground — in your career and in our legacy.Pay Range :There are a host of factors that can influence final salary including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. Our employees value the flexibility at CACI that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives. We offer competitive compensation, benefits and learning and development opportunities. Our broad and competitive mix of benefits options is designed to support and protect employees and their families. At CACI, you will receive comprehensive benefits such as; healthcare, wellness, financial, retirement, family support, continuing education, and time off benefits.Since this position can be worked in more than one location, the range shown is the national average for the position.The proposed salary range for this position is:$39,900-$79,900CACI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.