AI / LLM & ML Engineer

Job Description

AI / LLM & ML Engineer

Bowhead

San Diego, CA

• Part-Time
  
  

Overview

Bowhead seeks a part-time (10-20 hours a week) AI / LLM & ML Engineer to support the High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) Integrated Technical Services -Restricted (HITS-R) contract.

The AI / LLM & ML Engineer will help build _fenced-off_, HPC-aware AI systems that sit directly in the CREATE ecosystem. You will design and deploy agentic LLM workflows, RAG systems, and surrogate models that accelerate physics-based simulations, automate input setup, and improve developer productivity on GPU-enabled Lambda workstations and DoD-style HPC systems. This role is ideal for advanced undergraduate student in AI/ML/CS/CE who already has significant prior hands-on experience with LLMs, RAG, Linux, and GPU/HPC environments.

Responsibilities

Fenced-Off Agentic LLM & RAG Systems

• Design and implement "fenced-off" (isolated, secure) LLM-based assistants.
• Build RAG pipelines over CREATE documentation, examples, templates, and historical cases.
• Implement guardrails, schema validation, and automated tests.
  
  

Auto Physics Input Setup & Evaluation

• Develop tools that automatically ingest user requirements and baseline geometries/conditions.
• Generate candidate input configurations for CREATE solvers.
• Run sanity checks against best practices and project constraints.
• Integrate these tools with existing workflow automation / job submission systems.
  
  

Internal AI "Vibe Coding" / Developer-Assist Infrastructure

• Prototype and evaluate internal "AI coding copilot" workflows for CREATE teams.
• Help define best practices for AI-assisted development in a secure, fenced-off environment.
  
  

GPU-Enabled Speedups for Physics-Based Codes

• Collaborate with domain experts to implement ML/LLM components that accelerate solver workflows.
• Support fast design-space exploration and parametric studies using Helios/Kestrel and Sage.
• Benchmark and profile GPU-accelerated solutions on Lambda systems to quantify speedups vs. CPU or baseline runs.
  
  

Surrogate Modeling & Data Pipelines

• Work with existing CREATE surrogate modeling tools (e.g., Sage).
• Build data pipelines from large CFD/physics simulations into training datasets.
• Train, validate, and package surrogate models for real-time or near real-time predictions.
• Assist in integrating physics-informed or physics-incorporated ML models.
  
  

Qualifications

Education:

• Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Data Science, Applied Math, or a closely related field with focus in AI/ML.
  
  

Core Technical Skills

• Strong programming experience in Python (PyTorch and/or TensorFlow; Hugging Face or similar LLM ecosystems).
• Prior, hands-on experience building or fine-tuning LLMs and implementing RAG pipelines (vector stores, embeddings, retrieval, prompt orchestration).
• Prior experience in building agentic AI models and Large Action models
• Extensive hand-on experience with Linux environments (shell, ssh, basic admin, environment management).
• Experience working with GPUs (e.g., CUDA-based training/inference, profiling basic performance).
  
  

HPC & CREATE-Related Experience

• Demonstrated experience running workloads on HPC systems (job schedulers, batch scripts, scaling basics).
• Prior exposure to CREATE codes (Helios and/or Kestrel), or equivalent large-scale CFD / physics-based solvers.
• Familiarity with AI surrogate modeling concepts (e.g., DNNs, CNNs, surrogates, reduced-order models).
  
  

Soft Skills

• Ability to work independently, ask good technical questions, and iteratively refine solutions with domain experts.
• Strong written communication skills for documenting workflows, APIs, and architectural decisions.
  
  

Physical Demands

Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds

Must be able to stand and walk for prolonged amounts of time

Must be able to twist, bend, and squat periodically

Security Clearance Requirements

Must currently hold a security clearance at the Top Secret level, may be required to obtain a Top Secret/SCI clearance upon hire. US Citizenship is a requirement for Top Secret clearance at this location.

Employment Type: PART_TIME