Among computer and information research scientists, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks. Measured exposure for computer and information research scientists: 34% (high).

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

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About the job

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Expand your horizons, advance your career, and contribute to a secure future for generations to come. Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector invites you to bring your pioneering spirit to our collaborative teams. As an AI / Automation Engineer – Level 3 or 4 in Chandler, AZ, you’ll be a key contributor to missions of national importance, helping define what’s possible from day one. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

We are seeking a highly motivated AI / Automation Engineer to join our dynamic team. In this role, You will design, develop, deploy, and support AI-enabled automation solutions that integrate existing LLM and agentic capabilities into engineering and infrastructure workflows. The role emphasizes bringing AI-enabled tools into operational use in on-premise and classified environments.

This role sits at the intersection of AI, automation, CI/CD, and infrastructure , giving you the opportunity to:

Build and integrate AI-enabled automation capabilities into engineering workflows

Deploy and support LLM-enabled, agentic, and RAG-based solutions

Enable reliable delivery through containerization, CI/CD, and infrastructure support

Join us and be part of a team driving innovative solutions at the forefront of space systems and advanced software.

Your Role and Impact

In this role, you will:

Design, develop, document, test, and debug AI-enabled automation capabilities that integrate existing LLM services, APIs, and engineering tools into operational workflows.

Build, deploy, and support agent orchestration frameworks and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions , including integrations with vector databases and enterprise data sources.

Support containerized, on-premise and classified environments at scale, with cloud-based deployment exposure also valued.

Troubleshoot deployed AI and automation solutions , resolve integration and performance issues, and improve observability, availability, and maintainability over time.

Develop, deploy, and maintain containerized applications using Docker or comparable container technologies, with attention to load balancing, virtual-machine resource utilization, and system performance.

Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines , version-control practices, and automated deployment workflows that enable reliable delivery of AI-enabled tools and services .

Partner with software, DevOps, infrastructure, and mission stakeholders to identify automation opportunities and transition solutions into production use.

Provide infrastructure support by resolving container, system-performance, resource-utilization, and availability issues that affect deployed solutions.

Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders, both in writing and verbally.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

If this job description reads like it was written specifically for you, we’d like to talk with you.

This position can be filled at a level 3 or level 4.

Basic Qualifications for Level 3:

Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 3 years of professional experience – OR – PhD with 1 year of professional experience.

Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance.

Hands-on experience integrating and deploying LLM-enabled applications, including model hosting, agentic workflows, RAG, and inference considerations. Experience with advanced fine-tuning and inference optimization is preferred and may be developed in the role

Experience integrating APIs, LLM services, and agent orchestration frameworks into applications or operational workflows. Experience with LangChain, Mastra, or comparable toolchains is welcome

Experience with Docker or comparable container technologies is required. Experience with orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes or OpenShift is beneficial

Experience developing, hosting, or supporting AI/ML applications in on-premise containerized environments ; cloud-based deployment experience is also valued

Working knowledge of CI/CD , version control, automated deployment practices, and infrastructure fundamentals. Experience with tools such as GitLab, Jenkins, or similar platforms is preferred

Hands-on experience working in Linux environments, including scripting and system configuration.

Proficiency in Python or Go (Golang) with a strong background in software development, debugging, and testing.

Experience with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines and vector databases .

Strong working understanding of LLM deployment considerations , including hosting, inference, and operational reliability.

Basic Qualifications for Level 4:

Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 6 years of professional experience – OR – PhD with 4 years of professional experience.