Staff Machine Learning Engineer - Defense

The Role

As a Staff Machine Learning Engineer (MLE) in Striveworks’ professional services division, you will be challenged—and trusted—on day one to take ownership of machine learning projects that impact a diverse set of Striveworks’ customers. You will be responsible for envisioning and bringing machine learning and advanced analytics solutions to Striveworks’ most strategic partners. You will be a key Striveworks representative and solutions provider to project sites and customers where Chariot, our proprietary machine learning operations (MLOps) platform, is deployed. You will lead and work alongside a team of engineers to transform machine learning models into functional, operationalized products.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities:

• Lead scoping, design, and execution of machine-learning projects for government clients; participate in requirements extraction.
• Guide the development of machine-learning models and custom analytics applied to image, video, text, geospatial, time-series, and tabular data.  
• Develop group-level practice improvements and reusable code that accelerates time-to-value in future efforts.
• Orchestrate and automate complex data pipelines and analytics algorithms within modern architectures (cloud deployment, event-driven, microservices, etc.).
• Manage small execution teams’ work toward on-time completion of project deliverables.
• Conduct mission-critical fieldwork.

A Staff Machine Learning Engineer on the Striveworks Engagements Team is customer-facing and executes with the agency of exceptional technical creativity. You will use your expertise to lead AI/ML projects and rapidly prototype and deliver machine learning capabilities for our customers. You will tackle real-world problems as they unfold, utilizing your technical expertise and communication skills to provide reliable and scalable solutions. You will be expected to wear multiple hats and step into vacuums where more definition and work is needed, and you will be given the breadth to overcome ambiguity. You will work daily with software engineers, data scientists, cloud engineers, program managers, account executives, subject matter experts, and end users of our products.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $200,000–$250,000/year. Striveworks’ total compensation package includes a competitive base salary, annual performance-based equity grants, and a lucrative yearly cash bonus. 

This role allows for a remote work environment with regular travel to various customer sites in, and potentially outside, the United States. The travel expectation is 15–20%.  

 The Right Fit

We spend a lot of time during our hiring process talking about shared values. 

Why? We passionately believe that fostering an environment where people can self-actualize and pursue greatness is the best way to achieve our individual and collective goals. 

What does this mean for you? We want to create an environment where you can thrive and achieve your goals, where you know the team shares your goals, and where you make and accept decisions for the team with humility. At Striveworks, we want your say/do ratio to be 1, and we want you to know that being part of a top-tier team means that there is no smartest person in the room. If that makes sense, we’re already on the same page. 

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in data science, machine learning, computer science, or a related discipline and 10+ years of relevant experience 
• Demonstrated experience scoping, leading, and delivering complex technical solutions in the National Security and Defense sectors 
• Proficiency in programming languages common to ML (Python is essential, as is knowledge of libraries like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and scikit-learn)
• Proficiency in the design and delivery of algorithms, data structures, and production analytics and in the use of design patterns in various cloud architectures
• Competence with software engineering tools and processes (estimation, project management, issue tracking, version control, CI/CD, debugging, etc.)
• Competent communicator in written products, presentations, and verbal interactions
• Able to communicate complex topics with professionalism, competence, and clarity, to customers’ technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Active Top Secret security clearance 

 The Wish List

We are very interested in candidates who possess the above qualifications, and we appreciate and consider the addition of:

• Prior experience working with SaaS, PaaS, and other software-as-a-service models 
• Broad background of experience in the operational application of AI/ML
• Exceptional project planning and communication skills and the ability to elicit direct and positive outcomes from diverse interests of people and teams
• Experience as a Principal Investigator or Technical Lead on SBIR, BAA, or other technology development efforts
• Experience delivering technology solutions in secure government environments

 The Benefits

• Top-of-market salary and total compensation
• Generous equity plan
• Health/vision/dental insurance
• Unlimited PTO
• Parental leave

 Build, Deploy, and Maintain AI for an Unpredictable World

AI is driving a new Industrial Revolution. But most AI tools only work when the world looks the same tomorrow as it did yesterday. That’s rarely the case.
Striveworks was formed to fix this problem. Our platform lets teams build AI models, deploy them into unpredictable environments, and watch them deliver trustworthy results—day after day. Our approach has transformed AI outcomes for organizations where failure is never an option. As a result, Striveworks was recognized as an exemplar in the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence Final Report. 

In 2023, Striveworks placed on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North America. In 2024, Striveworks was honored with a Built In Best Places to Work award—for the third year running.

Striveworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity or expression), national origin, social or ethnic origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. Striveworks will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind.

If you require assistance or a reasonable accommodation in the application process, please contact Operations at [email protected].

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Striveworks is a participating employer in the E-Verify program.