AI Engineer, TS//SCI with Counterintelligence Polygraph Required

Location:
Alexandria
Accrete is an agentic managed services company: an AI workforce that does high-stakes, judgement-heavy work for government and enterprise clients — at the economics of software, not labor.
At the core is Accrete’s Knowledge Engine, a dynamic context graph that captures an organization’s tacit knowledge, resolves data across silos, and builds a living, auditable ground truth. Expert agents reason against that ground truth to act on complex, high-stakes decisions — not just answer questions about them.
From national security to commercial operations, Accrete delivers the work on one platform, with unlimited expert agents and expert judgement.
The Role
As a Software Developer (AI/ML) you will work at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and workflow automation. You will identify opportunities to automate complex, manual processes and build intelligent systems that can analyze data, make recommendations, and execute tasks with minimal human intervention.
You will work on a multi-disciplinary team with mission specialists, AI/ML engineers, software engineers, product delivery specialists, and government end users to turn mission requirements into practical AI and automation solutions. This role requires strong technical depth, excellent analytical judgment, and the ability to move quickly from an ambiguous problem to a working solution.
The ideal candidate has experience applying data science and AI to real-world problems and is excited about using modern AI technologies to automate knowledge-intensive work.

What You'll Do

AI & Automation
Design and develop AI-driven automation solutions for complex government and national security workflows
Identify manual, repetitive, and knowledge-intensive processes that can be improved through AI and automation
Develop systems that combine data, machine learning, LLMs, and workflow automation to accomplish mission objectives
Build intelligent workflows capable of extracting information, reasoning over data, generating outputs, and triggering downstream actions
Develop and evaluate LLM-based applications, including retrieval-augmented generation, agents, tool use, and structured outputs
Design approaches for human-in-the-loop and human-on-the-loop workflows in compliance with government legal and regulatory constraints
Develop automated methods for data ingestion, classification, enrichment, transformation, and analysis
Build rapid prototypes and iterate based on user feedback and system performance
Evaluate automation opportunities based on accuracy, reliability, scalability, and mission impact
Data Science & Analytics
Analyze large, complex, and heterogeneous datasets to identify patterns and opportunities for automation
Develop statistical and machine learning models to support AI-enabled applications
Perform exploratory data analysis, feature engineering, model development, and evaluation
Develop quantitative methods for measuring AI and automation performance
Design experiments and evaluation frameworks for AI systems
Investigate data quality issues and develop automated methods for validation and remediation
Apply natural language processing, information retrieval, classification, entity resolution, anomaly detection, and other analytical techniques as appropriate
Develop data pipelines and analytical workflows supporting production AI systems
Production AI
Partner with software and ML engineers to move data science prototypes into production
Design scalable data and AI workflows that can operate reliably in production environments
Monitor model and automation performance and identify opportunities for improvement
Develop evaluation datasets, benchmarks, and automated testing approaches for AI systems
Help establish best practices for responsible, ethical, and reliable deployments of AI capabilities
Troubleshoot model, data, and system performance issues
Contribute to the technical architecture of AI-enabled applications
Develop software documentation
Mission & Customer Collaboration
Work directly with government customers and mission users to understand operational challenges
Translate ambiguous mission requirements into technical approaches and measurable outcomes
Demonstrate AI and automation capabilities to customers and stakeholders
Gather user feedback and incorporate it into iterative product development
Explain complex AI concepts, capabilities, limitations, and results to technical and non-technical audiences
Identify additional opportunities where AI and automation can deliver measurable mission value
What We're Looking For
Active TS//SCI clearance with Counterintelligence or Lifestyle Polygraph
5+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, AI, quantitative analysis, or a related technical field
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline
Strong experience with C++, Python, Java, SQL, and any equivalent programming skills
Deep understanding of machine learning, statistics, and data science fundamentals
Hands-on experience building and deploying machine learning or AI systems
Experience applying LLMs or other modern AI techniques to real-world applications
Experience designing automated data or business workflows
Strong understanding of model evaluation, experimentation, and performance measurement
Ability to work across the full lifecycle from data exploration and prototyping through production deployment
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to operate independently and take ownership of ambiguous technical problems

Preferred Qualifications

Experience building AI agents or agentic workflows
Experience with LLM APIs, open-source language models, embeddings, RAG, vector databases, or tool calling
Experience with NLP, information extraction, semantic search, or knowledge graphs
Experience building production data pipelines and ML systems
Experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, Spark, or similar technologies
Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and modern CI/CD practices
Experience with MLOps, model monitoring, and automated evaluation
Experience supporting the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, or other federal mission
Experience working in classified, secure, or air-gapped environments
Experience automating complex analyst or operational workflows
Experience with geospatial, graph, time-series, or other specialized data
Ability to obtain and maintain additional security clearance accesses to Special Access Programs (SAP) or Access Compensatory Control Measures (ACCM)
What Success Looks Like
Success in this role means identifying opportunities where
AI can meaningfully replace or accelerate manual work
and turning those opportunities into reliable, production-ready capabilities.
You will be expected to move beyond experimentation and demonstrate measurable impact. That could mean reducing hours of manual analysis, accelerating information discovery, automating data processing, improving decision support, or enabling mission users to accomplish work that previously required significant human effort.
The strongest candidates will combine
deep data science expertise with practical AI engineering instincts
. You should be comfortable exploring a new dataset, building an AI prototype, designing an evaluation framework, working with engineers to productionize it, and iterating directly with users.
Why Accrete Government
Work on cutting-edge AI and automation capabilities supporting U.S. government and national security missions
Solve complex problems involving large-scale and sensitive datasets
Build AI systems designed to perform meaningful work, not simply generate information
Work alongside experienced engineers, AI researchers, and mission experts
Have direct exposure to government customers and operational use cases
Take significant ownership over the development of new AI capabilities
Help deploy advanced AI into real-world mission environments]
Salary Range: $
170k - $220k
The salary range provided reflects the estimated compensation for this role based on the expected qualifications and experience level. The final offer may vary depending on factors such as skills, experience, and alignment with role requirements.
Core Values & Expectations:
Impact
You take full ownership and accountability for your work, consistently seeing projects through from inception to completion with a strong bias for action. Proactively identifying challenges, you drive solutions rather than waiting for direction, and hold yourself and others to the highest standards for delivering results. With strategic thinking and a problem-solving mindset, you make informed decisions leveraging data and expertise, always looking for ways to improve processes, optimize workflows, and enhance outcomes beyond your immediate responsibilities.
Collaboration
You work seamlessly across teams, prioritizing shared goals and team success over individual credit. Engaged listening and open, candid communication are at the heart of your approach, ensuring alignment and synergy throughout the organization. You value diverse perspectives, seeking input from others to drive better results. By treating colleagues with respect and professionalism, you help build a culture of trust, supporting each other through challenges, celebrating successes, and constructively addressing conflicts to strengthen relationships and improve outcomes.
Passion for AI & Innovation
You are deeply excited about the transformative potential of AI and committed to contributing to a company shaping the future of work. With curiosity and a growth mindset, you continuously seek to learn, adapt, and stay at the forefront of new developments. Your enthusiasm for innovation drives you to explore new ideas, challenge the status quo, and find creative solutions that deliver meaningful impact. You approach your work with energy and a desire to advance both technology and the way we work.
Company Benefits
Competitive Salary:
Aligned with experience and market standards
Comprehensive Insurance:
Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
401(k) Plan:
Build your financial future with our retirement savings plan
Growth & Development:
Access professional learning opportunities and career advancement support
Onsite Perks:
Enjoy catered lunches, snacks, and a fully stocked kitchen
Team Bonding:
Company-sponsored happy hours and social events to connect and unwind
Accrete is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.