AI/ML ENGINEER III
Location: Englewood, CO (Onsite)
Pay Rate: $68.00 per hour
Contract duration: 5 months+
Summary:
This role serves as the technical lead for AI/ML development on a fast-paced team prototyping new technologies for an innovative Joint Task Force. As the primary driver for rapid proof-of-concept builds, you will spearhead projects focused on autonomy, perception systems, and analytics. This highly autonomous position bridges the gap between high-level vision and day-to-day technical execution while mentoring growing engineers.
Description – AI/ML Engineer III

• Serve as the primary day-to-day AI/ML expert, performer, and technical lead for a rapid R&D prototyping team.
• Rapidly define architecture, technical direction, and technical requirements for new AI/ML initiatives and prototypes without regular direct technical oversight.
• Architect and build end-to-end AI/ML prototypes quickly, managing data ingestion, feature engineering, training pipelines, model deployment, and evaluation.
• Lead the design and development of advanced machine learning models, including deep neural networks, reinforcement learning systems, and generative AI algorithms.
• Translate high-level conceptual guidance from leadership into actionable requirements, designs, roadmaps, and technical approaches.
• Collaborate with software, systems, hardware, and data science teams to integrate AI/ML prototype components into larger autonomous platforms.
• Help Program Managers identify staffing, tooling, and data requirements while identifying and managing technical risks during execution.
• Develop and oversee robust validation and testing frameworks to ensure models meet performance, safety, and compliance standards.
• Lead the development and integration of signal processing, computer vision, and planning algorithms to advance autonomous system functionality.
• Design and execute large-scale simulations and modeling of AI/ML systems on CPU/GPU platforms.
• Prepare and execute demonstration plans, technical briefings, and trade studies for leadership and program stakeholders.

Qualifications – AI/ML Engineer III

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Applied Statistics, or a related STEM discipline with 6+ years of related experience (or 9+ years of related experience in lieu of a degree). A higher-level relevant degree may substitute for experience.
• Proficient in machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and implementing advanced techniques such as supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning (e.g., PPO, Actor/Critic).
• Proficient in developing, deploying, and optimizing AI/ML models (including ANNs, CNNs, RNNs, and transformers) for production applications.
• Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, C#, or Java.
• Proven track record of delivering rapid prototypes or research models under tight schedule pressure and evolving requirements.
• Experience leading teams or projects, including a strong ability to coach, mentor, and "upskill" engineers with developing AI/ML backgrounds.
• Knowledge of regulatory and cybersecurity requirements for AI/ML systems in aerospace and defense applications.
• Preferred: Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning.
• Preferred: Experience establishing ML engineering practices (MLOps, data versioning, validation frameworks) and working with hardware acceleration (e.g., CUDA, TensorRT).
• Preferred: Familiarity with early-stage autonomy R&D, multimodal sensor fusion research, or integrating ML models into embedded/real-time platforms.

Benefits:

• Competitive pay rate of $68.00 per hour.
• Available health, life, vision, and dental insurance.
• 401K Matching.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge, high-impact autonomous technologies in a collaborative environment.

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