AI/ML SME

Company: Vantor
Location: Reston
Posted on: April 3, 2026

Job Description:

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world. To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status. Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). Please review the job details below. This position requires an active U.S. Government Security Clearance at the TS/SCI level with CI polygraph Vantor is looking to add an AI/ML SME to our team to support a customer who has a fast-paced and exciting mission within the Intelligence Community. This position will support specialized communications programs and their associated infrastructure. The AI/ML SME will work independently and as part of a cross-functional team comprised of technical experts supporting an established and growing Intelligence Community (IC) mission. You will need to quickly understand complex technical concepts, make assessments, and articulate your recommendations to the customer. Previous experience working on-site to support the Department of Defense (DoD) and the IC is highly desirable. Responsibilities: This is an on-site position, reporting daily to work in Reston, VA. The AI/ML SME will be asked to provide technical expertise to support a variety of tasks to include, but not limited to: Work closely and support electrical/electronic engineers in developing new capabilities for programming and integrating customized models and algorithms for specific use cases. Design AI algorithms and models for edge processing in devices, products, software, and components for specific applications. Provide guidance and advise on Large and Small Language Modeling. Produce and provide supporting documentation, including user manuals and all design files related to newly developed projects. Interface with sponsors/customers and support the PM in translating high-level needs into actionable tasks. Evaluate feasibility and advise on realistic applications of AI/ML solutions. C ontribute as both an individual technical resource and a team coordinator. Help align technical execution with operational requirements and customer expectations. Minimum Qualifications: Must have active TS/SCI security clearance and be willing and able to obtain CI Polygraph. Bachelor’s degree in software engineering, electrical engineering, statistics, or other relevant technical area. 8 years of professional experience developing AI/ML technology. Preferred Qualifications: Advanced degree in technical field of study. (Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or similar) Experience working on-site with customers, preferably within DoD / IC environments. SME level knowledge and experience with AI/ML and applied data science. Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences. Experience configuring and building applications in Linux with familiarity in the design and implementation of embedded systems. Familiarity with troubleshooting low-level Linux issues including compatibility between specific Linux kernels and hardware drivers. Expertise in programming languages such as Python, R, Java, Scala, TypeScript, and C++. Being well-versed in languages such as Python and R is key. Deep understanding of AI/ML concepts, model development, and real-world application. Ability to assess and advise realistic application of AI/ML algorithms to nascent problems/applications. Experience with: Large Language Models (LLMs), multimodal models, vision-language models, embedding models (e.g., CLIP), agent-based systems, and modern AI frameworks. Systems-engineering mindset, and ability to devise solutions to unstructured problems at different levels of maturity: e.g. with shim/wrapper code, modifications to source code, pre-/post-processing of tasks. Familiarity with open-source repositories for exploring the latest AI-enabled software, models, and data including GitHub/GitLab, HuggingFace, Kaggle, etc. Pay Transparency: In support of pay transparency at Vantor, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings. The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job-related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range. ? The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is: $161,000.00 - $269,000.00 annually. For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range. Benefits: Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting. To apply, submit your application via Vantor's Career page. EEO Policy: Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Keywords: Vantor, Bethesda , AI/ML SME, Engineering , Reston, Maryland