Software Engineer 1 - (Python, Kubernetes, AWS)

Akina Inc; Annapolis, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 169,000 - 207,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

24 days PTO accrued annually

11 federal holidays

401k 100% vested on start date

Healthcare covered for employees

Educational assistance

Job summary

Akina Inc in Annapolis Junction, MD seeks Software Engineer 1 (Python, Kubernetes, AWS) to support our AI infrastructure. TS/SCI - Polygraph clearance required. You will build and maintain the inference foundation and enable access to high-quality LLMs across the stack.

The role involves procuring, configuring models, developing services, collaborating with vendors, and handling surge demands. Eligible candidates have 3+ years SWE experience and a CS degree; salary range $169k–$207k and a strong

Qualifications

• A minimum of three (3) years of experience as a SWE, in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required.
• Four (4) years of additional SWE experience on projects with similar software processes may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.

Responsibilities

• Procure, configure, and test new inference models for release.
• Develop in-house services to ensure high-quality inference.
• Collaborate with model vendor teams to build reliable pipelines.
• Support surge efforts for short-term, high-priority inference needs.
• Collaborate across teams to extend infrastructure for LLM tools.

Skills

Python

Kubernetes

CI/CD

AWS

Argo CD

Communication

Docker

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline

4+ years SWE experience substituted for degree

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Helm

Job description

Software Engineer 1 - (Python, Kubernetes, AWS)

• Annapolis Junction, Maryland

Software Engineer 1 - (Python, Kubernetes, AWS)

Clearance: TS/SCI - Polygraph required
Position ID: 20-24-033-SWE1
Location: Annapolis Junction, Maryland

Description:

Join us in building the next generation of AI infrastructure that will power innovation across the customer organization. We’re seeking a software engineer to support our AI infrastructure team. In this role, you’ll help build and maintain the foundation for customer AI capabilities while supporting a broader ecosystem of AI-enabled applications. Your focus will be ensuring access to the highest available quality LLMs to users throughout the inference software stack. Requirements shift quickly as mission needs evolve and new technologies emerge, so you'll keep sharpening your skills and learning to turn loosely defined problems into working solutions.

• Procure, configure, and test new inference models, preparing them for release to our user base.
• Develop in-house services and techniques to guarantee continual high-quality inference service for our customer.
• Work with model vendor teams and representatives to create reliable pipelines for closed-source model usage.
• Collaborate with teammates on surge efforts to support short-term, high-priority inference needs from our customer.
• Engage with other teams in our organization to establish solid infrastructure for our services and integrate LLM-powered tools for user needs.

Position Required Skills:

• Experience with Python and/or other modern programming languages.
• Familiarity with Argo CD and/or other CI/CD frameworks.
• Experience with Kubernetes/Helm.
• Familiarity with AWS or other cloud service providers.
• Ability to learn new technologies quickly.
• Strong communication skills and willingness to ask questions.

Nice to Haves

• Experience with vLLM, LiteLLM, or similar inference-serving frameworks.
• Experience with other LLM hosting frameworks and practices.
• Experience supporting production software using Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) best practices.
• Experience with Elastic, Grafana/Prometheus, or other observability frameworks and practices.
• Experience with Docker and containerization.
• Experience in traffic shaping and quality-of-service engineering.
• Knowledge of and interest in hosting AI capabilities.

SWE1 Qualifications:

A minimum of three (3) years of experience as a SWE, in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Four (4) years of additional SWE experience on projects with similar software processes may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.

Salary Range: $169k-$207k (Annually)

The range displayed above is a likely salary range for this position. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possible contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Akina is a Woman Owned, Service Disabled, Veteran Owned, Small Business, looking for talented and ambitious individuals to join our team. We offer a generous compensation package that includes 24 days PTO accrued annually and 11 federal holidays. Our 401k is 100% vested on your start date and the company makes a direct contribution worth 10% of your salary. Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees and 50% toward dependents. We offer educational assistance towards college classes and will cover costs associated with job related training and certifications.

Akina is committed to excellence and creating innovative and flexible solutions for our clients. We are a small company with an open ear to our employees' needs in order to attract and retain quality talent that enables our customer's mission.

We are an equal employment opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.