Senior AI Software Developer

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior AI Software Developer to support the development and modernization of real-time, mission-critical software systems in Gaithersburg, MD. The Senior AI Software Developer will design and develop microservices-based applications while providing technical leadership across Agile development teams and leveraging AI-assisted development tools to improve software delivery, testing, and reliability. This position is hybrid in Gaithersburg, MD with three days onsite per week and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance! Responsibilities of the Senior AI Software Developer: Design, develop, and maintain scalable microservices-based applications supporting real-time, mission-critical systemsLead Agile sprint planning to establish team priorities, deliverables, and technical objectivesProvide technical leadership and mentorship to software developers while promoting engineering best practices and continuous improvementDevelop clean, maintainable, testable, and high-performance software using Java, Python, C++, or similar programming languagesLeverage AI-assisted development tools to accelerate coding, debugging, refactoring, documentation, and automated test creationSupport development and integration of AI-enabled, data-driven, and intelligent software capabilitiesCollaborate with systems engineering, product owners, architects, DevSecOps engineers, and other technical teams to translate requirements into production softwareParticipate in system architecture, application design, and technical decision-makingDesign and integrate REST APIs, databases, messaging systems, and external servicesDevelop software for distributed and event-driven application environmentsImplement automated testing strategies including unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end testingIntegrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines to improve software quality and deployment reliabilitySupport application troubleshooting, debugging, performance tuning, and root cause analysisWork closely with QA, DevSecOps, and platform engineering teams to ensure reliable software deliveryParticipate in Agile/SAFe ceremonies including sprint planning, daily standups, reviews, and retrospectivesSupport containerized and cloud-based application environments using technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS Qualifications for the Senior AI Software Developer: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience; Master's degree with 6+ years of relevant experience; equivalent professional experience may be consideredHands-on experience designing, developing, and supporting microservices-based applicationsStrong programming experience with Java, Python, C++, or a similar modern programming language within Linux environmentsExperience or exposure to AI/ML-enabled systems, AI-assisted software development, automation, or intelligent platformsExperience with AI development tools such as Claude Code or similar AI coding assistantsStrong understanding of APIs, distributed systems, and modern software architecture conceptsExperience developing software within Agile environmentsExperience collaborating across software development, systems engineering, QA, DevSecOps, and product teamsExperience developing automated unit, integration, or end-to-end testsStrong troubleshooting, debugging, and software performance optimization skillsAbility to provide technical leadership and mentorship within a software development teamAbility to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance Preferred Qualifications: Experience with Git-based source control and CI/CD pipelinesExperience working within Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) environmentsExperience with relational and/or NoSQL databasesHands-on experience with Kafka or other event-streaming and messaging technologiesExperience with AWS cloud environments; Azure or GCP experience also applicableExperience with Docker, Kubernetes, and containerized application environmentsExperience working within DevSecOps software delivery environmentsExperience integrating automated test suites into CI/CD pipelinesExperience developing real-time, highly available, or safety-critical software systems Compensation for the Senior AI Software Developer includes: Salary: $160,000 - $180,000Comprehensive Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, and Paid Holidays Keywords: Senior AI Software Developer, Senior Software Developer, Senior Software Engineer, AI Software Engineer, AI Developer, Software Engineer, Java Developer, Python Developer, C++ Developer, Artificial Intelligence, AI, Machine Learning, ML, AI-Assisted Development, Claude Code, Microservices, Microservices Architecture, Distributed Systems, REST API, API Development, Kafka, Event Streaming, Event Driven Architecture, Linux, AWS, Amazon Web Services, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, DevSecOps, Git, Automated Testing, Test Automation, Agile, SAFe, Scaled Agile Framework, NoSQL, SQL, Cloud Development, Real-Time Systems, Mission Critical Systems, Public Trust, Gaithersburg MD, Maryland, Hybrid Jobs