Junior Software Engineer- AI
About The Position
Exostar is seeking a hands-on Software Engineer who writes and deploys production code and takes ownership of ambiguous, cross-cutting, and critical projects. The role includes platform migrations, production-ready prototypes, architectural rebuilds, zero-downtime replacements, and integrations. The work takes place in a FedRAMP Moderate and CMMC L2 environment serving major defense primes, with compliance treated as a design constraint. The engineer will spend most of their time building across Angular/TypeScript, .NET/C#, Python, or other technologies as needed; using AI coding tools as part of the development workflow; and owning systems from architecture through deployment. They will build on Azure Government and commercial Azure using microservices, event-driven patterns, APIs, and data pipelines, and contribute to infrastructure as code, CI/CD automation, and internal tooling. The role also involves setting an engineering-quality example through code, reviews, and pairing; sharing AI-augmented development practices; writing practical documentation; providing technical feedback on platform gaps and engineering friction; evaluating technologies by building with them; and resolving technical debt. The position is hybrid, three days per week, in Herndon, Virginia, or Cincinnati, Ohio. U.S. citizenship and the ability to gain and maintain a Trusted Role are required.
Requirements
- At least 3 years of recent, hands-on software engineering experience.
- A track record of shipping full systems, not only features.
- Proficiency in at least two of Angular/TypeScript, .NET/C#, Python, or Java.
- At least 1 year building cloud-native systems; Azure is preferred and Azure Government is a plus.
- Comfort working across infrastructure, backend, and frontend.
- Daily use of Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, or an equivalent AI coding tool.
- A clear understanding of where AI excels and where it fails.
- Demonstrated examples of shipping faster and better with AI assistance.
- Ability to thrive in ambiguity, make reasonable assumptions, and ship.
- Strong but flexible opinions on architecture and developer experience.
- Clear, precise written communication.
- Experience building in regulated environments such as FedRAMP, CMMC, ITAR, SOC 2, or HIPAA.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, information systems, or a related technical field.
- U.S. citizenship is required due to customer requirements.
- Ability to gain and maintain a Trusted Role.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with Azure Government (IL2/IL4/IL5), Entra ID, PIM, managed identities, or Zero Trust.
- Background in IAM, credentialing, PKI, or federated identity.
- Experience building developer tools, internal platforms, or shared infrastructure.
- Experience in aerospace and defense, life sciences, or other regulated SaaS environments.
- Agentic AI development experience, including MCP, multi-tool workflows, or AI-driven testing.
- A prototype or side project demonstrating best-in-class AI-augmented development.
Responsibilities
- Write and deploy production code across Angular/TypeScript, .NET/C#, Python, and other technologies as needed.
- Use AI coding tools and agentic workflows in daily development.
- Own systems end to end, from architecture and implementation through testing and deployment, while designing for FedRAMP and CMMC constraints.
- Build on Azure Government and commercial Azure using microservices, event-driven patterns, APIs, and data pipelines.
- Deliver backlog projects such as migrations, prototypes, legacy replacements, and cross-system fixes.
- Drive infrastructure-as-code work using Terraform or Bicep, CI/CD automation, and internal tooling.
- Set a reference standard for engineering quality through code and implementation.
- Review code, teach through building, and pair on complex problems.
- Share AI-augmented development techniques, including prompting, workflows, and context strategies.
- Write practical documentation such as READMEs and ADRs.
- Provide feedback on platform gaps, tooling, and engineering friction.
- Evaluate new technology by building with it in real environments and real data.
- Identify and resolve technical debt that slows teams down.
Benefits
- Health insurance, including medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life and AD&D insurance, EAP, and Flexible Spending Accounts.
- 401(k) matching.
- Flexible time off and sick leave.
- Training and educational assistance.
- Social and community-building events.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
