Machine Learning Engineer (Active Secret Clearance)

Build, Deploy, and Maintain AI for an Unpredictable World

Striveworks helps organizations harness the power of artificial intelligence to solve real-world national security and business challenges by serving as the command center between data, models, and business outcomes. Founded by data scientists and engineers, Striveworks set out to make the journey from deployment to ongoing optimization simple and effective.

With Striveworks, organizations aren’t just deploying AI—they’re building systems that remain reliable, adaptable, and ready to scale in an unpredictable world. Mission-critical operations require models that perform where they’re deployed, scale as workloads grow, and adapt rapidly as AI capabilities advance. Striveworks meets these demands—increasing reliability and performance while lowering costs and enabling confident, data-driven decision-making in dynamic environments.

The Role

As a Machine Learning Engineer at Striveworks, you’ll be challenged—and trusted—on day one to be a core contributor to both the customer-driven projects and the enduring products of the company. You will represent Striveworks as a technology builder on projects and solutions that leverage Chariot, our proprietary AI operations (AIOps) platform, and you will inform and contribute to future capabilities of that platform. You will inform, envision, and help extend Striveworks’ core software products. You will work alongside data scientists, software engineers, and DevOps engineers to transform machine learning models into operational capabilities.

You’re right for this opportunity if you value and possess technical expertise and enjoy pushing the boundaries of your own capabilities. You’re outcome-driven and are passionate about applying both software engineering and data science to solve real-world problems. You know that building customer-centric solutions, communicating clearly, and capturing repeatable value into productized capabilities are all important. 

Your day-to-day will include:

• Developing machine learning models and custom analytics that are applied to image, video, text, geospatial, time series, and structured data
• Orchestrating and automating complex data engineering and analytic pipelines
• Envisioning, specifying, and, at times, designing and implementing core product functionality
• Conducting mission-critical fieldwork in support of customers and other stakeholders

This position offers a hybrid/on-site work environment at our office in northwest Austin, TX. You will be expected to travel up to 30% of the time.

The Right Fit

In addition to the specific skills and expertise detailed below, we are looking for individuals who share our values. Sharing a set of values allows us to move at the speed of trust. 

We value a high-trust work environment where people respect each other and use candor kindly and constructively. We value work that intersects passion and perseverance, we geek out about the potential of our contributions, and we find joy in working hard on things that matter. Finally, we value taking ownership, having agency, and feeling individual responsibility for collective results.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• BS degree in computer science, machine learning, or a related discipline and 2+ years of relevant experience
• Experience contributing to data-centric systems (e.g., data engineering, data cleaning, ETL pipelines, machine learning, and other production analytics)
• Proficiency in software engineering fundamentals to include algorithms, data structures, design patterns, and at least one systems programming language (e.g., Go, Rust, C++, Java, Scala, etc.)
• Proficiency in Python and exposure to libraries like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and/or scikit-learn
• Proficiency with modern software engineering tools and processes (Agile, version control, issue tracking, CI/CD, debugging, etc.)
• Exposure to modern software engineering tools and processes (Agile, version control, issue tracking, CI/CD, debugging, etc.)
• Active Secret (or above) US security clearance
• Due to the nature of this role, candidates must have US citizenship

The Wish List

We’re very interested in candidates who possess the above qualifications, and we appreciate and consider the addition of:

• Advanced degree in data science, machine learning, computer science, or a related discipline
• Excellence in Python and deep knowledge of libraries like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and/or scikit-learn
• Knowledge of relevant architectures and design patterns for client-server systems (e.g., asynchronous programming, REST, GraphQL, React, Vue, Angular)
• Experience implementing and deploying software into containerized or cloud environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, infrastructure as code, major cloud architectures)
• Experience with machine learning applied to imagery and/or video data
• Experience building agentic systems, agentic workflows, or AI agents
• Experience defining, scoping, planning, and delivering complex technical solutions
• Experience delivering technology solutions in secure government environments

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $140,000–$165,000/year. Striveworks’ total compensation package includes a competitive base salary, equity grants, and cash bonuses.

The Benefits

• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• Voluntary life, long-term disability, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance
• HSA and FSA (including dependent care FSA) plans 
• 401(k) plan
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid parental leave

Check us out on Built In!

Striveworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity or expression), national origin, social or ethnic origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. Striveworks will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind.

If you require assistance or a reasonable accommodation in the application process, please contact Operations at [email protected].

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Striveworks is a participating employer in the E-Verify program.