Staff Machine Learning Software Engineer

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Who we are:

Raft () is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

Our team is rapidly growing and looking for an experienced Staff Machine Learning Software Engineer to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers. We enjoy the challenges of human-centered design, security, and scale to create better outcomes for our federal agency partners

About the role:

In your role as a Full-Stack Engineer, you will collaborate with a cross-functional data team comprising engineers and scientists of wide-ranging disciplines. Your primary responsibility will be to act as the bridge between the internal product team and customer deployments, understanding the data and ecosystem to which the product will be deployed, the deployment itself, and leading the development and execution of the future road map for your specific customer. You will contribute code to the core product, and work with leadership to define engineering tasks and goals.

What we are looking for:

• 5+ years of relevant hands-on experience


• Practical experience in Software Engineering


• Experience with data science or ML model training


• Experience with Kubernetes


• Practical programming and scripting skills (Python preferred)


• A passion for (and track record of) innovation, an interest in exploring and leveraging new data modalities, and working across interdisciplinary teams


• Fast learner, analytical thinker, creative, hands-on, strong communication skills


• Able to work both independently and as part of a team


• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.


• Proven experience with modern software development and engineering practices including scrum/agile, Git, and DevOps


• Obtain Security+ within the first 90 days of employment with Raft

Highly preferred:

• Prior examples of products or systems built/managed/deployed


• Familiar with core ML fundamentals


• Previous experience building systems for DoW


• Previous experience working in a SCIF day-to-day


• Hungry to iterate fast and solve hard problem

Clearance Requirements:

• Active Top Secret clearance with ability to obtain and maintain SCI

Work Type:

• Onsite in Herndon, VA


• May require up to 25% travel

What we will offer you:

• Highly competitive salary


• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage


• 401(k) and company match


• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays


• Education & training benefits


• Annual budget for your tech needs


• Generous Referral Bonuses


• And More!

Our Vision Statement:

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission.

Our Customer Obsession:

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there?

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm.

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are . We support our “nadi”by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.