Entry Level Backend Developer Jobs in Arlington, VA

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing AI tech-enabled startup in the nuclear and energy space, pioneering a fleet-scale approach to building the next generation of nuclear reactors. Through our design-once, build-many model, we're accelerating the deployment of safe, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy.
We operate with an AI-first mindset. Every employee is expected to leverage AI, technology, and the Nuclear Operating System (NOS) as integral components of their role to improve the quality, speed, and impact of their work. We expect every team member to continuously identify opportunities to automate workflows, enhance decision-making, improve processes, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of NOS as a strategic operating capability that enables The Nuclear Company to scale with excellence.
We hire people who are driven by purpose, thrive in ambiguity, and are energized by building what has never been built before. Our team combines intellectual curiosity with high agency, embraces candid feedback and continuous learning, and holds themselves and others to exceptional standards. Our values-Transparency, Responsibility, Unity, Scrappiness, and Tenacity-guide how we hire, collaborate, and make decisions every day. They are not words on a wall; they are the standard by which we operate. TRUST is the foundation of our safety culture, fostering intellectual honesty, accountability, and open communication, while our values challenge every team member to execute with urgency, humility, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to our mission.
About the role
The Nuclear Company is hiring an AI Engineer 1 to build test automation and quality practices for NOS, the Nuclear Operating System, that meet NQA-1 nuclear quality assurance standards. NOS is the software platform behind one of the largest nuclear buildouts in the United States, and every module it ships must meet the rigor that nuclear regulation demands. This role sits at the intersection of software quality, regulatory compliance, and AI-augmented engineering.
This is a hands-on, entry-level role with a clear differentiator: you will use AI as a tool to generate, review, and improve tests, while also developing the skills to test AI-powered systems themselves. You will work alongside the Compliance/Quality/Testing Lead, ramp on NQA-1 requirements and Palantir Foundry, and help establish the verification and validation (V&V) practices that give NOS its regulatory backbone.
Responsibilities

• Build automated test coverage (unit, integration, and end-to-end) for assigned NOS modules, using AI-assisted generation and review to accelerate coverage and catch gaps.

• Support NQA-1 documentation efforts for digital systems, help translate regulatory quality requirements into traceable test artifacts and evidence packages.

• Establish and refine defect tracking and V&V workflows alongside the Compliance/Quality/Testing Lead, ensuring traceability from requirement to test to resolution.

• Ramp on Palantir Foundry, the NOS architecture, and the team's AI tooling, understanding how data flows through the system and where quality gates apply.

• Contribute to the team's approach for testing AI-powered features within NOS, prompt regression, output validation, and behavioral consistency checks.

Required Experience

• Computer science degree or equivalent, with 0-2 years of professional experience (internships, co-ops, and project work count).

• Test automation fundamentals in at least one modern framework: Playwright, Cypress, Jest, PyTest, or equivalent.

• Has used AI to generate, review, or improve tests in a real project, not just theoretical knowledge, but hands-on application.

• Strong fundamentals in at least one backend language (Python or TypeScript preferred).

• Good written and verbal communication, and willingness to learn the nuclear regulatory environment (NQA-1).

Preferred Experience

• Coursework or project work testing AI/ML systems or LLM-powered applications (prompt testing, output validation, drift detection).

• Exposure to regulated industries where quality documentation and traceability are mandatory (nuclear, aerospace, defense, medical, financial).

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and integrating automated tests into build/release workflows.

• Familiarity with verification and validation (V&V) concepts, requirements traceability, or formal QA processes.

• Exposure to Palantir Foundry or similar data/ontology platforms.

• Understanding of version control workflows and code review practices.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages
• 401k with company match
• Medical, dental, vision plans
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary RangeThe estimated starting salary range for this role is $80,000 - $150,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company's discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role.
EEO StatementThe Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.
Export Control
Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants.
Recruiting Fraud Alert
Your safety is our priority. We want to ensure your job search stays secure. Please note that the team at The Nuclear Company only communicates through official @thenuclearcompany.com email addresses. We will never ask for payments or sensitive financial information at any stage of our recruitment process. For your peace of mind, please verify all openings and submit your applications directly through our official careers page.