Senior AI Solutions Engineer - JobID-0287

Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT); San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 273,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefits package

Paid holidays

401(k) with matching

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT) is seeking a Senior AI Solutions Engineer to join our Missile Defense team. The role is based on-site in San Diego, CA, with a must-have active Secret U.S. Security Clearance and at least 5 days in the office.

You will apply AI technologies to improve productivity, prototype AI tools, and develop practical AI-enabled solutions across engineering and business functions. Collaboration with security, program management, and compliance teams is essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional software or technical experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Ability to travel up to 10% as needed.
• Strong understanding and experience with modern AI technologies and LLMs.
• Experience leading technical AI solutions design and implementation.
• Knowledge of secure software development practices and AI security considerations.
• Experience in defense, government, or mission-critical domains.

Responsibilities

• Apply AI technologies to improve productivity, decision-making, and automation across functions.
• Research, evaluate, and prototype AI tools and platforms for internal challenges.
• Implement AI-enabled solutions integrating into workflows and systems.
• Collaborate with engineering, security, program management, and business teams to deliver solutions.
• Integrate AI capabilities into development and operations while ensuring usability and maintainability.
• Support internal adoption of AI technologies with guidance and demonstrations.
• Guide the organization on emerging AI trends and best practices.
• Ensure AI solutions meet security and regulatory policies in sensitive environments.
• Continuously refine AI adoption strategies to align with business needs.

Skills

LLMs

Generative AI

AI deployment

Security compliance

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

MLOps

CI/CD pipelines

NIST 800-53 / DISA STIGs

Job description

Compensation: $135,000 - $273,000 / year

Department: Engineering

Location: San Diego, CA

Description

About The Role

Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT), a leading defense technology company, is seeking a Senior AI Solutions Engineer to be part of our Missile Defense team and based out of our Mount Laurel, NJ, Arlington, VA or San Diego, CA locations.

Clearance & Location Requirements

• All applicants must be able to obtain/maintain an active Secret U.S. Security Clearance.
• This is an on-site position. Requiring at least 5 days in office, based out of our San Diego, CA location.

Key Responsibilities

What You Will Do

• Apply AI technologies to improve productivity, decision-making, and automation across engineering and business functions
• Research, evaluate, and prototype AI tools, frameworks, and platforms to address internal operational challenges
• Implement practical AI-enabled solutions that integrate into existing workflows and systems
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across engineering, security, program management, and business teams to understand problems and deliver impactful solutions
• Integrate AI capabilities into existing development and operational processes while ensuring usability, reliability, and maintainability
• Support internal adoption of AI technologies by providing guidance, demonstrations, and knowledge sharing
• Guide the organization on emerging AI trends, platforms, and best practices
• Work closely with security and compliance teams to ensure AI solutions meet relevant policies and regulations, particularly in sensitive and classified environments
• Continuously evaluate and refine AI adoption strategies to align with evolving business needs and technology landscapes

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Who You Are (Required)

• 7+ years of professional software or technical experience
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• U.S. citizenship
• Ability to travel up to 10% as needed
• Strong understanding and experience in applying of modern AI technologies - particularly large language models (LLMs), generative AI tools, and AI-assisted development workflows and practical approaches for integrating them into real-world systems
• Lead designing and implementing technical solutions that leverage AI technologies to improve productivity, automation, or decision‑making
• Ability to rapidly prototype and evaluate new technologies to determine their potential value to the organization
• Understanding of secure software development practices and AI-specific security considerations
• Familiarity working within environments that require strong security and compliance controls
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to independently define requirements, scope initiatives, and deliver practical solutions
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across engineering, security, compliance, and business teams
• Comfortable balancing innovation with security, compliance, and operational constraints

What Makes You Stand Out

• Knowledge of Naval tactical systems like Aegis, SSDS, SLQ-32, or other similar systems
• Familiarity with MLOps practices such as model lifecycle management, monitoring, and CI/CD integration
• Experience integrating AI capabilities into DevSecOps or CI/CD pipelines
• Hands-on experience deploying AI-enabled tools or applications into production environments
• Experience working with generative AI technologies, large language models, or natural language processing tools
• Knowledge of NIST 800-53, DISA STIGs and Risk Management Framework processes, or other compliance frameworks specifically on AI systems
• Experience working in defense, government, or other mission-critical domains
• Experience evaluating emerging technologies and guiding organizational adoption
• Understanding of change management strategies for introducing new technologies into established workflows
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide junior engineers.

Pay Range*

$135,000 - $231,000 or $164,000 - $273,000

*Pursuant to California Senate Bill 1162, IDT is required to disclose the "pay scale" or "pay range" associated with a job posting. Notably, however, this amount may not be reflective of actual compensation that may be earned as pay is dependent on a candidate’s experience, skills, and education. The posted range does not include bonuses, commissions, tips, or other benefits. IDT is often looking to place multiple candidates at various levels. Therefore, more than one pay range has been included, commensurate with experience.

Job Benefits

Why Work at Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT)

• Generous benefits package
• Competitive PTO
• Paid holidays
• 401(k) with immediate vesting and matching
• 9/80 optional schedule (2nd and 4th Friday off every month)
• Tuition Assistance Reimbursement Program
• Professional Development Resources
• Pre-Tax
• Organization-Wide Monthly Tech Connect Events
• Annual Employee Recognition Awards
• Regular Social Events and Catered Lunches

EEO Statement

IDT is an Equal Opportunity employer.