AI/Automation Engineer - Level 2 (Chandler) (AHT)

Northrop Grumman • Chandler, AZ

13d • $79,300 - $118,900 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking an AI/Automation Engineer – Level 2 to design, develop, deploy, and support AI-enabled automation solutions that integrate existing LLM and agentic capabilities into engineering and infrastructure workflows. The role focuses on bringing AI-enabled tools into operational use in on-premise and classified environments, with exposure to cloud-based deployments also valued. This is a 100% onsite position in Chandler, Arizona, and cannot accommodate telecommuting. Travel is required 10% of the time.

The position works across AI, automation, CI/CD, and infrastructure. The engineer will integrate LLM services, APIs, and engineering tools into operational workflows; support agent orchestration and Retrieval-Augmented Generation solutions; and help deliver reliable services through containerization, CI/CD, and infrastructure support. The role also includes troubleshooting deployed solutions, resolving system and integration issues, and partnering with software, DevOps, infrastructure, and mission stakeholders to transition solutions into production.

The candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance. Northrop Grumman offers a total rewards and benefits package. The stated primary-level salary range is $79,300–$118,900.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of professional experience, or a master’s degree and 1 year of professional experience, or a PhD and 1 year of professional experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance.
• Hands-on experience integrating and deploying LLM-enabled applications, including model hosting, agentic workflows, RAG, and inference considerations.
• Experience integrating APIs, LLM services, and agent orchestration frameworks into applications or operational workflows.
• Experience with Docker or comparable container technologies.
• Experience developing, hosting, or supporting AI/ML applications in on-premise containerized environments.
• Working knowledge of CI/CD, version control, automated deployment practices, and infrastructure fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience working in Linux environments, including scripting and system configuration.
• Proficiency in Python or Go (Golang), with a strong background in software development, debugging, and testing.
• Experience with RAG pipelines and vector databases.
• Strong working understanding of LLM deployment considerations, including hosting, inference, and operational reliability.

Nice To Haves

• Active DoD Secret security clearance or higher.
• At least 3 years of related professional experience.
• Experience with advanced fine-tuning and inference optimization.
• Cloud-based deployment experience.
• Experience with tools such as GitLab, Jenkins, or similar platforms.
• Experience with LangChain, Mastra, or comparable toolchains.
• Experience with orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes or OpenShift.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, document, test, and debug AI-enabled automation capabilities that integrate existing LLM services, APIs, and engineering tools into operational workflows.
• Build, deploy, and support agent orchestration frameworks and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions, including integrations with vector databases and enterprise data sources.
• Support containerized, on-premise and classified environments at scale; cloud-based deployment exposure is also valued.
• Troubleshoot deployed AI and automation solutions, resolve integration and performance issues, and improve observability, availability, and maintainability.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain containerized applications using Docker or comparable technologies, considering load balancing, virtual-machine resource utilization, and system performance.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, version-control practices, and automated deployment workflows.
• Partner with software, DevOps, infrastructure, and mission stakeholders to identify automation opportunities and transition solutions into production use.
• Provide infrastructure support by resolving container, system-performance, resource-utilization, and availability issues affecting deployed solutions.
• Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders, in writing and verbally.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
• Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level