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Prompt Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

AI Architect

Fairfax, VA · On-site

$62.50 - $82.50/hr

This is not a pure GenAI prompt engineer or research scientist. Program-Level Leader & Communicator * Acts as AI SME for the entire program * Can: * Define AI governance and usage policies * Educate ...

Develop prompt engineering frameworks and AI agents. Fine-tune and customize foundation models based on business requirements. Implement guardrails, governance, and responsible AI practices. Deploy ...

Develop prompt engineering frameworks and AI agents. * Fine-tune and customize foundation models based on business requirements. * Implement guardrails, governance, and responsible AI practices.

... prompt engineering techniques. • Strong understanding of financial data, KPIs, and reporting standards. • Excellent communication and collaboration skills. Thank and Regards Gopi M 202.828.3493 ...

Senior AI Engineer

Reston, VA · Remote

$127K - $168K/yr

Establish prompt frameworks, chaining strategies and reusable AI patterns that scale across teams ... Prompt engineering, prompt chaining, and reusable prompt architectures * Evaluation frameworks for ...

Maintain a strong understanding of emerging GenAI frameworks, prompt engineering methodologies, government compliance requirements, and integration methods with enterprise systems. * Participate in ...

Senior AI Engineer

Reston, VA · Remote

$127K - $168K/yr

Establish prompt frameworks, chaining strategies and reusable AI patterns that scale across teams ... Prompt engineering, prompt chaining, and reusable prompt architectures * Evaluation frameworks for ...

Showing results 21-40

Prompt Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$10

$46

$87

How much do prompt engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 24, 2026, the average hourly pay for prompt engineer in Virginia is $46.68, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $35.53 and $60.29 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Prompt Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Prompt Engineer, you need a strong grasp of natural language processing (NLP), machine learning concepts, and experience crafting effective prompts for large language models, usually supported by a technical degree or relevant experience. Familiarity with tools such as OpenAI's API, Hugging Face, or other AI platforms, as well as knowledge of programming languages like Python, is highly valuable. Creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and cross-functional communication skills help differentiate top candidates in this field. These abilities are crucial for optimizing AI outcomes and ensuring collaboration with both technical and non-technical teams.

What does a typical day look like for a Prompt Engineer?

A typical day for a Prompt Engineer involves designing, testing, and refining prompts to enhance the performance of AI language models, often collaborating closely with data scientists, software engineers, and product managers. You might analyze the results of model outputs, integrate user or stakeholder feedback, and iterate on prompt strategies to solve diverse business challenges. Your role will usually include documentation, troubleshooting, and keeping up with the latest advances in AI technologies. Expect a mix of independent work and regular team meetings in a dynamic, fast-evolving environment focused on innovation and improvement.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior software engineers, especially those working in high-demand fields like AI, machine learning, or at major tech companies, can earn $500,000 or more annually through base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Achieving this level typically requires extensive experience, specialized skills, and often leadership roles or equity compensation.

What is a Prompt Engineer job?

A Prompt Engineer is a professional who designs, refines, and optimizes prompts to improve interactions with AI models, such as ChatGPT. Their role involves understanding model behavior, crafting precise queries, and experimenting with phrasing to achieve desired outputs. They may work in AI research, software development, or content generation to maximize AI efficiency. Strong skills in language, logic, and sometimes coding are essential for success in this role.

Is prompt engineer still a thing?

Prompt engineering is an emerging role focused on designing effective prompts for AI language models. It is increasingly in demand as organizations seek to optimize AI interactions, often requiring skills in natural language processing and familiarity with tools like GPT. The role continues to grow alongside advancements in AI technology.

What exactly is prompt engineer work?

A prompt engineer designs and optimizes prompts used to interact with AI language models, ensuring accurate and relevant outputs. The role requires understanding of AI systems, natural language processing, and often involves testing and refining prompts to improve model performance. Skills in programming, data analysis, and familiarity with AI tools are commonly needed.

Is prompt engineer salary?

Prompt engineers typically earn salaries comparable to other AI and machine learning specialists, with average annual pay ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 depending on experience, location, and industry. Skills in natural language processing, prompt design, and familiarity with AI tools like GPT are highly valued and can influence compensation.
What are the most commonly searched types of Prompt Engineer jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Prompt Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What job categories do people searching Prompt Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Prompt Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Prompt Engineer jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Prompt Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Prompt Engineer job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $97,100 per year, or $46.7 per hour.

AI Architect

campus4tech

Fairfax, VA • On-site

$62.50 - $82.50/hr

Contractor

Posted 11 days ago


Job description

Requirements (Please Read)
  • Local and comfortable with the on-site requirements.
  • Candidates must have experience in government/sector and candidates who have current or recent Public Trust are ideal.
  • Candidates must work W-2 only
  • Candidate must obtain and maintain Public Trust Suitability Clearance from DHS.

Please read the Job Description Carefully
Local Candidates are required
Job Title: AI Architect
Contract Duration: 6 Month Contract to Hire
Location: Fairfax, VA (4-5 days' on-site, 3 days' on-site at minimum)
Client wants a hands-on AI architect who can set AI strategy, design secure cloud-based AI systems, lead teams, and navigate federal compliance-someone who can operate at both technical depth and program leadership level.
Senior Architecture and Hands-On AI Leader
  • Experience specifically in AI/ML architecture and engineering
  • Has designed end-to-end AI solutions, not just models
  • Can define AI strategy, reference architectures, and roadmaps, then guide teams to implement them
  • Still hands-on enough to prototype in Python, evaluate models, and guide engineering decisions
    Federal / Government-Focused Technologist
  • Direct experience delivering AI or advanced analytics solutions to U.S. federal agencies
  • Comfortable operating under FISMA, NIST RMF, FIPS, GovCloud security constraints
  • Understands policy, compliance, and ethical AI considerations in government environments
  • Ideally has worked on large ($50M+) federal programs
    Cloud-Centric AI Architect (AWS First)
  • Strong AWS architecture background, ideally AWS GovCloud
  • Experience with:
    • SageMaker, Glue, Databricks, Elastic, S3, EC2, IAM
    • Hybrid or self-hosted AI platforms
  • Can balance performance, scalability, cost, and security in cloud AI designs
    AI Generalist (Not Niche)
    They want breadth more than deep specialization in one area:
  • Machine Learning & Deep Learning
  • NLP & Generative AI
  • Some exposure to Computer Vision
  • Data engineering fundamentals (Pandas, NumPy, pipelines, APIs)
  • This is not a pure GenAI prompt engineer or research scientist.
    Program-Level Leader & Communicator
  • Acts as AI SME for the entire program
  • Can:
    • Define AI governance and usage policies
    • Educate non-AI engineers and stakeholders
    • Mentor junior AI/ML engineers
  • Strong written and verbal skills for architecture documents, briefings, and leadership reviews
    Security-Aware AI Architect
  • Experience embedding security-by-design into AI solutions
  • Familiar with:
    • DevSecOps pipelines
    • Secure model deployment
    • Data governance and access controls
  • Bonus if familiar with DHS CDM, cyber mission space, or security analytics