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)
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)
About the Role
We are building defense-grade, production-ready AI systems that solve real national security problems at scale. This is not a DevOps 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.
What You’ll Be Working On
- 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
What We’re Looking For
- 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.
How We Evaluate Candidates
We take the candidate experience seriously while maintaining a high bar.
- Our interview process includes
- 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.
Compensation and Equity
- 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.
Why Join Us
- 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.
Sr. Software Engineer in maryland at Unknown Company
This position is listed as full time and onsite.