Sr. Software Engineer

For East Coast candidates: MD or VA

Based on Security Clearance Requirements – Candidates Must Be United States Citizens w/Ability to Clear Security Clearance Protocols (US Residency is Required)

Experience:

Django for Frontend Buildouts: 1 year (Preferred);
Production Grade Software: 5 years (Required);
Rust for Backend Systems: 2 years (Preferred)

We are building defense-grade, production-ready AI systems that solve real national security problems s is not a Dev Ops role and not a maintenance role. This is a hands-on engineering position for senior builders who want to design, ship, and evolve high-impact software used by hundreds or thousands of users. You will work on a mix of new IRAD initiatives and existing products, contributing directly to architecture decisions, feature development, and modernization efforts.

We are assembling a small, elite engineering team and are intentional about who joins it. If you are a senior engineer who thrives in environments where you build new things that make a real world impact, take extreme ownership of your craft and strive for continuous growth, this role is designed for you.

• Building/evolving AI-powered applications using modern frameworks and open-source tools
• Designing and shipping production-grade software with real users, not hobby projects
• Developing backend systems in Rust and application layers in Django
• Working with large language models and AI tooling, including OpenAI-based systems
• Contributing to new product development as well as modernizing existing platforms
• Collaborating closely with leadership and other senior engineers to shape technical direction
• Operating as a true individual contributor with autonomy and accountability

• 8 to 12 years of professional software engineering experience
• Minimum of 5 years working on enterprise or production-grade software
• Strong experience with Django and front end application development systems
• Strong experience with Rust for backend systems
• Hands-on experience working with LLMs, AI tooling, or OpenAI-style frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to ship software used by hundreds or thousands of users
• Ability to self-start, propose solutions, and execute with empowerment
• Comfortable owning problems end-to-end, from concept to deployment
• Experience in national security or defense is not required, but interest in the space is expected.

We take the candidate experience seriously while maintaining a high bar.

• Brief cultural and behavioral interview
• Deeper dive into your technical skills through a customized case study evaluation
• Closing out with a brief core values presentation to assess intentionality, alignment, and communication fits within the team

We value thoughtful preparation, clarity of thinking, and ownership more than perfect answers.

Base salary range: $150,000 to $220,000

Exceptional candidates may be considered at higher compensation levels

Bonuses and performance-based incentives

Opportunity to grow with the company toward a targeted IPO timeline

We are transparent about compensation and structure offers thoughtfully for the right people.

• You’ll work on real products with real impact
• You’ll join a small, senior team with high standards and low bureaucracy
• You’ll have visibility, ownership, and influence from day one
• You’ll help shape systems, not just tickets
• You’ll be part of a company focused on building real value, not inflated narratives
• This is a role for engineers who want to build, not hide.