Software Engineer - AI Enabled Vulnerability Research with Security Clearance

Visionist, Inc.; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 187,000 - 264,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonuses

PTO & holidays

Parental leave

Medical/dental/vision benefits

401(k) with match

Lifestyle bonus

Job summary

Visionist, Inc. seeks a Software Engineer specializing in AI-enabled vulnerability research to join our AI-enabled vulnerability research team on a funded prime contract.

You will design, develop, and maintain AI-driven tools for CNE and VR, leading complex features from requirements through deployment, and mentoring engineers in a fast-paced mission-focused environment. The role requires a Bachelor's in a technical field, 12 years of software engineering experience, and proficiency in Python,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline; additional 4 years of experience may substitute
• 12 years of experience in Software Engineering
• Experience independently designing, developing, testing, and delivering complex software systems
• Proficiency in Python, including modular design and automated testing
• Experience with AI-enabled CNE or vulnerability research and evaluating AI-generated findings
• Knowledge of reverse engineering, debugging, dynamic analysis, fuzzing, and crash triage
• Experience with isolated execution environments, runtime instrumentation, execution tracing, and evidence collection
• Experience developing LLM applications or agentic systems with tool integration, state management, and evaluation
• Experience developing backend services and REST APIs using FastAPI, Flask, or Django, and PostgreSQL
• Experience with Linux systems, Git, CI/CD, and code reviews
• Ability to translate complex requirements into technical solutions and mentor engineers

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain AI-enabled software and research tools for vulnerability research
• Lead development and delivery of complex software features from requirements through deployment
• Develop agentic AI harnesses to orchestrate research tools and manage execution state
• Build sandbox-based dynamic analysis capabilities to observe software behavior
• Integrate debugging, instrumentation, fuzzing, and crash analysis into automated workflows
• Develop evaluations to assess finding validity and AI-assisted analysis effectiveness
• Develop backend services, REST APIs, data pipelines, and UIs to support workflows
• Troubleshoot issues across software, AI integrations, and execution environments
• Lead design reviews, mentor engineers, and communicate progress and risks to stakeholders

Skills

Python

AI-enabled CNE/VR

LLM apps

Backend APIs

Git & CI/CD

Reverse engineering

Debugging & Fuzzing

Linux

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline

Tools

FastAPI

Flask

Django

PostgreSQL

Git

Job description

Active Top Secret (TS/SCI) clearance with polygraph is required. Visionist has an exciting new, fully FUNDED opportunity for a Software Engineer - AI Enabled Vulnerability Research 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. 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 fosters 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…

• Design, develop, and maintain AI-enabled software and research tools supporting computer network exploitation (CNE) and vulnerability research (VR)
• Lead the development and delivery of complex software features and subsystems, from requirements and design through deployment and sustainment
• Develop agentic AI harnesses to orchestrate research tools, manage execution state, collect evidence, and evaluate results
• Build sandbox-based dynamic analysis capabilities to observe software behavior and reproduce suspected vulnerabilities
• Integrate debugging, instrumentation, fuzzing, and crash analysis tools into automated research workflows
• Develop repeatable evaluations to assess finding validity, reproducibility, false-positive rates, and AI-assisted analysis effectiveness
• Develop backend services, REST APIs, data pipelines, and user interfaces to support research workflows and traceable results
• Troubleshoot complex issues across software, AI integrations, and execution environments to improve performance, reliability, and observability
• Lead design and code reviews, document technical decisions, mentor engineers, and communicate technical progress and risks to stakeholders

Requirements for your new career…

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline. (Additional 4 years of experience may substitute)
• 12 years of experience in Software Engineering
• Experience independently designing, developing, testing, and delivering complex software systems
• Proficiency in Python, including modular design, object-oriented programming, and automated testing
• Experience with AI-enabled CNE or vulnerability research and evaluating AI-generated findings
• Knowledge of reverse engineering, debugging, dynamic analysis, fuzzing, and crash triage techniques
• Experience with isolated execution environments, runtime instrumentation, execution tracing, and evidence collection
• Experience developing LLM applications or agentic systems with tool integration, structured outputs, state management, and evaluation
• Experience developing backend services and REST APIs using FastAPI, Flask, or Django, and relational databases such as PostgreSQL
• Experience with Linux systems, including processes, memory, and networking
• Experience with Git, automated testing, CI/CD, and code reviews
• Ability to translate complex requirements into technical solutions, communicate tradeoffs, and mentor engineers

Benefits of becoming a Visionist: Your New Career

• Annual merit increases & performance-based bonuses
• 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)
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions
• Annual lifestyle bonus of $600 – use it towards gyms/fitness, new tech, or your HSA!
• Term life insurance, short-term disability, & long-term disability

Salary range: $187,000–$264,000

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.