Lead AI Software Engineer – CNO Mission Systems Annapolis Junction, Maryland | On-site | Full-time | $268,000 per year CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT An active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph is required. THE OPPORTUNITY Shawky Engineering is looking for an experienced software engineer to help deliver mission-ready artificial intelligence capabilities on a mission-essential CNO program. You will join a small, trusted engineering team that moves quickly, owns technical decisions, and works closely with operational users. This role is for an engineer who enjoys turning complex mission problems into reliable software. You will create AI-enabled applications that help analysts and operators work with mission data through natural-language interfaces, intelligent search, and automated workflows. The work includes large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, AI agents, backend services, and modern data platforms. HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE - Design, build, test, and support production-grade applications in Python. - Develop LLM workflows, RAG solutions, and agent-based capabilities for operational use. - Create backend services, REST APIs, integrations, and data pipelines. - Connect structured and unstructured mission information to search, database, and AI systems. - Meet directly with mission customers to understand workflows, define requirements, and demonstrate working prototypes. - Move successful prototypes into secure, maintainable production solutions. - Evaluate emerging AI models, frameworks, and development techniques for practical mission value. - Troubleshoot complex issues across application, data, and Linux environments. - Guide junior engineers and contribute to architecture, code quality, testing practices, and technical standards. WHAT YOU BRING - Strong professional experience developing production software with Python. - Experience designing backend services, distributed systems, or scalable application architectures. - Hands-on work with LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation, AI agents, or related AI application patterns. - Experience building REST APIs and integrating data from multiple sources. - Familiarity with SQL, Elasticsearch, or comparable database and search technologies. - Solid knowledge of object-oriented design, automated testing, software architecture, and engineering best practices. - Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, including resolving difficult production problems. - Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders. - Experience working with mission customers to turn operational needs into useful software. - Comfort using modern AI-assisted development tools. PREFERRED EXPERIENCE - Model Context Protocol (MCP), PydanticAI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar frameworks. - Docker, Kubernetes, or other container-based deployment environments. - React, TypeScript, Gradio, or modern web application development. - Agentic AI workflows and multi-step reasoning systems. - Classified mission environments. - Technical leadership or mentorship of engineering teams. WHY SHAWKY ENGINEERING We build culture by solving hard problems together and delivering results that matter. Our lean structure gives engineers more time to engineer, meaningful influence over technical direction, and direct visibility into the operational impact of their work. Compensation is tied to the value and performance you bring. BENEFITS - Above-market compensation. - 10% 401(k) retirement gift with immediate vesting in every paycheck. - Six weeks of paid time off each year. - Excellent medical coverage for employees and families, including HSA options. - Company-paid dental and vision benefits. - Company-paid term life, short-term disability, long-term disability, and AD&D insurance. - Company-paid training, subject to approval. - A guaranteed annual performance review focused on increasing your pay. - Mission-essential contract work, so you will not be left unpaid during the next furlough. WORK LOCATION This is a full-time, in-person position in Annapolis Junction, Maryland. Interested candidates may contact careers@shawkyengineering.com.