Senior Applied AI Engineer
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Torrance, CA
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Contract
- Experience
- 2+ years
- Category
- Ai engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- 7+ years of software development experience with proficiency Python and one static language (e.g. C, C++, C#, Java)
- 2+ years of Applied AI experience owning an AI agent, LLM-powered workflow, or automation end-to-end from prototype through production
- Understanding of prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and model evaluation
- Hands-on experience with RAG architecture, vector databases, and embedding models
- Strong experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders to gather requirements and develop tools that effectively address their needs
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science (preferred) or another STEM field or equivalent work experience
Nice to have
- 10+ years of software development experience
- Experience deploying self-hosted AI platforms on cloud infrastructure (Azure/AWS/GCP)
- Experience leveraging Model Context Protocol (MCP) to integrate enterprise data sources with AI tools and applications
- Knowledge of automated containerized deployment
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high growth environment with rapidly evolving business needs
- Experience building and leading small teams
Full description
Why Castelion, Why Now
Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability.
This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where you'll have significant ownership, collaborate with exceptional teammates, and make a direct, measurable impact on our mission and the future of the company - regardless of your function.
Senior Applied AI Engineer
Castelion is seeking a Senior Applied AI Engineer to design, build, and integrate AI tools and workflows that address business needs across the organization, including engineering, supply chain, and flight test. You will bridge business needs and technical execution-defining requirements, designing solutions, and delivering production-ready AI systems that solve real problems.
This role will work cross-functionally across the company and report directly to the Head of Flight Software.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with teams across the company to define Castelion’s AI tooling and integration roadmap
- Architect and implement scalable, production-ready AI integrations for a wide range of use cases across the organization
- Integrate AI tools with existing enterprise systems and data sources
- Partner with IT, programs and cybersecurity teams to ensure compliance with customer and internal security policies
- Establish and maintain organization-wide AI development standards, including model selection criteria, prompt engineering best practices, and governance frameworks
- Assess emerging AI technologies to drive strategic internal adoption
Basic Qualifications
- 7+ years of software development experience with proficiency Python and one static language (e.g. C, C++, C#, Java)
- 2+ years of Applied AI experience owning an AI agent, LLM-powered workflow, or automation end-to-end from prototype through production
- Understanding of prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and model evaluation
- Hands-on experience with RAG architecture, vector databases, and embedding models
- Strong experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders to gather requirements and develop tools that effectively address their needs
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science (preferred) or another STEM field or equivalent work experience
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 10+ years of software development experience