Software Engineer II (Java Focus)

TORCH.AI; McLean (VA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Unlimited PTO

401(k) plan

Job summary

Torch.AI seeks a backend engineer to design, build, and maintain scalable backend services using Python or Java. You will develop RESTful APIs, work on database schemas, and own features from development to deployment in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Join a team collaborating with engineers, data scientists, and mission practitioners to deliver secure, production-ready services in a hybrid role across the DMV region. Strong communication and ownership are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–6 years of backend development experience.
• Proficiency in Python or Java and related frameworks.
• Experience with REST APIs and data serialization formats.
• Experience with SQL/NoSQL databases and cloud/container tech.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain backend services using Python and/or Java.
• Develop and maintain RESTful APIs and service layers.
• Own feature delivery across development, testing, deployment, and monitoring.
• Collaborate with DevOps, security, and platform teams to deliver secure services.

Skills

Python

Java

FastAPI

Flask

Spring Boot

Micronaut

REST APIs

SQL

NoSQL

AWS

Docker

Git

CI/CD

Kafka

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Docker

Kafka

AWS

Job description

The world’s most consequential systems need the world’s best builders.A new era is taking shape. AI is no longer confined to models or interfaces. It is becoming the foundation of how decisions are made across governments, industries, and real-world environments. What matters now is not just access to capability, but how it is applied, controlled, and sustained over time.Torch.AI builds a government-owned reasoning infrastructure which creates a Reasoning Layer to enable machine reasoning at scale, in environments where it is hardest to achieve and least tolerant of failure. This is not incremental software. It is long-term infrastructure designed to endure, integrate, and evolve alongside the systems it supports.Not another dashboard. Not another workflow app. Not another black-box model glued to a PowerPoint.The Reasoning Layer is a modular architecture where data is connected, governed, transformed, represented, fused, reasoned over, and delivered into mission applications and operational workflows. It does not replace systems of record. It enables them to function better together.The Reasoning Layer is comprised of: ORCUS (ingestion, orchestration, governance), NEXUS (semantic representation, vectorization), HALO (graph-based fusion and reasoning) and various product and capability components deployed for specific customer use cases.We are seeking candidates who approach problems creatively, are comfortable operating without full clarity, and take responsibility for outcomes, not just implementation.If you’re driven to strengthen U.S. defense readiness and protect national interests, Torch.AI offers meaningful impact at national scale.What Makes Torch.AI DifferentTorch.AI was founded on a simple operational insight: better use of data leads to better decisions. As data volumes increased across commercial, enterprise, and national security environments, the limiting factor was not collection, storage, or user interface design. The missing layer was machine understanding. And an infrastructure that could operate and reason between layers, preserve context, reconcile meaning, and make data useful for decisions in real time.We believe the government must own its data and decision environment. In mission and operational environments, the layer where data becomes context, context informs models, models support decisions, and decisions shape action cannot be controlled entirely by private technology vendors.Ownership does not mean the government must build every component itself. It means the government maintains stewardship and authority over the mission and operational layer. Commercial software, models, and services can contribute to the environment, but they should not capture the mission.We are craftsmen.We build with intention.We ship with discipline.You’ll collaborate with engineers, data experts, veterans, and mission practitioners. You’ll own meaningful work, move quickly, and see your systems deployed in production, often within weeks.We are fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven. Every day is a new puzzle.The Type of Candidates Who ThrivePeople who do well here tend to approach problems similarly.They are comfortable operating without full clarity.They pay attention to what actually happens, not just what was intended.They are willing to be wrong, adjust quickly, and improve based on real feedback.They take responsibility for outcomes, not just implementation.This is not a good fit for someone who needs tightly defined problems or prefers distance from how their work is used.Security ClearanceSome roles require an active Secret, Top Secret, or Top Secret/SCI clearance. Where required, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate clearance level.U.S. citizenship is required for all positions. Torch.AI does not sponsor employment visas.If you do not currently hold a clearance but are eligible, sponsorship may be available depending on role and mission requirements.Work LocationMost roles are based at our headquarters in Leawood, KS. Some hybrid/remote positions across the Arlington, VA, Washington, DC, and Maryland (DMV) region are available. Limited travel (<10%) may be required for some roles.Compensation, Benefits, IncentivesWe offer competitive, performance-aligned compensation tied to technical depth, clearance level, and mission impact.Total Rewards Include:Competitive base salaryQuarterly performance bonusesEquity participation within the first 12 monthsUnlimited PTO + 11 paid company holidaysProfessional development in a high-growth, mission-driven environmentWeekly in-office catering at HQBenefits:401(k) plan (no current employer match, but under consideration)PPO, HSA, and TRICARE Supplement medical optionsAbove-market HSA contributionsHSA, FSA, and Dependent Care FSA optionsDental and vision plans above national averagesEmployer-paid life insurance (1× salary)Employer-paid Short-Term and Long-Term DisabilityVoluntary Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity coverageUp to $300/month in tax-advantaged commuter benefitsTorch.AI is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer committed to building a team that reflects the mission we serve.If you want to build AI systems that move from ingestion to actionable insight and know exactly why they produced the answer they did, we should talk.What You’ll DoDesign, build, and maintain backend services using Python (FastAPI/Flask) and/or Java (Spring Boot, Micronaut).Develop and maintain RESTful APIs and service integration layers supporting mission-critical systems.Own feature-level delivery across development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and iterative improvement.Design and optimize relational and NoSQL database schemas to support scalable workloads.Troubleshoot system issues across development and staging environments and contribute to root-cause analysis.Contribute to CI/CD pipelines, containerized deployments, and automated testing workflows.Participate in architecture discussions and drive improvements in reliability, scalability, and performance.Collaborate with DevOps, security, and platform teams to deliver secure, production-ready services.Document technical decisions, API specifications, and service behavior.Support junior engineers through code reviews and knowledge sharing.Core Skills & QualificationsB.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.3–6 years of professional backend development experience.Strong proficiency in either Python or Java (experience in both is a plus).Experience building backend services using frameworks such as FastAPI, Flask, Spring Boot, or Micronaut.Strong understanding of REST API design and serialization formats (JSON, etc.).Experience working with SQL and NoSQL databases and optimizing query performance.Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS preferred) and containerization (Docker).Experience with Git workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing practices.Ability to independently own feature delivery while collaborating across cross-functional teams.Strong communication skills and engineering discipline.Additional Valuable ExperienceExperience with Kafka or event-driven / streaming architectures.