Senior AI Software Engineer - Technology Transformation Service

About the role

As a Senior Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software Engineer, you will develop secure, ethical, and mission-aligned AI strategies and architectures across the federal government using engineering best practices. This position is with the Office of Technology Transformation Services (TTS), Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), General Services Administration (GSA).

Duties

• Serves as a senior technical expert leading high level, enterprise-wide engineering strategies for AI-enabled systems, computer hardware/software integration, and cloud-native architectures and platforms, delivering impactful solutions for the American people.
• As an AI technical SME provide technical guidance for the development and management of AI-enabled systems, computer hardware/software integration, and cloud-native architectures, ensuring compliance with federal mandates, executive orders, and/or other guidelines.
• Provides authoritative consultation and technical direction to agency personnel, shaping national and international AI, computer engineering and digital policies, directives and mandates.
• Participates and coordinates cross-agency AI engineering projects involving large-scale digital transformation, data platforms, and secure computing infrastructures.
• Establishes, promotes, and communicates governmentwide technical standards, AI engineering policies, and architectures for the ethical, secure, and trustworthy use of AI and emerging technologies.
• Interprets new and revised plans and guidance received from senior agency officials and/or other higher authorities.

Requirements

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
• Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959.
• Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
• Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or NonCareer SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
• Position security requirements are dependent on the position for which selected, and may be designated at Top Secret, Secret, High Risk, Moderate Risk or Low Risk. Dependent on which position you are selected for you will be required to undergo and pass the appropriate Tier background investigation level. You must be granted this clearance before you can start the job.
• Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee. We will use the Department of Homeland Security's e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
• Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative drug test result.
• Some positions may require on-call duty outside typical scheduled duty hours as needed and directed to respond to and resolve issues related to fraud, platform, engineering, partnership, and/or other comparable issues.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level or higher in the Federal service. Applicants applying for the GS-14 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the nine competencies AND one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service as described below:

• Attention to Detail – Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Customer Service – Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Decision Making – Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Information Management – Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
• Interpersonal Skills – Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations.
• Oral Communication – This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant persuades others to take a particular course of action or to accept findings, recommendations, changes, or alternative viewpoints.
• Problem Solving – This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant identifies and accommodates technology and resource constraints.
• Teamwork – Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
• Technical Competence – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Specialized experience is defined as:

• Developing, testing, debugging, and maintaining large-scale, complex digital applications and services for public-facing or enterprise environments, including data engineering, cloud-native architectures, computer hardware/software integration, cybersecurity-by-design, performance requirements, interoperability, and/or secure deployment of emerging technologies. This includes applying modern programming languages, frameworks, and technologies (e.g., Python, Go, JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, React, Ruby on Rails, Terraform, Next.js, HTML/CSS, Rust).
• Applying artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, including generative AI tools and models to develop production grade AI-enabled systems.
• Implementing and applying information security and privacy best practices, performing risk assessments, and ensuring compliance with security policies and standards during digital product development and deployment.
• Providing technical guidance and consultation on AI, data strategy, and emerging technologies to stakeholders, partner agencies, and technical teams; translating mission and business requirements into scalable, secure, and workable engineering solutions; and resolving complex technical issues involving multiple IT disciplines.

Pay

The GS-14 salary range starts at $138,595 per year. If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. You will have access to many benefits including:

• Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans)
• Life insurance coverage with several options
• Sick leave and vacation time, including 11 paid holidays per year
• Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan)
• Transit and child care subsidies
• Flexible spending accounts
• Long-term care insurance
• Training and development

Schedule

Some positions may require on-call duty outside typical scheduled duty hours as needed and directed to respond to and resolve issues related to fraud, platform, engineering, partnership, and/or other comparable issues.