Senior AI Software Developer - Gaithersburg, MD

Zachary Piper Solutions; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions seeks a Senior AI Software Developer to modernize mission-critical air traffic management systems for a federal client. You will architect, develop, and deliver software using microservices, AI-assisted development, and DevSecOps practices within an Agile/SAFe environment.

The role emphasizes building scalable applications, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and delivering high-quality, reliable software for national airspace operations from Gaithersburg, MD on a

Qualifications

• BS in CS/Engineering or equivalent professional experience.
• 8+ years of software development experience; or 6+ years with a Master's degree.
• Experience designing, building, and supporting microservices architectures.
• Strong programming in Java, Python, C++ or similar in Linux environments.
• Exposure to AI-enabled apps, ML or AI-assisted development tools.
• Experience in Agile software development environments.
• Understanding of REST APIs, distributed systems, and SOA.
• Ability to obtain Public Trust clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead Agile sprint planning to define priorities and goals.
• Mentor development teams and promote best practices.
• Design, develop, and support scalable microservices-based apps.
• Collaborate with product owners, architects, engineers in SAFe.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies and reviews.
• Translate requirements into software solutions with engineering teams.
• Develop high-quality, maintainable, and testable code with DevSecOps/CI/CD.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and key technical decisions.
• Build integrations with databases, messaging platforms, and external services via APIs.
• Collaborate with QA, DevOps, and platform teams to ensure reliable delivery.
• Implement automated testing strategies including unit/integration/contract/e2e.
• Utilize AI-powered tools to improve coding/testing and delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Communication

Agile/SAFe experience

AI/ML familiarity

Distributed systems thinking

DevSecOps collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline

Master's degree with 6+ years experience

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Docker

Kubernetes

Kafka

Git & CI/CD tooling

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior AI Software Developer to support the modernization of mission-critical air traffic management systems for a federal customer. In this role, you will independently architect, develop, and deliver software solutions while partnering closely with systems engineering, product management, and DevSecOps teams. The position centers on building and enhancing microservices-based applications within a collaborative Agile/SAFe environment, with a strong emphasis on leveraging modern AI-assisted development practices and data-driven technologies.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to real-time, safety-critical platforms that support national aviation operations. You will help develop and modernize software systems that impact millions of travelers while utilizing AI-enabled tools to improve development velocity, software quality, and operational reliability.

This position is located in Gaithersburg, MD and follows a hybrid schedule requiring three days onsite. Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Responsibilities of Senior AI Software Developer:

• Lead Agile sprint planning activities to ensure priorities, deliverables, and project goals are clearly defined and successfully executed.
• Provide technical mentorship to development teams by promoting best practices, removing obstacles, and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Design, develop, and support scalable microservices-based applications using modern software engineering methodologies.
• Partner with product owners, architects, engineers, and stakeholders within a SAFe Agile framework.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, daily standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
• Translate business and system requirements into effective software solutions in collaboration with engineering and program teams.
• Develop high-quality, maintainable, and testable code while adhering to DevSecOps and CI/CD standards.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and help drive key technical decisions.
• Build integrations with databases, messaging platforms, and external services through APIs.
• Collaborate with QA, DevOps, and platform engineering teams to ensure stable and efficient software delivery.
• Implement automated testing strategies including unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end testing.
• Utilize AI-powered development tools to improve coding efficiency, automate testing, streamline debugging, and accelerate software delivery.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• 8+ years of relevant software development experience, or a Master's degree with 6+ years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing, building, and supporting microservices architectures.
• Strong programming experience in at least one modern language such as Java, Python, C++, or similar technologies within Linux environments.
• Exposure to or experience working with AI-enabled applications, machine learning solutions, intelligent automation platforms, or AI-assisted development tools.
• Experience working within Agile software development environments.
• Understanding of REST APIs, distributed systems, and service-oriented architectures.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• Ability to successfully pass all required government background screenings and investigations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience using Git-based source control and modern CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).
• Experience working with relational and NoSQL database technologies.
• Hands-on experience with Kafka or similar event-streaming platforms.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, with AWS preferred.
• Proficiency with containerization and orchestration technologies including Docker and Kubernetes.
• Experience operating within DevSecOps environments.
• Familiarity with automated testing frameworks and integrating testing pipelines into CI/CD workflows.

Microservices, Java, Python, AWS, Kubernetes, Kafka, REST APIs, Agile/SAFe, CI/CD, DevSecOps, Distributed Systems, AI/ML, AI-Assisted Development, AI, Federal/Government Experience, Technical Leadership, System Architecture, Linux,, C++, Linux, REST APIs, API Development, Microservices, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), Event-Driven Architecture, Application Integration, Software Design Patterns, Code Review, Refactoring, Debugging, Automated Testing,Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Cloud Architecture, Cloud Migration, CI/CD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, DevOps
Infrastructure as Code, IaC, Git, GitHub, GitLab, Kubernetes, Containerization, Container Orchestration, OpenShift, SQL, NoSQL