Software Engineer | Secure AI

Bestgate Engineering, LLC; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Bestgate Engineering, LLC is seeking backend engineers to advance secure AI integration across enterprise systems. You will build internal APIs, MCP servers, and reusable AI skills, focusing on guardrails, data privacy, and robust testing for non-deterministic outputs.

Ideal candidates have strong Java experience with Spring or Guava, hands-on API design, microservices, and a passion for secure software delivery in agile teams. U.S.

Qualifications

• Strong Java software engineering experience with modern frameworks (e.g., Spring or Guava).
• Experience designing enterprise APIs, RESTful services, and microservice architectures.
• Familiarity with applied AI concepts such as prompt engineering, tool use, function calling, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation.

Responsibilities

• Design and build internal APIs, middleware, routing layers, and reusable services for secure AI integration.
• Develop MCP servers and reusable AI skills connecting models to databases, microservices, and external APIs.
• Implement enterprise guardrails for privacy, sensitive data handling, prompt injection defense, and output validation.

Skills

Java

Spring

RESTful APIs

Microservices

Applied AI concepts

Git

Maven

Linux CLI

Agile delivery

Troubleshooting

Communication

Job description

Bestgate Engineering is hiring for multiple software engineering opportunity at the intersection of backend engineering and applied AI. The role is not about training foundation models; it is about building the secure "paved road" that lets enterprise systems use AI safely, repeatably, and with the right guardrails.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Design and build internal APIs, middleware, routing layers, and reusable services for secure AI integration.
• Develop Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and reusable AI skills that connect models to databases, microservices, and external APIs.
• Implement enterprise guardrails for privacy, sensitive data handling, prompt injection defense, and output validation.
• Build and test software patterns for non-deterministic AI outputs and agent-like workflows.
• Work across backend services, applied AI patterns, and secure software delivery practices.

WHAT MAKES YOU COMPETITIVE

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance.
• Strong Java software engineering experience, including modern frameworks and libraries such as Spring or Guava.
• Experience designing enterprise APIs, RESTful services, and microservice architectures.
• Familiarity with applied AI concepts such as prompt engineering, tool use, function calling, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation.
• Comfort with Git, Nexus, Maven, Linux command line workflows, and agile delivery.
• Strong troubleshooting, testing, and communication skills.

NICE TO HAVE

• Spring AI, LangChain4j, LangChain, LlamaIndex, vector databases, semantic caching, or AI observability tools.
• NiFi, Kafka, AWS, Kubernetes, SQL/NoSQL databases, Python scripting, or Big Data platform exposure.
• DoD 8140/8570 certification readiness if required by the customer.

BEST FIT

Best fit for a backend engineer who wants to make AI usable in real enterprise systems without compromising security or engineering discipline.