Senior Python Developer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Lead the ongoing enhancement of Optica Security, OSC EdgeTech’s DISA APL-listed STIG compliance and CORA readiness platform.

• Design, develop, test, and refine Python-based scanning functionalities for extensive, segmented, and federated network environments, including those with government restrictions.

• Create and implement production AI capabilities utilizing local/self-hosted models and cloud-based AI services.

• Develop and operationalize AI-assisted processes for ingesting and interpreting new and updated DISA STIGs.

• Organize STIG requirements for incorporation within Optica and verify the accuracy of cybersecurity content and mappings.

• Automate intricate manual product and cybersecurity workflows through AI, covering document ingestion, data extraction, classification, transformation, validation, exception handling, and human-in-the-loop reviews.

• Set measurable standards for quality, throughput, accuracy, and cycle-time for automated workflows.

• Integrate and manage local/self-hosted models for disconnected or air-gapped environments, along with cloud model APIs and managed AI platforms.

• Construct maintainable model abstractions and orchestration patterns.

• Support the AI/ML model lifecycle, including dataset preparation, model selection, evaluation, prompt and retrieval design, fine-tuning or other adjustments, inference optimization, validation, and production monitoring.

• Broaden Optica's cybersecurity content coverage to include applications, databases, application servers, middleware, and other software layers.

• Plan and carry out development activities from deployment to stabilization and address customer feedback.

• Communicate status updates, risks, technical trade-offs, and dependencies to product leadership.

• Contribute to architecture, code reviews, automated testing, documentation, observability, secure development practices, and production support.

• Utilize senior technical judgment to guide architecture and prioritization decisions.

• Mentor developers and elevate engineering standards.

• Collaborate with architecture, dashboard, cybersecurity content, product, and customer-facing teams.

• Perform additional duties as assigned.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, data science, AI/ML, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.

• At least eight years of professional experience in Python software development.

• Proven experience in designing and delivering production-level Python software.

• Experience in designing, developing, and deploying AI-enabled software in production settings, covering architecture, integration, testing, validation, and operations.

• Familiarity with integrating local, self-hosted AI or LLM models and/or cloud-hosted AI services or model APIs.

• Experience with AI/ML methodologies, including data preparation, model training, validation, evaluation, inference, model selection, and adaptation techniques.

• Experience in automating complex business, engineering, or analytical workflows using AI, demonstrating measurable operational impact.

• Background in developing distributed data-collection or similar systems, focusing on performance, reliability, concurrency, and large-scale deployment across segmented or federated network environments.

• Must successfully pass pre-employment background screening.

• Must possess the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

• Must be a U.S. citizen.

• Willingness to travel up to 10%.

• Knowledge of software engineering principles, Python development, network architectures, cybersecurity technologies, and regulatory or compliance requirements.

• Understanding of dataset preparation, model training concepts, validation, evaluation, inference, model selection, and adaptation techniques such as fine-tuning.

• Strong grasp of prompting, retrieval-augmented generation, fine-tuning, and related methods.

• Familiarity with workflow automation, intelligent document processing, data extraction, validation methodologies, and human-in-the-loop review processes.

• Knowledge of local inference, managed cloud models, security boundaries, latency, cost, model capability, and deployment in disconnected or restricted environments.

• Proficient in using Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, alongside industry-standard software and databases.

• Adequate fine motor skills for computer operation and extended repetitive keyboarding.

• Capability to work in confined rack spaces.

• Ability to kneel, bend, and twist at the waist occasionally.

• Ability to reach below shoulder height regularly and at or above shoulder height occasionally.

• Capacity to push, pull, carry, and lift objects weighing up to 10 pounds regularly and heavier weights occasionally.

• Preferred: Active Secret or Top-Secret security clearance.

• Preferred: Experience with DISA STIGs, SCAP content, or similar cybersecurity compliance frameworks.

• Preferred: Experience in DoD or federal operating environments, especially in restricted, air-gapped, disconnected, or accreditation-controlled networks.

• Preferred: Familiarity with RAG, embeddings, vector databases, structured outputs, tool/function calling, document parsing, information extraction, agentic or multi-step workflows, and evaluation frameworks.

• Preferred: Experience in deploying and optimizing local or self-hosted models, including model serving, quantization, GPU/CPU trade-offs, or inference optimization.

• Preferred: Experience with cloud AI platforms or hosted model services such as Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, OpenAI APIs, or Google Vertex AI.

• Preferred: Familiarity with model/version management, evaluation pipelines, experiment tracking, monitoring, quality controls, and governance in production.

• Preferred: Experience leading development teams.

• Preferred: Contribution to enterprise dashboards and full-stack web applications.

• Preferred: Knowledge of RMF, CORA, and DoW cybersecurity assessment and authorization processes.

• Preferred: Experience supporting a commercial or GOTS product through government evaluations, APL listings, accreditation, or related authorization activities.

• Preferred: Production experience with Go for endpoint agents, scanners, network services, security tools, or distributed systems.

🏝️ Benefits

• Paid holidays.

• Paid time off.

• 401K with employer match.

• Dental insurance.

• Vision insurance.

• Health insurance plans.

• Life benefits.

• Disability benefits.

• Reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.