AI SOFTWARE ENGINEER/AI ENGINEER

Req ID: 50608
Team: T56 AI and Digital Innovation
Entity: Newport News Shipbuilding

US Citizenship Required for this Position: Yes

Full-Time
Shift: 1st
Relocation: No relocation assistance available
Virtual/Telework Opportunity: No - Not eligible for telework

Travel Requirements: No

Clearance Required: No - Clearance Not Required to Start

​Salary Range: $104,000.00 to $131,000.00

The anticipated salary range represents the estimated base pay for this role. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors, and may vary from the posted range

Meet HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding
With more than 25,000 employees – including third-, fourth- and even fifth-generation shipbuilders – HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division is the largest industrial employer in Virginia. We’re the sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy nuclear submarines. Our diverse and innovative team of professionals ranges from skilled trades to project managers, engineers and software developers to solution architects, technical subject matter experts, and system users. We collaborate together at the forefront of technology, manufacturing, and integration of the most powerful and survivable naval ships in the world. Want to be part of the team? Apply today! We look forward to meeting you.

The Role

Design, develop, and test operating systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software. Set operational specifications, and formulate and analyze software requirements. May design embedded systems software.

We are seeking an AI Software Engineer to join a multidisciplinary team of software engineers, data scientists, data engineers, and ML engineers. This role focuses on software engineering with applied AI expertise, transforming AI models and prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable production applications. You will work closely with data scientists and ML engineers to ensure scalable, secure, and efficient operations across the ML lifecycle.

Key responsibilities include:
• Developing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines for ML applications.
• Automating infrastructure provisioning and configuration using modern DevOps tools.
• Implementing containerization and orchestration for ML workloads.
• Ensuring system reliability, security, and compliance in ML Ops environments.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize deployment and monitoring processes.
• Design, develop, deploy, and maintain AI-enabled applications and backend services.
• Build REST APIs and integrate LLMs, AI models, and enterprise data systems.

Must Have

Bachelor's Degree and 5 years of relevant exempt experience; Master?s Degree and 3 years of relevant professional experience; Ph.D. and 0 years of experience.

One of the following may be used as an equivalent to Bachelor's Degree for Information Technology Related Positions Only:

• NNS Apprentice School graduate
• Navy Nuclear Power School (NNPS) graduate
• Associate's Degree or other formal 2 year program and 2 years of relevant exempt experience or 4 years of relevant non-exempt experience
• Military Paygrade E-5 or above military experience
• High School/GED and 4 years combined of Manufacturing, Shipbuilding, Trades, Military experience or other relevant exempt experience
• High School/GED and 8 years combined of Manufacturing, Shipbuilding, Trades, Military experience or other relevant non-exempt experience
• A relevant professional certification can be substituted for a Bachelor's Degree.
• • Bachelor's Degree and 5 years of relevant exempt experience; Master’s Degree and 3 years of relevant professional experience; Ph.D. and 0 years of experience.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
  • Strong Python programming and REST API development skills.
  • Experience with software architecture, cloud development, Git, and automated testing.
  • Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and practical integration of LLMs or AI services.
  • Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and collaboration skills.

Nice to Have

• Experience supporting ML Ops workflows and machine learning deployments.
• Familiarity with ML Ops tools (MLflow, Kubeflow, Airflow).
• Knowledge of security best practices for ML and cloud environments.
• Experience with large-scale data processing systems (Spark, Hadoop).
• Strong scripting skills (Python, Bash).
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Strong proficiency with CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps).
• Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Knowledge of infrastructure-as-code tools (Terraform, Ansible).
• Experience with monitoring and logging tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack).
• Solid understanding of version control systems (Git).

Technical Skills Highly Preferred

• Python: Backend and application development.
• API Development: REST APIs, FastAPI, Flask, or similar frameworks.
• Software Architecture: Scalable, modular, and maintainable application design.
• Cloud Development: Azure, AWS, or comparable platforms.
• Applied AI: LLM integration, generative AI APIs, and RAG implementations.
• DevOps: Git, CI/CD, automated testing, and containerization.

Why HII
We build the world’s most powerful, survivable naval ships and defense technology solutions that safeguard our seas, sky, land, space and cyber. HII’s diverse workforce includes skilled tradespeople; artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML) experts; engineers; technologists; scientists; logistics experts; and business administration professionals.

Recognized as one of America’s top large company employers, we are a values and ethics driven organization that puts people’s safety and well-being first. Regardless of your role or where you serve, at HII, you’ll find a supportive and welcoming environment, competitive benefits, and valuable educational and training programs for continual career growth at every stage of your career.

Working at HII is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to build a future. We offer comprehensive benefits including: medical, prescription drug, dental and vision plan choices, on-site health centers, tele-medicine, wellness resources, employee assistance programs, savings plan options (401K), financial education and planning tools, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, early childhood and post-secondary education scholarships, and more. Some benefits may vary depending on your specific division or work location.

Together we are working to ensure a future where everyone can be free and thrive.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. U.S. Citizenship may be required for certain positions.

Do You Need Assistance?
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to buildyourcareer@hii-co.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this e-mail address.

Additionally, you may also call 1-844-849-8463 for assistance. Press #2 for Newport News Shipbuilding.

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