👋🏼 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. 🖖🏼

🎯 What We Look For

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

💡 About this Role

We're seeking a Senior Applied AI Engineer who doesn't just implement AI solutions - you pioneer them. This role is for someone who sees the current state of AI in cyber as primitive and is driven to push into uncharted territory. You're the person who built their own AI agents before it was cool, who has strong opinions about prompt engineering, and who can architect systems that others haven't imagined yet. Embedded within cyber units, you'll be the force multiplier who transforms how security professionals work. You'll tackle problems that don't have Stack Overflow answers, build systems that handle real operational complexity, and create AI integrations that actually work under pressure. This isn't about applying known patterns - it's about inventing new ones. We need someone with battle scars from pushing AI systems to production, who knows the difference between demo magic and operational reality, and who has the technical depth to solve problems that would make others give up.

Responsibilities will include:

Develop and maintain user interfaces across multiple web applications using React and Angular frameworks.
Architect and implement production-grade AI systems for cyber operations, handling scale and reliability.
Lead technical exploration into novel AI applications, charting paths through unproven territory.
Design and build sophisticated agent orchestration systems that coordinate multiple AI models and tools.
Create robust MCP server implementations that become foundational infrastructure for the team.
Develop advanced prompt engineering strategies and reusable patterns for complex cyber scenarios.
Build fault-tolerant API integration layers that gracefully handle model failures and edge cases.
Mentor junior engineers while maintaining high personal code output.
Make architectural decisions that balance innovation with operational reliability.
Drive technical discussions about AI capabilities, limitations, and strategic applications.
Create proof-of-concepts that demonstrate previously impossible capabilities.
Establish best practices for AI development within the unique constraints of cyber operations.

📋 Requirements

Active TS/SCI with Polygraph. Candidates without a current clearance will not be considered.
12+ years of software engineering experience with deep Python expertise.
Extensive hands-on experience building and deploying AI-powered applications in production.
Expert-level understanding of modern AI architectures (agents, RAG, chains, function calling).
Proven track record of integrating multiple AI services and handling their failure modes.
Strong experience with MCP servers or similar model serving infrastructure.
Advanced prompt engineering skills with demonstrable results.
Experience building resilient distributed systems and handling async workflows.
Deep understanding of AI model capabilities and limitations across providers.
Ability to rapidly prototype while maintaining production-quality standards.
Track record of solving novel technical problems without existing solutions.
Excellent debugging skills for non-deterministic AI behaviors.
Twelve (12) years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline or 4 additional years may substitute for a degree.
Don't quite meet these requirements? Peep our other prime positions

🌟 Preferred Skills and Experience

Direct experience applying AI to cybersecurity or intelligence use cases.
Contributions to major AI frameworks or tools.
Experience fine-tuning models for specialized domains.
Background in building developer tools or platforms.
Knowledge of adversarial AI and security considerations for AI systems.
Published research or talks on applied AI topics.
Experience leading technical initiatives in ambiguous problem spaces.
Active presence in the AI engineering community.

🏝️ Benefits at Bitwise

Top salaries because we're top performers
Pick your PTO – Everyone values time and money differently, so we give you the flexibility to choose between 3 and 5 weeks of PTO with a corresponding adjustment to your pay. Your choice, your balance.
All 11 federal holidays, paid!
Up to 2 snow days, paid!
We’ll quadruple (4x!) the first 6% you contribute to your 401(k), giving you up to a 24% company match. Contributing less than 6%? Unclaimed matches come right back to you as extra income, giving you a guaranteed 24% that goes to your retirement, to your paycheck, or both. C’mon now! 🚀
100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurances. That’s a lot. Already covered on health insurance? No problem – we’ll trade you this benefit for a boost to your salary instead.
$5,250 annual education assistance for training, certifications, tuition, and even student loan repayments.
Spot bonuses for obtained certifications, customer recognition, and just about anything else that makes us go "Hot damn!". We hope to say that many times about you. 🔥

💰 Salary Range

This position is hourly. We estimate you'll earn between $260,000 and $290,000 annually, including our flex income, depending upon your annual work hours.

🛎️ What to expect after applying

You'll get an email from us right away to acknowledge your application. After that, we'll:

Send over additional company materials for you to review
Schedule a video call to talk about you, our company, and your place in it
Craft a delightful offer package for you and record a video walkthrough
Work closely with you through onboarding. We’ll keep it joyful and easy.

ℹ️ Disclaimers

Bitwise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

Compensation for this position, including all compensation options, will be determined on an individual basis following the interview process.

If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please contact our excellent Head of Growth and Talent Acquisition, Janine Hunter, at janine.hunter@bitwise.tech for assistance. #CJ

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