> 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. # AI Innovation Engineer Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/729f612f91d391af Steampunk posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in Mclean, VA, at $120,000–$180,000 base, level with the mid-level FDE median of $149,000 across 106 postings with pay. Build and demonstrate practical generative AI solutions for public-sector client missions, spanning education, prototyping, and integration with cloud platforms and delivery teams. Read from the employer’s posting on November 8, 2026. - [Steampunk](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/steampunk) First seen Oct 24, 2026 · open on iCIMS as of Nov 8, 2026 **$120,000–$180,000** Mclean, VA Build and demonstrate practical generative AI solutions for public-sector client missions, spanning education, prototyping, and integration with cloud platforms and delivery teams. - [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F729f612f91d391af&placement=top) - [View posting at Steampunk](https://careers-steampunk.icims.com/jobs/7771/ai-innovation-engineer/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 $120K–$180K Level with the median Midpoint $150K · median $149K This job $120K to $180K. Mid-level FDE postings, 106 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $123K to $162K, median $149K. ### The work Builds what the customer runs Balance **Mixed** Project stages 1. Pre-sales (not covered) 2. Proof of concept 3. Implementation (not covered) 4. Operations (not covered) - **Coding**: Prototypes and scripts - **Builds for**: External customers - **Level**: Mid - **Role**: Individual contributor ### What they ask for Experience - **3+ years** software engineering, data engineering, or applied AI/ML roles Background - **Software engineering** - **Implementation and data engineering** ### Do you meet what the posting states? The posting asks for 3+ years. How many do you have? The posting reads as a mid-level 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, Inc.](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/steampunk-inc) ### [AI Innovation Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/79e4099b3ce10fc3) Mclean, VA 2w ago $120,000–$180,000 [BCG](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/bcg) ### [BCG Platinion | Senior AI Tech Architect - AI Platforms](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/a4c47c8ee4f67d78) Atlanta, GA · Austin, TX · +16 more 5mo ago $150,000 [Accenture](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/accenture) ### [Enterprise AI Transformation Consultant](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/acce46d73a6442bf) Chicago, IL · Milwaukee, WI · +40 more 12d ago $54,400–$196,000 - [Other jobs at Steampunk (2)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/steampunk) ## What you’ll do - Design and implement AI prototypes and proofs of concept for mission use cases. - Develop client-specific AI education materials and lead enablement sessions. - Integrate prototypes with cloud platforms and use RAG frameworks to deliver demos. - Coordinate with data, platform, architecture, and cybersecurity teams to support adoption. ## What you’ll bring - 3+ years of experience in software engineering, data engineering, or applied AI/ML. - Bachelor’s or Master's degree in computer science, AI, ML, or a related field. - Hands-on experience with GenAI models, RAG frameworks, cloud AI services, and vector databases. - Strong Python skills for data pipelines, API wrappers, and lightweight demo front-ends. ## About Steampunk Federal technology contractor delivering human-centered digital transformation, cloud, cybersecurity, AI, and data services to government clients. [View posting at Steampunk](https://careers-steampunk.icims.com/jobs/7771/ai-innovation-engineer/job?in_iframe=1) ## Similar jobs [Google](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/google) ### [Forward Deployed Engineering Intern, BS/MS, Summer 2027](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/acb6772e64dd876a) Sunnyvale, CA · New York, NY · +1 more 3w ago $98,000–$131,000 [Salesforce](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/salesforce) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) - Public Sector, Nonprofit & Education](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/ae7e224e776727e8) Mclean, VA · Chicago, IL · +8 more Remote 3mo ago $88,970–$316,750 [Amazon (incl AWS)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/amazon-incl-aws) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), AWS Forward Deployed Engineering, US Government](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/ed4fe82663ea1301) Denver, CO · Jessup, MD · +3 more New · 4d ago $143,700–$194,400 [Palantir](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/palantir) ### [Forward Deployed Infrastructure Engineer, Internship - US Government](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/3105e68cce9201aa) Washington, DC On-site 4mo ago $120,000 [Sia](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/sia) ### [Forward Deployed Engineer](https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/202e5a48c009cc01) New York, NY · Charlotte, NC · +7 more Hybrid 2w ago $130,600–$147,000 - [Compare mid FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/mid-level) - [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 and want this page changed or removed? 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