AI Engineer - (Remote - US)

ICF • Reston, VA

1d • $89,649 - $152,404 • Remote

About The Position

ICF is seeking an AI Engineer with a passion for building applications that integrate AI into real-world workflows. This role sits at the intersection of software development and applied AI — you’ll design and build end-to-end solutions that help our clients solve complex problems, from back-end APIs and data integrations to polished, user-facing front-end experiences. Our projects span a wide range of platforms and technologies, so we need someone who is comfortable picking up new tools as needed — whether that’s a JavaScript framework, a Python dashboard, or a low-code platform like Microsoft Power Apps. We’re looking for someone who loves shipping products, can work across the full technology stack, and has the interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field
• 3–5 years of professional software development experience, with demonstrable applied AI/ML integration work
• Strong proficiency in Python, including experience building APIs (Flask, FastAPI, Django) and working with data libraries
• Front-end development skills across both Python UI frameworks (Streamlit, Dash, Django templates) and JavaScript ecosystems (React, Next.js, or similar)
• Experience integrating AI/ML models and services into production applications (API-based integration with LLMs, computer vision services, NLP tools, etc.)
• Solid understanding of AI/ML fundamentals — you don’t need to train models from scratch, but you should understand how they work, when to use them, and how to evaluate their outputs
• Experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their AI/ML services
• Proficiency in SQL and experience working with both relational and NoSQL databases
• Familiarity with version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and modern software engineering practices
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills — demonstrated ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders in a clear, approachable way
• A builder’s mindset: you default to shipping working software, not writing slide decks about it — and you’re not afraid to jump into an unfamiliar platform or codebase and figure it out
• MUST RESIDE IN THE United States (U.S.) and the work MUST BE PERFORMED in the United States (U.S.), as this work is for a federal contract and laws do apply
• Must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident (Greencard holder) due to a federal contract requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with generative AI, LLMs, and prompt engineering in production contexts
• Familiarity with agentic AI frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, CrewAI, or similar)
• Experience building and deploying containerized applications (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience with Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate) and SharePoint development, including working with SharePoint lists and custom dashboards
• Knowledge of data visualization tools and libraries (Plotly, D3.js, Tableau)
• Background working on government or federal projects
• Experience with Agile methodologies and cross-functional team environments
• Familiarity with UI/UX principles and the ability to build intuitive, well-designed interfaces
• Experience with real-time applications (WebSockets, server-sent events)
• Ability to obtain security clearance
• Prior consulting or client-facing experience

Responsibilities

• Build Full-Stack AI-Powered Applications (50%) Design and develop end-to-end applications that integrate AI capabilities into client workflows, from database and API layers to front-end interfaces
• Build back-end services in Python, including RESTful APIs, data pipelines, and integrations with AI/ML services and APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS Bedrock, Azure AI, etc.)
• Develop front-end experiences using Python frameworks (Streamlit, Dash, Django) and JavaScript frameworks (React, Next.js) depending on project requirements
• Connect applications with relational and NoSQL databases, cloud services, and third-party APIs
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and extend existing low-code solutions (e.g., Microsoft Power Apps, SharePoint-based dashboards and workflows) — you don’t need to be an expert on day one, but you should be willing to dig in, learn the platform, and own it
• Write clean, production-grade code with proper testing, documentation, and CI/CD practices
• Rapid Prototyping and AI Integration (30%) Create fast, compelling prototypes and proof-of-concept applications that demonstrate AI value to clients and stakeholders
• Integrate large language models, generative AI services, and agentic frameworks into applications to automate workflows and enhance user experiences
• Experiment with emerging AI tools and platforms (Claude, GPT, GitHub Copilot, AWS Q, LangChain, etc.) to accelerate development and push the boundaries of what’s possible
• Translate client problems into concrete, buildable solutions with quick turnaround times
• Collaboration and Client Interaction (20%) Participate in client meetings, translating technical concepts into business value and gathering requirements
• Work closely with project leads, designers, and data scientists across multiple client engagements
• Communicate AI capabilities, limitations, and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Provide technical consultation on solution feasibility, architecture decisions, and implementation approaches
• Represent ICF professionally in client-facing settings — you should be someone we’re confident putting in front of a client

Benefits

• Competitive vacation and retirement plans
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Flexible work location (fully remote)
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Friendly community with lots of social events
• Participation in charity initiatives
• Employee support program
• Opportunity to work on a variety of impactful projects across multiple industries

What This Job Offers

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