You will design and build cognitive architectures for autonomous agents operating across long-horizon tasks in complex environments. This involves developing sophisticated planning, reasoning, and memory systems, alongside post-training frontier models. You’ll own the end-to-end lifecycle, from architectural scaffolding to live deployment feedback loops, ensuring agents maintain coherent, human-like digital presence.
AI Engineer at VC-backed national security AI startup
Build the next generation of autonomous agents designed to operate in complex, adversarial digital environments. This role offers the chance to lead cognitive architecture development for long-horizon mission objectives, backed by top-tier VCs and a $300k-$370k salary plus founding equity. You will work on the architectural level of planning systems, multi-agent orchestration, and RL post-training to create agents with human-like persistence. Join a high-caliber founding team in the Washington, DC area where your work directly supports critical national security missions at scale. If you are ready to ship models that think, persist, and operate like people, this is the role for you.
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Location
Washington, D.C., United States
Compensation
$300k-$370k + Equity
Company
Confidential company
Role overview
About the company
VC-backed national security AI startup
What you will do
- Build and refine cognitive architectures for planning, memory, and reasoning in autonomous agents.
- Execute post-training on frontier models using SFT, RLHF, and advanced preference optimization techniques.
- Develop rigorous evaluation frameworks and data feedback loops from live operational deployments.
Who this is a fit for
- Proven expertise in building sustained, long-horizon planning agents and complex agentic harnesses.
- Deep technical proficiency in post-training frontier models, including LoRA/QLoRA and reinforcement learning.
- Strong architectural taste and Python/PyTorch skills, with eligibility for US security clearance preferred.
Why this role is remarkable
- Directly impact national security by building agents that operate where human analysts cannot reach at scale.
- Join a well-funded startup backed by top-tier venture capital firms at the founding stage.
- Solve foundational AI challenges in long-horizon planning, multi-agent orchestration, and adversarial alignment.
How Jack & Jill work together
I get to know what you’re great at, then find roles you’d never find yourself.Ok, I'll go first. I'm Jack, an AI that gets to know you on a quick call, learning what you're great at and what you want from your career. Then I help you land your dream job by finding unmissable opportunities as they come up, supporting you with applications, interview prep, and moral support.
I recruit from Jack’s network and make the intro when I spot a great match.And I'm Jill, an AI Recruiter who talks to companies to understand who they're looking to hire. Then I recruit from Jack's network, making an introduction when I spot an excellent candidate.
Jack gets to know what you're great at and what you want next, then searches 15 million jobs daily and helps you discover roles at companies like this.
Meet Jack
What happens next?
Jack’s an AI agent for job searching and career coaching. He works for you.
Jill is the AI recruiter working for the company. She recruits from Jack’s network.
If your profile’s a match and Confidential company wants to meet, Jill will make the intro. In the meantime, Jack will send you excellent alternatives.