Machine Learning Engineer, SME

VTG; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

VTG is seeking a Machine Learning Engineer SME to design, develop, and deploy advanced AI/ML solutions, focusing on Large Language Models. You will build pipelines, fine-tune models, and benchmark performance, working with PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Hugging Face in a GPU-accelerated environment.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate requirements into AI-enabled applications, including semantic search and NLP capabilities, and communicate insights via dashboards and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or related technical field (Master’s or Ph.D. preferred).
• Proficiency in Python and/or R for ML and data analytics.
• Experience with DL frameworks: PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras.
• Strong SQL expertise with CTEs, set operations, aggregates, and nested queries.
• Experience with GitHub and Jenkins for version control and CI/CD.
• Gained experience using GPUs/HPC for AI/ML workloads.
• Hands-on testing, validation, and evaluation of AI/LLM systems.
• Ability to design/execute experiments to benchmark model performance.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, fine-tune, and optimize ML/DL models including LLMs for mission-focused use cases.
• Develop AI/ML pipelines: data prep, feature engineering, model training, evaluation.
• Benchmark, test, validate, and experiment to assess AI system reliability, esp. LLMs.
• Build and evaluate ensembles; identify optimal algorithms and libraries.
• Leverage GPU-accelerated environments to improve training and inference.
• Develop apps supporting semantic search, information retrieval, NLP capabilities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate requirements into AI solutions.
• Create visualizations, dashboards, and reporting of model performance.

Skills

Python

R

Deep learning

LLMs

NLP

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or related field

Master's or Ph.D. preferred

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Keras

GitHub

Jenkins

Flask

Hugging Face

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled Machine Learning Engineer SME to support the development, evaluation, and deployment of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions, with a particular focus on Large Language Models (LLMs). The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in model development, fine‑tuning, benchmarking, and performance evaluation while leveraging modern AI frameworks, cloud technologies, and scalable computing architectures.

What will you do?

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, fine‑tune, and optimize machine learning and deep learning models, including Large Language Models (LLMs), for mission‑focused use cases.
• Develop AI/ML pipelines, perform data preprocessing, feature engineering, model training, and performance evaluation.
• Conduct benchmarking, testing, validation, and experimentation to assess the effectiveness and reliability of AI systems, with emphasis on LLM‑based solutions.
• Build and evaluate model ensembles and identify optimal algorithms, frameworks, and Python libraries for specific applications.
• Leverage GPU‑accelerated computing environments to improve model training and inference performance.
• Develop applications supporting semantic search, information retrieval, and natural language processing capabilities.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to translate operational requirements into AI‑enabled solutions.
• Create visualizations, dashboards, and reporting solutions to communicate model performance and insights.
• Maintain code repositories and software development best practices using modern version control systems.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related technical field (Master's or Ph.D. preferred).
• Demonstrated professional or academic experience developing and tuning machine learning, deep learning, and LLM‑based solutions.
• Proficiency in Python and/or R for machine learning and data analytics.
• Experience with deep learning frameworks such as:
  • PyTorch
  • TensorFlow
  • Keras
• Strong SQL expertise, including:
  • Common Table Expressions (CTEs)
  • Set operations
  • Aggregate functions
  • Nested subqueries
• Experience with version control tools such as GitHub and Jenkins.
• Experience leveraging GPUs and high‑performance computing environments for AI/ML workloads.
• Hands‑on experience testing, validating, and evaluating AI systems, particularly LLM‑based applications.
• Experience designing and executing experiments to benchmark model performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with the Hugging Face Transformers ecosystem and model hub.
• Experience developing benchmarks and evaluation frameworks for LLM performance measurement.
• Knowledge of cloud-based AI/ML architectures and development environments.
• Experience with web application development frameworks such as Flask.
• Experience building machine learning solutions for:
  • Text classification
  • Topic modeling
  • Natural language processing (NLP)
• Experience developing semantic search applications and retrieval solutions.
• Experience creating data visualizations and dashboards using Tableau.
• Familiarity with Scikit‑Learn and traditional machine learning techniques alongside deep learning methodologies.

Desired Technical Skills

• Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Generative AI
• Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• Machine Learning Operations (MLOps)
• Semantic Search
• Deep Learning
• GPU Computing
• Python
• SQL
• PyTorch
• TensorFlow
• Hugging Face
• Flask
• Tableau
• GitHub
• Jenkins

Do you have what it takes?

Clearances / Additional Requirements

• Ability to obtain and maintain any required government security clearance.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as a technical lead and trusted advisor in AI/ML initiatives.

Pay Range: VTG’s estimated starting pay range is $180,000-$230,000 annually, which is a general guideline for the geographic location. When extending an offer, VTG also considers work experience, education, skill level, market considerations and may possibly include contractual requirements which may cause an offer to fall outside of this range.