Full performance AI/ML Engineer

Markon is seeking an AI/ML Engineer (Full Performance) to support an Intelligence Community client in McLean, Virginia. This position will design, develop, integrate, and maintain AI/ML-enabled applications supporting mission-critical enterprise capabilities, with a focus on large language model (LLM) integration, agent-based workflows, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). The AI/ML Engineer will work across application development, data engineering, and system integration to deliver scalable, reliable, and production-ready AI solutions that connect with enterprise tools, data sources, and existing systems.

Design, develop, implement, and maintain AI/ML-enabled applications, emphasizing LLM integration, agent-based workflows, and RAG capabilities.

• Develop and support agentic AI architectures, including orchestration logic, tool integration, memory management, context handling, and connections to external systems.

• Design, implement, and optimize RAG pipelines, including document processing, embedding generation, semantic retrieval, prompt assembly, and response optimization.

• Develop and maintain Python-based services, REST APIs, backend components, and user-facing application features supporting enterprise AI solutions.

• Integrate AI/ML applications with enterprise tools, databases, and structured or unstructured data sources.

• Process, organize, and transform data to support AI model integration, retrieval workflows, and application functionality.

• Develop and optimize PostgreSQL database schemas, queries, indexing strategies, and data workflows.

• Evaluate and benchmark AI/ML application and model performance using appropriate testing and evaluation methodologies.

• Optimize AI applications for reliability, latency, performance, usability, maintainability, and scalability.

• Apply software engineering best practices throughout the application development lifecycle, including testing, deployment, troubleshooting, and ongoing sustainment.

• Collaborate with technical stakeholders and development teams to translate mission requirements into functional, production-ready AI/ML capabilities.

Required:

• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph.
  
  • Bachelor's degree and at least 3 years of related experience; OR
  • Master's degree and at least 1 year of related experience; OR
  • PhD with no additional experience required; OR
  • 6 years of equivalent relevant work experience and no degree.
• Experience developing AI/ML-enabled applications, including LLM integration, agent-based workflows, RAG, or similar retrieval-based capabilities.
• Proficiency in Python, common AI/data libraries, and AI frameworks supporting LLM application development.
• Experience implementing agent orchestration, tool integration, memory/context management, and connections to external systems.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML fundamentals, including transformers, machine learning algorithms, LLM behavior, data processing, and model integration.
• Experience developing or integrating REST APIs and Python-based backend services.
• Experience with PostgreSQL or other relational databases, including schema design, indexing, and query optimization.
• Understanding of production-ready software development practices, including application testing, reliability, deployment, performance optimization, and maintainability.

Desired:

• Experience with Model Context Protocol (MCP) or similar protocols connecting AI agents to external tools, data sources, and enterprise systems.
• Experience developing full-stack AI or agent-based applications, including frontend interfaces, backend services, orchestration layers, and enterprise deployment.
• Experience with FastAPI, Flask, Docker, containerized development environments, and AWS or other cloud platforms.
• Experience optimizing LLM and agentic AI workflows, including prompt engineering, tool execution, memory management, context windows, latency reduction, observability, evaluation, and cost/performance tuning.
• Experience with MLflow or similar model evaluation and lifecycle tools.
• Experience implementing vector databases, embedding models, semantic search, and retrieval configuration.
• Experience processing and transforming structured and unstructured data, including PostgreSQL schema refinement and optimization.

Eager to join a team where your skills are valued, your growth is nurtured, and your impact is profound? Look no further than Markon, a premier consulting firm deeply dedicated to advancing our nation's most critical missions.

At Markon, we don't just offer jobs - we offer opportunities for personal and professional transformation. Empowering our employees to lead, innovate, and excel, we foster an environment where new ideas are not just welcomed but celebrated. As a perennial Washington Post Top Workplace, we prioritize the well-being and success of our team members, ensuring they can bring their best selves to work.

Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, Markon has garnered national recognition for our unwavering dedication to excellence in serving the intelligence community, as well as federal civilian and defense agencies. Our growing reach extends across 17 states, 116 countries, and 5 continents, where our team of dynamic professionals collaborates to deliver unparalleled program and project management services.

Markon values people and the tremendous impact each individual can make - which is why we're consistently recognized as one of the best places to work in federal government consulting. Here, you can help solve the nation's most important challenges, surrounded by colleagues who help you grow, advance, and succeed. We are deeply dedicated to what matters - bringing out the best in each other to advance our clients' missions.

Join us and make a meaningful impact.

Markon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Benefits Offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Training and Tuition Assistance, Paid Time Off, and Holidays