Senior AI Software Developer - Gaithersburg, MD

Piper Companies; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions in Gaithersburg, MD is seeking a Senior AI Software Developer to modernize air traffic management systems. You will architect, develop, and deliver AI-enabled microservices within a SAFe Agile framework, collaborating with DevSecOps, product, and systems teams.

Hybrid schedule (three onsite days) and eligibility for Public Trust clearance are required. You will push automation, CI/CD, and robust testing, contributing to real-time national aviation operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 8+ years of software development experience (or 6+ with a Master's).
• Proven experience with microservices and REST APIs.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and deliver microservices-based software.
• Lead Agile sprint planning and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Implement automated testing, CI/CD, and DevSecOps practices.
• Mentor teams and contribute to architectural decisions.
• Build AI-assisted development tools and data-driven solutions.
• Ensure real-time, safety-critical software reliability.

Skills

AI-enabled development

Microservices

SAFe Agile

Java

Python

C++

REST APIs

DevSecOps

CI/CD

Linux

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Kafka

Docker

Kubernetes

Git

AWS/Azure/GCP

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

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