Software Engineer (SWE), Level 3

Fort Meade, MD

Senior Software Engineer — CNO Development

An active TS//SCI clearance with polygraph is required for this role

👋🏼 Hey!

Bitwise is a leading provider of mission-focused intelligence solutions that advance national security for the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. We're a small and growing company, so you can expect to hop in on the ground floor with us and be a consequential member of the team. You'll be more than a contract performer for us — you'll also be asked for ideas to improve our company and improve your career, and you'll contribute to our team culture. We value growth and community above almost all else, so we gather regularly for game nights, happy hours, tech talks, and plenty more. We think you'll like it here!

Remember, Bitwise is not a cult. 🖖🏼

🎯 What We Look For

Bitwise hires talented engineers who are driven by purpose and who value a culture of technical excellence, growth, and overall wellness. We deliver new and innovative intelligence solutions to our customers at the very forefront of our country's national security missions. And we do it every single day. Our work matters, and so will you.

We ask that every new hire be able to:

Contribute meaningful thought leadership — if not right away, over time
Interact with our customers and earn their confidence in your abilities
Be detailed, even if that means taking a little more time to get it right
Contribute their ideas and ideals to improve all aspects of our company
Allow us to invest in their education so we both grow together
Know and live our core values every single day

💡 About this Role

We're looking for a focused, senior-level Software Engineer to support CNO development across multiple development groups. In this role, you'll design, develop, and integrate tools that directly support mission-critical development activities — and your deep understanding of the customer's mission, dataflow, and tooling will be essential from day one.

This isn't a back-row role. You'll be expected to provide guidance and vision, working side-by-side with mission stakeholders and fellow software engineers to specify, develop, integrate, and test new workflows enhanced by AI/ML technologies. From initial problem decomposition all the way through deployment and maintenance, you'll own the full lifecycle of complex software projects in the CNO domain.

You'll collaborate closely with stakeholders to understand real-world reverse engineering challenges and translate those challenges into actionable solutions. You'll identify issues, recommend fixes, and help drive the team forward — even when obstacles (and there will be obstacles) make that easier said than done. If you're the kind of engineer who leads from the front and thrives on solving hard problems that genuinely matter, this role is for you.

This position is located in Jessup, MD.

📋 Requirements

12 years of experience in software engineering, or 16 years in lieu of a B.S. in a technical discipline
Production-grade software development experience in Python
Experience within the CNO developer domain, building tools for operational use
Experience developing AI systems and customizing AI models
Practical experience with platforms for processing Agency data sets
Experience with software source control (git) and the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence)
Demonstrated experience interacting with stakeholders to elicit and refine requirements
An active TS//SCI clearance with polygraph

🌟 Preferred Skills

Experience serving as a technical lead for a development team
Practical experience in one or more AI domains — such as intelligent systems, autonomy, planning, LLMs, or LLM training
Knowledge of end-to-end SIGINT collection and analysis systems
Experience with production CNO capabilities and operations
Familiarity with cloud computing technologies, including AWS, Docker, and Kubernetes
Experience with web application and UI development

🏝️ Benefits at Bitwise

Top salaries because we're top performers
Pick your PTO — Everyone values time and money differently, so we give you the flexibility to choose between 3 and 5 weeks of PTO with a corresponding adjustment to your pay. Your choice, your balance.
All 11 federal holidays, paid!
Up to 2 snow days, paid!
We'll quadruple (4x!) the first 6% you contribute to your 401(k), giving you up to a 24% company match. Contributing less than 6%? Unclaimed matches come right back to you as extra income, giving you a guaranteed 24% that goes to your retirement, to your paycheck, or both. C'mon now! 🚀
100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurances. That's a lot. Already covered on health insurance? No problem — we'll trade you this benefit for a boost to your salary instead.
$5,250 annual education assistance for training, certifications, tuition, and even student loan repayments.
Spot bonuses for obtained certifications, customer recognition, and just about anything else that makes us go "Hot damn!". We hope to say that many times about you. 🔥

💰 Salary Range

$282,000 – $332,000

This range includes our flex income and depends upon your annual work hours.

Salary is determined on an individual basis following the interview process and considering various factors such as years of experience, skills, education, and certifications.

🛎️ What to Expect After Applying

You'll get an email from us right away to acknowledge your application. After that, we'll:

Send over additional company materials for you to review
Schedule a video call to talk about you, our company, and your place in it
Craft a delightful offer package for you and record a video walkthrough
Work closely with you through onboarding. We'll keep it joyful and easy.

ℹ️ Disclaimers

Bitwise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

Compensation for this position, including all compensation options, will be determined on an individual basis following the interview process.

If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please reach out to us.