Principal Agentic AI Engineer (T5)

Vectrus, Inc; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Retirement plan

Life insurance, AD&D, and disability

Wellness programs

Paid time off

Learning and Development resources

Employee assistance resources

Job summary

Vectrus, Inc in Indianapolis, IN is seeking a Principal Agentic AI Engineer to join our Software Department. You will design, build, and deploy advanced agentic AI systems that support DoD missions, including autonomous decision‑making and multi‑sensor integration.

The role requires leading ML pipelines, verification and validation, mentoring engineers, and translating complex mission needs into scalable AI solutions with clear communication to diverse stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field.
• U.S. citizenship with ability to obtain DoD Secret Clearance.
• 12+ years of engineering experience in systems, software, or hardware.
• Experience designing agentic AI architectures and autonomous decision‑making systems.
• Proficiency in modern ML techniques: model development, evaluation, optimization.
• Experience building reasoning, planning, and multi‑step workflow automation using AI agents.
• Design and evaluate autonomous behaviors, control logic, and adaptive systems.
• Proficiency with Python and ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX).
• Translate mission objectives into technical system requirements.
• Experience with data engineering: preprocessing, feature extraction, sensor/mission data handling.
• Strong communication and leadership for complex technical efforts.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, cloud or edge deployment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full system development lifecycle for agentic AI solutions.
• Architect and implement AI workflows, simulations, and deployment strategies.
• Drive verification, validation, and performance benchmarks for AI systems.
• Provide technical mentorship and set engineering direction for the team.
• Collaborate with DoD stakeholders to translate mission needs into technical requirements.

Skills

Agentic AI architectures

ML techniques

Reasoning & planning

Python

LangChain orchestration

Distributed systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

LangChain

Job description

Overview

Working across the globe, V2X builds smart solutions designed to integrate physical and digital infrastructure from base to battlefield. We bring 120 years of successful mission support to improve security, streamline logistics, and enhance readiness. Aligned around a shared purpose, our $3.9B company and 16,000 people work alongside our clients, here and abroad, to tackle their most complex challenges with integrity, respect, responsibility, and professionalism.

Responsibilities

V2X is seeking an accomplished Principal Agentic AI Engineer (T05) to join our Software Department in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The ideal candidate embraces modern AI‑driven development processes and engineering techniques that accelerate capability delivery, improve mission effectiveness, and enhance team productivity. They have experience designing, building, and integrating advanced agentic systems, including autonomous decision-support frameworks, intelligent mission planning tools, adaptive control systems, multi‑sensor fusion pipelines, and AI-enabled situational awareness technologies. We are looking for engineers who enjoy tackling complex, emerging challenges and have a passion for supporting our DoD customers and international partners.

The Principal Agentic AI Engineer provides technical leadership across the full system development lifecycle, from conceptual architecture and requirements definition through model development, agentic workflow design, simulation, verification, validation, and final deployment. The role requires strong communication skills, collaborative problem‑solving, and the ability to translate complex mission needs into practical, advanced AI solutions.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field.

Required Skills:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance
• At least 12 years of related engineering experience in systems, software, or hardware engineering.
• Deep expertise in designing and implementing agentic AI architectures and autonomous decision‑making systems
• Strong proficiency in modern machine learning techniques, including model development, evaluation, and optimization
• Experience building reasoning, planning, and multi‑step workflow automation using AI agents
• Ability to design and evaluate autonomous behaviors, control logic, and adaptive system responses
• Skilled in developing scalable AI pipelines, simulation frameworks, and experimentation environments
• Strong understanding of safety, reliability, and assurance considerations for AI-driven systems
• Proficiency with Python and modern AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, LangChain‑style orchestration)
• Ability to translate mission objectives and operational constraints into technical system requirements
• Experience with data engineering practices including preprocessing, feature extraction, and sensor/mission data handling
• Strong analytical problem‑solving skills and ability to lead complex technical efforts
• Excellent communication skills for describing AI system behavior, trade‑offs, and technical decisions to diverse stakeholders
• Familiarity with distributed systems, cloud platforms, or edge compute environments for model deployment
• Ability to guide junior engineers, provide technical mentorship, and set engineering direction

Desired Skills

• Experience developing multi‑agent systems or orchestrating large‑scale agentic workflows
• Background in autonomous systems engineering, robotics, or intelligent control
• Familiarity with reinforcement learning, planning algorithms, or neuro‑symbolic techniques
• Knowledge of mission data pipelines, sensor fusion, or real‑time decision‑support systems
• Experience with high‑assurance or safety‑critical AI development practices
• Proficiency in designing AI evaluation frameworks, synthetic data generation, or simulation‑based testing
• Understanding of human‑machine teaming concepts and explainable AI practices
• Experience deploying AI models on edge compute platforms or constrained environments
• Familiarity with model governance, ML Ops, or lifecycle management tools
• Prior DoD, aerospace, or defense industry experience supporting mission‑driven AI solutions
• Ability to contribute to technical roadmaps, architecture definitions, and long‑term AI strategy

Security Clearance and Other Requirements

Ability to access systems with information restricted to U.S. citizens as required by federal contract guidelines.

Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance may be required for certain projects.

#LI-CB2

#clearance

Benefits include the following:

• Healthcare coverage
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits
• Wellness programs
• Paid time off, including holidays
• Learning and Development resources
• Employee assistance resources

Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time and may be modified at the discretion of the company, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

At V2X, we are deeply committed to both equal employment opportunity, including protection for Veterans and individuals with disabilities, and fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We ensure all individuals are treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, recognizing the strength that comes from a workforce rich in diverse experiences, perspectives, and skills. This commitment, aligned with our core Vision and Values of Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility, allows us to leverage differences, encourage innovation, and expand our success in the global marketplace, ultimately enabling us to best serve our clients.