Senior AI / Data Engineer: Data Platforms, Machine Learning & Applied AI

Intertwine Associates LLC; United States; Remote; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Intertwine Associates LLC is seeking a Senior AI/Data Engineer to design and deliver data platforms, ML systems, and AI applications for federal clients. You will lead data pipelines on cloud services, set engineering standards, and guide engineers and data scientists across multidisciplinary teams.

This remote role requires strong client engagement, clear technical briefings for leadership, and the ability to obtain relevant security clearances as required by contracts.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience building data pipelines, machine learning systems, or AI applications in production, including 2+ years leading technical work.
• Expert Python (including Pandas and NumPy) and advanced SQL, with experience integrating relational and unstructured sources.
• Deep hands-on experience with Azure data services, or equivalent depth in AWS or Google Cloud.
• Production experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn.
• Experience with data validation, schema enforcement, quality assurance, and governance in regulated environments.
• Experience designing APIs and microservices for analytics and ML platforms.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including briefing senior, non-technical audiences.
• U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency may be required per contract.
• Ability to obtain a federal government Public Trust or security clearance where the assignment requires one.

Responsibilities

• Architect and lead the delivery of enterprise data platforms and pipelines on Azure (Data Lake Storage, Azure SQL, Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric / Foundry) or equivalent cloud services.
• Set standards for ETL design, schema enforcement, data validation, quality checks, and lineage, and review other engineers’ work against them.
• Design, build, and deploy machine learning and AI solutions, including applications built on large language models such as retrieval-augmented generation, document understanding, and agentic workflows, with evaluation and guardrails.
• Build secure API endpoints and microservices that make data and models available to analytics and ML platforms.
• Establish MLOps practices: experiment tracking, model registries, CI/CD, containers, monitoring, and cost and performance tuning.
• Apply data and AI governance for compliance, reproducibility, auditability, and responsible AI, including federal frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
• Translate mission and business needs into technical roadmaps, estimates, and briefings for client leadership.
• Mentor engineers and data scientists and lead technical work across multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Python

SQL

Cloud computing

Communication

Leadership

Security clearance eligibility

Education

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

Tools

Azure Data Services

AWS

Google Cloud

Databricks

Snowflake

Microsoft Fabric

Job description

Key Role:

Work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment as a Senior AI / Data Engineer supporting federal agencies and other clients. Lead the design and delivery of the data platforms, machine learning systems, and AI applications that turn client data into decisions, and set the engineering standards other engineers follow.

Strong client or customer engagement is required in this role. You will work directly with client program leadership, architects, data scientists, and governance teams, advise on technical direction, and represent Intertwine Associates and the client with professionalism, responsiveness, and sound judgment at every touchpoint. This is a remote position with occasional travel. Assignments are matched to client needs and to each candidate’s expertise and eligibility.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect and lead the delivery of enterprise data platforms and pipelines on Azure (Data Lake Storage, Azure SQL, Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric / Foundry) or equivalent cloud services.
• Set standards for ETL design, schema enforcement, data validation, quality checks, and lineage, and review other engineers’ work against them.
• Design, build, and deploy machine learning and AI solutions, including applications built on large language models such as retrieval-augmented generation, document understanding, and agentic workflows, with evaluation and guardrails.
• Build secure API endpoints and microservices that make data and models available to analytics and ML platforms.
• Establish MLOps practices: experiment tracking, model registries, CI/CD, containers, monitoring, and cost and performance tuning.
• Apply data and AI governance for compliance, reproducibility, auditability, and responsible AI, including federal frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
• Translate mission and business needs into technical roadmaps, estimates, and briefings for client leadership.
• Mentor engineers and data scientists and lead technical work across multidisciplinary teams.

Basic Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience building data pipelines, machine learning systems, or AI applications in production, including 2+ years leading technical work.
• Expert Python (including Pandas and NumPy) and advanced SQL, with experience integrating relational and unstructured sources.
• Deep hands-on experience with Azure data services, or equivalent depth in AWS or Google Cloud.
• Production experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn.
• Experience with data validation, schema enforcement, quality assurance, and governance in regulated environments.
• Experience designing APIs and microservices for analytics and ML platforms.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including briefing senior, non-technical audiences.
• U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency may be required per contract.
• Ability to obtain a federal government Public Trust or security clearance where the assignment requires one.

Additional Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience building applications on large language models: retrieval-augmented generation, embeddings and vector databases, evaluation, and guardrails.
• Microsoft certifications such as Azure Data Engineer, Azure AI Engineer, Fabric Data Engineer, or Azure Solutions Architect, or equivalent AWS or Google Cloud certifications.
• Experience with Databricks, Snowflake, Microsoft Fabric, or similar modern data platforms at enterprise scale.
• Familiarity with FedRAMP, FISMA, and federal data security requirements.
• Experience supporting a federal agency, or health, scientific, or research data.
• An active federal Public Trust or security clearance.

Intertwine Associates LLC – Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Intertwine Associates LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Employment decisions at Intertwine Associates LLC are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

We comply with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment and strive to ensure that our workplace reflects the values of fairness, equity, and opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected status. We also prohibit retaliation against individuals who report discrimination, participate in investigations, or otherwise exercise their rights under equal employment laws.

Intertwine Associates LLC is proud to support the mission of our clients, including U.S. Federal Government agencies, by providing exceptional technical talent and services. As such, certain roles may require U.S. citizenship or specific security clearances in accordance with federal contract requirements.

Compensation, Bonuses, and Other Incentives:

Intertwine Associates LLC offers a competitive compensation package. The anticipated base salary range for this position is $130,000-$175,000 per year. This range is a good-faith estimate at the time of posting and reflects the base salary the company reasonably expects to offer for this role. Actual base salary will be determined based on lawful, job-related factors, including education, experience, specialized expertise, credentials, geographic location, scope of responsibilities, internal equity, client and contract requirements, and funding availability.

This position may be eligible for discretionary bonuses, signing or retention incentives, or other variable compensation, as stated in the applicable written offer or plan documents. Any bonus or incentive is not guaranteed and is subject to applicable plan terms, individual and company performance, client or contract requirements, funding availability, and applicable law. Bonuses and other incentives are separate from base salary and may be modified or discontinued. The salary range does not include potential bonuses, other incentive compensation, or benefits. Nothing in this posting creates an employment contract or guarantees any specific salary, bonus, incentive, benefit, or term of employment.