Senior Applied AI Engineer

Description: 

Bytoa is seeking a Senior Applied AI Engineer who doesn't just implement AI solutions, but pioneers 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 would be 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.

Salary range: $225,000 - $255,000

Disclaimer: 
Salary for this position, along with additional compensation options, will be determined on an individual basis following the interview process, considering various factors such as years of experience, skills, education/certifications, contract specifications, market conditions, etc. 
 

Responsibilities:

• 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.

Skills Requirements:

• 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.

Nice to Haves:

• 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.

Experience Requirement: 

• 12 yrs., B.S. in a technical discipline or 4 additional yrs. in place of B.S.

Clearance Requirement: 

• Active TS/SCI with a polygraph

Referrals & Inquiries

Do you know a cleared professional seeking to advance their career? Interested in earning some extra cash? If so, refer them to us with their name and contact details, and you could be eligible for a referral bonus of up to $10,000 for each successful hire.

Not seeing the right position right now? Reach out to us, and we’ll notify you as new contracts and opportunities become available!

Please send referrals and inquiries to: careers@bytoa.com.

Salary : $225,000 - $255,000