Applied AI Engineer

👋🏼 Hey!

Bitwise is a leading provider of mission-focused intelligence solutions that advance national security for the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. We’re a small and growing company, so you can expect to hop in on the ground floor with us and be a consequential member of the team. You'll be more than a contract performer for us – you’ll also be asked for ideas to improve our company and improve your career, and you’ll contribute to our team culture.

We value growth and community above almost all else, so we gather regularly for game nights, happy hours, tech talks, and plenty more. We think you’ll like it here!

Remember, Bitwise is not a cult. 🖖🏼

Bitwise hires talented engineers who are driven by purpose and who value a culture of technical excellence, growth, and overall wellness. We deliver new and innovative intelligence solutions to our customers at the very forefront of our country’s national security missions. And we do it every single day. Our work matters, and so will you.

We ask that every new hire be able to:

• Contribute meaningful thought leadership — if not right away, over time
• Interact with our customers and earn their confidence in your abilities
• Be detailed, even if that means taking a little more time to get it right
• Contribute their ideas and ideals to improve all aspects of our company
• Allow us to invest in their education so we both grow together
• Know and live our core values every single day

As an Applied AI Engineer supporting Cyber Operations, you will design, prototype, and deploy AI‑enabled capabilities that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of mission users. You will work directly with cyber operators, analysts, and engineers to identify workflow bottlenecks and apply modern AI techniques to solve real operational challenges. This role focuses on practical, production‑grade AI implementation — not research for research’s sake.

You will build systems that integrate large language models (LLMs), retrieval systems, structured data pipelines, and automation frameworks into secure mission environments. Success in this role requires both strong software engineering fundamentals and a deep understanding of how AI behaves in real‑world, high‑stakes applications.

• Maintain an active TS/SCI with Polygraph. Candidates without a current clearance will not be considered.
• Design and implement AI‑powered tools to support cyber operations workflows
• Develop production‑ready applications leveraging modern AI/ML frameworks
• Build and integrate retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG) pipelines
• Develop API integrations that connect AI services to mission systems and data sources
• Prototype and evaluate emerging AI models and techniques for operational viability
• Implement structured outputs, tool/function calling, and agent‑based workflows
• Monitor and improve reliability, performance, and observability of AI systems
• Troubleshoot non‑deterministic AI behaviors and refine prompt strategies
• Collaborate directly with mission stakeholders to refine requirements and iterate quickly
• Document architectures, trade‑offs, and best practices for AI system development

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph.
• Strong software engineering background with proficiency in Python
• Experience building and deploying AI‑powered applications in production environments
• Familiarity with modern AI frameworks and orchestration tools
• Experience integrating APIs and handling structured/unstructured data
• Understanding of prompt engineering, structured outputs, and tool invocation patterns
• Experience working in Linux‑based development environments
• Familiarity with Git‑based workflows
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous and rapidly evolving technical environments
• Don't quite meet these requirements? Peep our other prime positions

• Experience applying AI to cybersecurity or intelligence use cases
• Familiarity with agentic frameworks and multi‑step orchestration systems
• Experience building retrieval systems using vector databases or semantic search
• Knowledge of AI system observability and evaluation methodologies
• Experience integrating multiple AI providers…