Applied AI Engineer, Level 1; SWE

Applied AI Engineer, Level 1 (SWE1) – TS/SCI w/ Poly

Location: Columbia, MD
Compensation Range: $125,000 – $160,000 (annualized USD)
Clearance Required: Must be a U.S. citizen with an active TS/SCI security clearance with polygraph

We are seeking an Applied AI Engineer (SWE1) who is excited about pushing the boundaries of applied artificial intelligence in real-world environments. This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys experimenting with cutting-edge models, rapidly building proof-of-concepts, and turning everyday workflow challenges into opportunities for creative AI solutions.

You will work closely with security professionals and technical stakeholders to design, prototype, and deploy AI-powered tools that enhance operational workflows. This position is not about following established playbooks—it’s about exploring new approaches, staying current with rapidly evolving AI capabilities, and building solutions that don’t yet exist.

• Rapidly prototype and iterate on AI-powered tools and integrations that improve operational workflows.
• Design and deploy agentic systems using modern orchestration frameworks such as Lang Graph, CrewAI
  , or similar technologies.
• Build custom tools and integrations that extend AI capabilities into existing platforms and systems.
• Develop production-grade Python applications leveraging multiple AI models and APIs.
• Work directly with end users to understand workflows and identify high-impact automation opportunities.
• Experiment with frontier AI models and techniques, quickly evaluating their practical viability.
• Build robust API integrations connecting AI services to data sources and existing tooling.
• Iterate quickly based on user feedback, frequently delivering incremental improvements.
• Document novel approaches, patterns, and learnings for knowledge sharing.
• Build and maintain a reusable library of AI components and design patterns.

• 3+ years of software development experience with strong proficiency in Python
  .
• Hands-on experience building production AI applications (beyond notebooks or demos).
• Familiarity with modern AI frameworks and tooling such as Pydantic AI, Lang Chain, Llama Index
  , or similar agent frameworks.
• Experience developing and integrating APIs (REST, Graph
  
  QL, streaming APIs).
• Understanding of prompt engineering, structured outputs, and tool/function calling.
• Strong debugging skills, including troubleshooting non-deterministic AI behavior.
• Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows.
• Self-directed learner who thrives in ambiguity and rapidly evolving technical environments.
• Genuine enthusiasm for exploring emerging AI capabilities and techniques.

• Experience designing agentic workflows or multi-agent systems.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity concepts or operational security workflows.
• Contributions to open-source AI projects or public demos/repositories.
• Experience with retrieval systems such as RAG, vector databases, or semantic search.
• Knowledge of AI engineering best practices, including evaluation, observability, and deployment patterns.
• Experience working with multiple AI providers (e.g., commercial APIs and open-weight models).
• Experience building developer tools such as IDE extensions, CLI tools, or browser extensions with AI features.
• Understanding of data pipelines and structured/unstructured data processing.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical discipline
  OR
• Equivalent professional experience demonstrating applied AI and software engineering expertise

Salary is determined by several factors, including location, education, experience, technical skills, and organizational requirements. The projected compensation range for this position is $125,000 – $160,000 (annualized USD).

At Intezra, Inc., we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees’ health, financial security, and work-life balance:

• Three Care First medical plans available;
  Intezra pays up to 100% of healthcare premiums and up to 100% of deductibles (based on plan selection) for employees and dependents
• Intezra pays 100% for Care First Dental and Vision plans for employees and dependents
• 401(k): 15% company contribution (no match required)
• PTO: 160 hours, increasing with seniority
• 12 Floating Holidays

Intezra, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, pregnancy, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.