AI/ML Engineer

Ignite Digital•Chesapeake, VA

4d•$120,000

About The Position

Ignite Digital is seeking a highly skilled AI/ML Engineer to support a mission-critical U.S. Navy program in the Norfolk, Virginia area. The engineer will design, develop, test, and deploy machine learning models and AI-enabled solutions that support operational needs across Navy mission domains. The role calls for hands-on machine learning expertise, strong analytical capabilities, and collaboration with engineering, product, and mission-focused teams. The position involves working with large, complex datasets to create scalable machine learning pipelines and production-ready solutions. The engineer will prepare and evaluate data, implement machine learning techniques, assess and improve model performance, and deploy, monitor, and optimize models in production. The role also contributes to reusable frameworks and machine learning engineering best practices. Ignite Digital describes itself as a partner to national security agencies, combining mission experience, domain knowledge, and technology expertise to support agency objectives. The company offers competitive pay and benefits, including PTO, education stipends, and referral bonuses, and emphasizes compelling federal government work, volunteer and community engagement, opportunities to shape the industry, and supportive colleagues and management invested in employee growth. Salary is $120,000+ depending on education and experience. An active DoW SECRET clearance is required; selected applicants will undergo a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Requirements

At least 3 years of hands-on experience developing and deploying machine learning models.
Expertise in Python and machine learning libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch.
Experience with data analysis and visualization tools such as Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, and Seaborn.
Experience using a cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP) for machine learning development and deployment.
Strong understanding of statistics, machine learning algorithms, and model evaluation techniques.
Ability to solve complex analytical problems and communicate technical concepts clearly.
Strong communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional, mission-oriented teams.
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related technical field.
Active DoW SECRET clearance.
Must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and be subject to a government security investigation.

Nice To Haves

Certifications in cloud, machine learning engineering, or data science.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, test, and deploy machine learning and AI-driven models for Navy operational and analytical missions.
Work with large, complex datasets to build scalable machine learning pipelines and production-ready solutions.
Implement machine learning techniques including regression, classification, clustering, and deep learning.
Clean and analyze data and perform feature engineering to prepare datasets for training and evaluation.
Evaluate model performance using appropriate metrics and iterate to improve accuracy, stability, and efficiency.
Deploy, monitor, and optimize machine learning models in production environments.
Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, product managers, and other cross-functional teams to translate mission requirements into technical specifications.
Stay current with developments in AI/ML research, tools, and best practices.
Document models, pipelines, codebases, and processes to support maintainability and knowledge continuity.
Contribute to machine learning engineering best practices and reusable frameworks.