Accelerate Your Success by Working at iCatalyst
AI Developer
Job ID: 2026_05_AIDev
Role/Title: AI Developer
Priority: High – Immediate Hire
Hybrid Opportunity - DC/VA. Must be able to work onsite two days a week minimum.
Clearance Requirement: Public Trust Clearance - Due to federal clearance requirements for this position, only U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents are eligible. Candidates with visa sponsorship —now or in the future—are not eligible for this clearance.
About iCatalyst
iCatalyst, Inc. is a next-generation technology company specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning (ML), and Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
Since 2007, we have partnered with federal and commercial clients to deliver innovative, mission-driven solutions that enhance operational efficiency, digital transformation, and business outcomes.
Our solutions are built on a foundation of agility, security, and scalability, guided by our CMMI ML 3 Services and Software Development framework and backed by globally recognized certifications in ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management) and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (Information Security).
Core Capabilities
We specialize in AI-Driven Digital Transformation, Cloud and Infrastructure Modernization, Data Engineering and Advanced Analytics, Enterprise IT Modernization and Mission-Focused Program and Change Management.
Why Join iCatalyst?
- At iCatalyst, our people are at the center of everything we do.
- Award-winning culture of innovation and a friendly workplace
- Work on cutting-edge AI and digital transformation projects
- Be part of a mission-driven team
- Grow your career in a stable, certified, high-performing organization
- Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages, 401K with company match, competitive pay
Role Overview
We are seeking an AI Developer to join our growing team in support of our federal program.
This is an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies and contribute to impactful, mission-critical initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Some high-level duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Design, develop and deploy AI-powered applications using Azure AI services, including:
- Azure OpenAI Service.
- Azure AI Studio.
- Azure AI Search (vector search).
- Cognitive Services (as applicable).
- Own the end-to-end development lifecycle for AI solutions, from prototyping and model development through deployment and production integration.
- Design, develop, and integrate AI-powered capabilities using or in conjunction with low-code/no-code platforms (e.g., Appian, UiPath, Pega) to enable scalable automation and workflow solutions.
- Build and implement LLM-based solutions, including:
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).
- Intelligent chatbots / copilots.
- AI-driven automation tools.
- Develop scalable backend services and APIs to support AI functionality using technologies such as Python.
- Build and maintain data pipelines for ingestion, transformation, and inference using Azure data services (e.g., Blob Storage, Data Lake).
- Apply prompt engineering, model evaluation, and optimization techniques to improve performance, accuracy, and usability of AI solutions.
- Integrate AI capabilities into existing enterprise applications, including .NET-based systems where applicable.
- Contribute to CI/CD pipelines and deployment workflows using Azure DevOps or similar tools.
- Maintain lightweight technical documentation (e.g., architecture overviews, API documentation, key design decisions) to support development and knowledge sharing.
- Ensure solutions follow secure coding practices and align with applicable enterprise security guidelines (e.g., NIST, FedRAMP awareness).
- Provide support and expertise in the assigned domain.
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver solutions.
- Ensure adherence to security, compliance, and quality standards.
- Support continuous improvement and innovation initiatives.
- Special projects as needed.
Required Skills
- Demonstrated experience delivering end-to-end AI/ML or LLM-based solutions, from data ingestion and model development through deployment and production integration.
- Strong programming experience in Python with a focus on building AI/ML applications.
- Hands-on experience building LLM-based applications using Azure AI services (e.g., Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Studio, Azure AI Search), with familiarity in supporting tools and frameworks such as OpenAI APIs, LangChain or Llama Index, and Hugging Face.
- Experience developing REST APIs and backend services, using frameworks such as FastAPI, Flask, or similar.
- Proficiency in data processing and manipulation using tools such as Pandas and NumPy or similar.
- Experience integrating AI capabilities into production applications.
- Familiarity with cloud-native development practices and CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience or familiarity with low-code/no-code platforms (Appian, UiPath, Pega) is a plus.
- Understanding of secure development practices and enterprise environments (NIST/FedRAMP awareness preferred).
- Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and deliver high-quality work in fast-paced environments.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work both independently and collaboratively with minimal supervision.
- Strong attention to detail with a focus on accuracy and quality.
- Effective communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
- Adaptable and flexible, with ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across cross-functional teams.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
Experience & Qualifications
- 3-5 years of software development experience, with increasing focus on AI/ML solutions.
- Proven experience building and deploying AI/ML or LLM-based applications.
- Experience integrating AI into enterprise-scale systems.
- Experience with .NET/C# environments is a plus, particularly for integrating AI services into existing applications.
- Proven ability to work in fast-paced, client-focused environments.
- Experience supporting federal programs preferred.
- Preferred Certifications:
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate.
- Other relevant AI/ML or cloud certifications preferred: Appian/Pega/UiPath Developer, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect.
Education
- Bachelor’s or master's degree in STEM, Computer Science, or related field from an accredited institution.
Work Location and Schedule
- McLean, VA (Hybrid/Remote)
- Monday – Friday 8AM – 5:30PM EST
- Work schedules and arrangements (remote/hybrid) may be adjusted based on client and program needs
Employment Type
- Full-Time, Salaried (Exempt)
Customer / Contract
- Federal Agency
Compensation
- The likely salary range or Hourly rate for this position is $100,000 - $130,000.
Salary range reflects our commitment to pay equity and transparency. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, certifications, labor qualifications, geographic location and contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.
Clearance Requirements
- U.S. Citizenship (or Permanent Resident) required
- Ability to successfully pass a federal background check
- Employment is subject to verification of eligibility to work in the United States
As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete a background verification process that may leverage artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.
Travel
- Minimal or no travel anticipated
Total Rewards and Benefits
We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.
Our benefits package for eligible employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, a dental plan option, a vision plan, and a 401(k)-plan offering the ability to contribute both pre- and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match.
To encourage work/life balance, iCatalyst offers employees a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick, 11 Federal holidays, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, insurance are provided or available.
In addition, we offer our full-time employees the following benefits subject to eligibility and iCatalyst policies.
- Phone and internet Reimbursement for eligible employees
- Transportation Support (Uber rides to & from HQ to select locations)
- Training & Education Assistance (per eligibility)
- Annual Wellness Benefit
- Social and Community giveback
Additional Information
- This position is contingent upon contract award and/or client approval, where applicable
- iCatalyst, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics
- Candidates will be required to adhere to client-specific compliance requirements and sign NDAs
- iCatalyst reserves the right to modify job responsibilities, duties, or requirements as business needs evolve
Next Step
Explore a career at iCatalyst and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your ambition to deliver your best work. Apply today to be part of a team shaping the future of technology and innovation.
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