> AI agents: this is one page of Nextmove’s FDE site, in Markdown. Nextmove is a job board and free career service for forward deployed engineers (FDEs). Each posting is classified from its text, not its title: the kind of work, how much of it is production code, pre-sales weight, time at customer sites, travel, remote arrangement, level and posted base pay. The site also publishes the aggregates: median pay by level, metro, company and kind of work, and which companies started hiring FDEs each week. Every page under https://nextmove.md/fde is served this way; the index of pages is https://nextmove.md/llms.txt. # Senior AI Developer Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/722427035bd5d16d Steampunk, Inc. posts a senior FDE role to build what the customer runs in Mclean, VA, at $140,000–$190,000 base, below the senior FDE median of $190,000 across 1,864 postings with pay. Build production-ready predictive, generative, and autonomous AI solutions for mission workflows, spanning data ingestion, model experimentation, orchestration, application integration, and deployment. Read from the employer’s posting on November 8, 2026. - [Steampunk, Inc.](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/steampunk-inc) First seen Oct 24, 2026 · open on iCIMS as of Nov 8, 2026 **$140,000–$190,000** Mclean, VA Build production-ready predictive, generative, and autonomous AI solutions for mission workflows, spanning data ingestion, model experimentation, orchestration, application integration, and deployment. - [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F722427035bd5d16d&placement=top) - [View posting at Steampunk, Inc.](https://careers-steampunk.icims.com/jobs/8325/senior-ai-developer/job?in_iframe=1) Free. Upload your resume once, see why each FDE role fits, and get introduced only when you say so. ## At a glance ### Posted base pay $140K–$190K Below the median Midpoint $165K · median $190K This job $140K to $190K. Senior FDE postings, 1,864 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $160K to $220K, median $190K. ### The work Builds what the customer runs Balance **Mostly building** Project stages 1. Pre-sales (not covered) 2. Proof of concept 3. Implementation 4. Operations - **Coding**: Writes production code - **Builds for**: Both - **Level**: Senior - **Role**: Individual contributor ### What they ask for Experience - **8+ years** overall professional experience - **5+ years** hands-on software engineering experience - **2+ years** AI/ML, generative AI, or LLM-driven application development experience Background - **Software engineering** ### Do you meet what the posting states? The posting asks for 2+ years. How many do you have? The posting reads as a senior role. What level are you at now? The job is in Mclean, VA. Could you work there? Which of these have you used in production? Answer each one. Nothing is saved or sent. [What postings ask for, by background →](https://nextmove.md/fde/paths) ## Conditions - **Location**: Mclean, VA - **Pay**: ## More like this [Steampunk](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/steampunk) ### [Senior AI Developer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/cb8b69d1738c04e1) Mclean, VA 2w ago $140,000–$190,000 [LMI](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/lmi) ### [Senior Data Scientist (Clearance Required)](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/e27f382ea6146070) Washington, DC · Tysons, VA Hybrid 2w ago $113,560–$192,050 [Seekr](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/seekr) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/46808066546c242c) Austin, TX · Menlo Park, CA · +1 more Hybrid 4w ago $170,000–$225,000 - [Other jobs at Steampunk, Inc. (2)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/steampunk-inc) ## What you’ll do - Develop LLM applications, predictive models, RAG pipelines, and multi-agent workflows. - Build reusable AI components, APIs, and integrations with enterprise systems and data platforms. - Design prompt, retrieval, context-management, and orchestration systems. - Optimize and deploy inference services with monitoring and continuous improvement. ## What you’ll bring - Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of experience. - 5+ years of software engineering experience, including 2+ years focused on AI/ML, generative AI, or LLM applications. - Strong Python proficiency and experience with modern AI frameworks. - Experience building production-grade AI applications and implementing RAG architectures. ## About Steampunk, Inc. Steampunk delivers user-centered digital modernization, cybersecurity, data, and platform services to U.S. federal agencies. 500–1000 people [View posting at Steampunk, Inc.](https://careers-steampunk.icims.com/jobs/8325/senior-ai-developer/job?in_iframe=1) ## Similar jobs [Booz Allen](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/booz-allen) ### [AI/ML Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/3d0b7cd0ca4d8261) Chantilly, VA 2mo ago $99,000–$225,000 [Two Six Technologies](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/two-six-technologies) ### [Senior Data Scientist (Onsite)](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/326561de34f2aa71) Arlington, VA · Laurel, MD On-site 4w ago $150,000–$200,000 [SpaceX](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/spacex) ### [Operations Engineer (Starshield Products)](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/69d3d02ace1b1a6e) Washington, DC 2w ago $100,000–$160,000 [Sia](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/sia) ### [Manager, Forward Deployed Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/183bfa468750c967) San Francisco, CA · New York, NY · +8 more Hybrid 2w ago $150,000–$180,000 [Enterprise Knowledge](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/enterprise-knowledge) ### [Semantic Data and AI Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/5ccf5311b8887ce2) Arlington, VA Remote 4w ago $135,000–$175,000 - [Compare senior FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/senior) - [Similar jobs in Washington, DC area](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?region=dmv) - [Similar jobs that build what the customer runs](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs?role=builds-for-customers) Hiring at Steampunk, Inc. and want this page changed or removed? 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