Senior Software Engineer - Tools and Applications

visionist; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 170,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Visionist, Inc. is seeking a Senior Software Engineer - Tools and Applications to build and sustain AI tooling for mission users in a heavily secured environment. You will lead technical efforts across integrated teams, focusing on reliability, security, and rapid iterations.

This role requires TS/SCI with polygraph and hands-on experience with Python, Kubernetes, Docker, and CI/CD. Join a 100% employee-owned company shaping national security software.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline; 12 years of software development experience.
• Expertise in UI/UX principles.
• Mastery of Python.
• Significant experience with using LLMs in code workflows.
• Experience with Kubernetes/Helm, Docker, and SRE practices.
• Willingness to learn, lead a team, and manage junior developers.
• Familiarity with AWS or other cloud providers and CI/CD tooling.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-quality AI tools and applications for the workforce to use.
• Ensure high availability, reliability, performance, and security of AI tools.
• Modify FOSS to accommodate the customer’s use cases.
• Regularly engage with customers, eliciting requirements and delivering solutions.
• Lead AI Tools and Applications initiatives across teams.
• Coach and support assigned team members and act as POC for contract administration.
• Define solutions for complex systems and establish governance frameworks.
• Drive adoption of new technologies and practices across engineering teams.
• Implement monitoring, logging, and observability for AI services.
• Communicate with stakeholders at multiple organizational levels.

Skills

Python

UI/UX principles

LLMs integration

Team leadership

Communication

Learning agility

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline

Tools

Kubernetes

Helm

Docker

Argo CD

AWS

Job description

Active Top Secret (TS/SCI) clearance with polygraph is required.

Visionist has an exciting new, fully FUNDED opportunity for a Senior Software Engineer - Tools and Applications on our largest PRIME contract. Our team of Analysts and Engineers is motivated by the direct impact on the mission, crafting specialized tools for enhanced efficiency and quick iterations for our operations user base. Seeing your tools in real-time action brings immediate gratification. This premier program encompasses traditional software services including Systems Design and Engineering, Database Administration, Data Science and Knowledge Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Integration and Test, as well as Operations and Systems Support. The program is characterized by innovation and excitement, fostering meaningful engagements, and offering distinctive collaboration opportunities with users, policy makers, and mission leadership, all while maintaining a service mindset. If you thrive in a collaborative work environment and enjoy utilizing a diverse tech stack, then this opportunity is tailor-made for you!

For over 15 years, Visionist has been solving the Intelligence Community's toughest software and analysis challenges. As a 100% employee-owned company, we prioritize our people—your job security is assured. We embed small engineering teams with analysts to rapidly identify and solve mission capability gaps playing a critical role in defending our nation’s cyber infrastructure & providing expertise in malware analysis, attribution, mapping adversarial infrastructure, pen testing, and operational planning. Our open-door leadership team foster a supportive culture, where internal growth and promotion opportunities are the norm. Don’t just take our word for it—check out our 4.8-star review on Glassdoor. Join a company that feels like a family with regular happy hours, baseball games, activity clubs and more. Check us out at www.visionistinc.com.

Your contributions are…

• Develop high-quality AI tools and applications for the workforce to use
• Ensure high availability, reliability, performance, and security of AI tools
• Modify FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software) to accommodate the customer’s use cases
• Regularly engage with customers, conducting requirements elicitation and developing solutions to address their needs
• Maintain existing customer-facing infrastructure and applications, ensuring reliable services
• Serve as a technical lead for AI Tools and Applications initiatives, coordinating work across integrated teams
• Conduct regular one-on-ones and provide coaching, feedback, and support for assigned team members
• Act as the team point of contact (POC) for contract administration functions
• Navigate ambiguity and define solutions for complex, underspecified systems and requirements
• Establish new technical policies, standards, and governance frameworks where gaps exist
• Drive adoption of new technologies and practices across engineering teams
• Implement and oversee monitoring, logging, and observability solutions for AI services
• Ensure high availability, reliability, performance, and security of components
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders at multiple organizational levels

Requirements for your new career…

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline. (Additional 4 years of experience may substitute degree)
• 12 years of experience in software development
• Expertise in UI/UX principles
• Mastery of Python
• Significant experience with using LLMs as a part of a code solution workflow
• Significant experience developing and maintaining production software
• Experience with Kubernetes/Helm
• Experience supporting production software using Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) best practices
• Experience with Docker and containerization
• Demonstrate a willingness to learn, lead a team, and manage multiple junior developers
• Strong communication skills and willingness to ask questions
• Ability to learn new technologies quickly
• Familiarity with AWS or other cloud service providers
• Familiarity with Argo CD and/or other CI/CD frameworks

Benefits of becoming a Visionist:

Your New Career

• We are a 100% employee-owned company, so our employees see the benefit of their contributions and have a stake in our overall success!
• Competitive 15% retirement contribution! (5% 401K match & 10% ESOP)
• 4 weeks paid time off that is never "use or lose", 12 paid holidays, comp time, overtime, and flexible work hours
• 80 hours of paid parental leave with an additional $8,000 supplemental payment upon returning from maternity
• Medical, dental, & vision benefits for both individuals and families (those who waive medical benefits will receive an additional $4,160/year)
• Annual lifestyle bonus of $600 - use it towards gyms/fitness, new tech, or your HSA!
• Annual merit increases & performance-based bonuses
• Term life insurance, short-term disability, & long-term disability

Salary range:

$170,000 - $240,000

Disclaimer: Salary for this position, along with additional compensation options, will be determined on an individual basis following the interview process, considering various factors such as years of experience, skills, education/certifications, contract specifications, market conditions, etc.

U.S citizenship required (green card holders and permanent residents are not eligible). Applicants selected will be required to obtain / maintain a government security clearance.

Visionist, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity / Protected Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities employer.