Software Engineer (SWE), Level 3

Bitwise • Columbia, MD

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Bitwise is a leading provider of mission-focused intelligence solutions that advance national security for the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. We're a small and growing company, so you can expect to hop in on the ground floor with us and be a consequential member of the team. You'll be more than a contract performer for us — you'll also be asked for ideas to improve our company and improve your career, and you'll contribute to our team culture. We value growth and community above almost all else, so we gather regularly for game nights, happy hours, tech talks, and plenty more. We think you'll like it here! Remember, Bitwise is not a cult. Bitwise hires talented engineers who are driven by purpose and who value a culture of technical excellence, growth, and overall wellness. We deliver new and innovative intelligence solutions to our customers at the very forefront of our country's national security missions. And we do it every single day. Our work matters, and so will you. We ask that every new hire be able to: Contribute meaningful thought leadership — if not right away, over time Interact with our customers and earn their confidence in your abilities Be detailed, even if that means taking a little more time to get it right Contribute their ideas and ideals to improve all aspects of our company Allow us to invest in their education so we both grow together Know and live our core values every single day. This is a high-visibility role at the intersection of applied AI and mission-critical operations — and your code will directly impact analysts making time-sensitive decisions in Computer Network Operations (CNO). You'll be joining a team of roughly 8–12 developers building the next generation of AI-powered decision support tools for operators and analysts. The platform combines an AI Copilot and a Deep Research Agent that queries disparate data sources and surfaces synthesized, actionable answers in a single interface — cutting through the noise so operators can focus on what matters most instead of manual data wrangling. As a senior member of this team, you won't just be writing code — you'll be helping shape the technical direction. You'll work closely with operators, analysts, and fellow engineers to integrate AI technologies into a custom UI, MCP Server, and agent architecture. We're looking for someone who's interested in growing into a leadership role on this team and is excited about delivering genuinely transformative capability to the CNO workforce.

Requirements

• An active TS//SCI clearance with polygraph is required for this role
• 12 years of experience in software engineering, or 16 years in lieu of a B.S. in a technical discipline
• B.S. in a technical discipline (or 4 additional years of experience in place of the degree)
• Advanced proficiency in Python, with demonstrated experience building production-grade services and APIs
• Experience with ElasticSearch, Kibana, and/or Grafana
• Experience in a team leadership, tech lead, or mentorship capacity
• Experience with relational databases (RDS or similar)
• Strong communication skills across both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience with, or a genuine interest in, emerging AI technologies

Nice To Haves

• Experience with AI agent frameworks, LLMs, or RAG systems
• Familiarity with MCP (Model Context Protocol) or similar tool-orchestration frameworks
• Experience with production CNO capabilities and operations
• Prior experience formally leading a team of developers

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain Python services for the AI Copilot and Deep Research Agent, including MCP Server and agent orchestration
• Build data pipelines and integrations across operational data sources
• Develop search and observability tooling using ElasticSearch, Kibana, and Grafana
• Mentor junior developers through code reviews, pairing sessions, and ongoing technical guidance
• Lead technical design discussions and drive architectural decisions for the team

Benefits

• Top salaries
• Pick your PTO — between 3 and 5 weeks of PTO with a corresponding adjustment to your pay
• All 11 federal holidays, paid!
• Up to 2 snow days, paid!
• 4x match on the first 6% contributed to 401(k)
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurances
• $5,250 annual education assistance for training, certifications, tuition, and student loan repayments
• Spot bonuses for obtained certifications, customer recognition, and other achievements

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree