Embedded AI/ML Engineer for DoD Missions (TS/SCI)

SkillSource; Maryland; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SkillSource, in partnership with Varron, is placing Forward Deployed Engineers with a fast-scaling AI client supporting Department of War missions.

You are the engineer who ships in the room where the mission happens — embedded with military and defense‑agency users, deploying and adapting AI/ML capabilities inside classified, bandwidth‑constrained, and air‑gapped environments where "just call the API" is not an option.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• 4+ years software/ML engineering experience.
• Strong Python background preferred; Go/C++ a plus.

Responsibilities

• Deploy, integrate, and sustain AI/ML systems on IL5/IL6 and air‑gapped networks.
• Embed with operational users to translate mission problems into working software quickly.
• Own data ingestion, model integration, and on‑site troubleshooting in DoD environments.
• Adapt commercial‑side products to DoW constraints including disconnected operations.
• Provide field feedback to core engineering as the voice of the mission user.

Skills

Active TS/SCI clearance

4+ years software/ML engineering

Python

Linux/CI-CD

Containerization (Docker/Kubernetes)

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

SkillSource, in partnership with Varron, is placing Forward Deployed Engineers with a fast-scaling AI client supporting Department of War missions.

You are the engineer who ships in the room where the mission happens — embedded with military and defense‑agency users, deploying and adapting AI/ML capabilities inside classified, bandwidth‑constrained, and air‑gapped environments where "just call the API" is not an option.