Entry Level Prompt Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

A-TEK is seeking an early-career Federal AI Solutions Engineer to support the design, development, and deployment of mission-focused AI and cloud solutions across AWS and Azure environments. This role is ideal for recent graduates with a strong academic foundation in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, software engineering, and cloud technologies who are eager to apply their skills to real-world federal mission challenges.

The engineer will work alongside senior architects and engineers to develop AI-enabled applications, cloud-native solutions, automation workflows, and rapid prototypes that support A-TEK's DigitalShift innovation initiatives.

This is a hybrid role based in McLean, VA. No visa sponsorship is available for this role. This role requires the ability to obtain and retain a public trust level security clearance.

Key Responsibilities

AI Solution Development

• Assist in the design, development, and deployment of AI-powered applications and prototypes using:
• AWS Bedrock
• Azure OpenAI
• LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel, CrewAI, or similar frameworks
• Develop and test prompt engineering strategies, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows, and AI agent capabilities.
• Support integration of AI solutions with APIs, enterprise systems, and cloud services.

Cloud Engineering

• Build and maintain cloud-based environments in AWS and Azure.
• Assist with infrastructure deployment using Infrastructure-as-Code tools such as Terraform, AWS CDK, or Bicep.
• Support containerized deployments using ECS, EKS, or AKS.
• Participate in CI/CD implementation and cloud automation efforts.

Technical Support & Innovation

• Support senior engineers in troubleshooting cloud, AI, and data integration challenges.
• Assist in developing reusable templates, accelerators, and reference architectures.
• Participate in rapid prototyping efforts that demonstrate mission value for federal customers.

Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing

• Collaborate with Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Intelligence, and Agile Engineering teams.
• Contribute to technical documentation, architecture diagrams, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Stay current with emerging AI, machine learning, and cloud technologies.

Security & Compliance

• Support implementation of solutions that align with:
• NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF)
• FedRAMP requirements
• Zero Trust principles
• Secure coding and responsible AI practices

Required Qualifications

Education (Required)

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with a concentration, specialization, minor, or significant coursework in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a closely related field.

Experience

• 0-2 years of professional software engineering, AI/ML, or cloud development experience.
• Relevant internships, research projects, capstone projects, graduate assistantships, or co-op experience may be substituted for professional experience.
• Demonstrated programming experience in Python through coursework, projects, internships, or employment.

Technical Skills

• Foundational understanding of machine learning, generative AI, and large language models.
• Experience using cloud platforms (AWS or Azure) through coursework, internships, certifications, or projects.
• Familiarity with:
• REST APIs
• Git version control
• Containerization concepts
• Data pipelines and databases
• Understanding of prompt engineering, RAG concepts, or AI agents through academic or personal projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Certifications

One of the following is preferred within the first year of employment:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or AWS Solutions Architect Associate
• Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) or Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic or project experience with:
• LangChain
• LlamaIndex
• Semantic Kernel
• CrewAI
• Exposure to vector databases such as Pinecone, Weaviate, FAISS, or Milvus.
• Experience building AI, machine learning, or cloud-based capstone projects.
• Familiarity with DevOps, MLOps, or CI/CD concepts.
• Interest in federal government missions and emerging AI technologies.

Compensation

Salary Range

$85,000 - $105,000 annually

Salary will be determined based on education, certifications, internship experience, technical proficiency, and security clearance eligibility.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with Employer Match
• Paid Time Off and Federal Holidays
• Professional Development and Certification Reimbursement
• Career Growth and Mentorship Opportunities