Software Engineer (SWE), Level 3

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 highly-motivated and creative Software Engineer with an AI focus to help shape and modernize the Standards, Operational Assurance, and Readiness organization's workflow by applying cutting-edge AI technologies to real operational challenges.

In this role, you'll work hand-in-hand with organizational leadership to collaboratively identify requirements, conceptualize creative solutions, and turn cumbersome, time-consuming tasks into streamlined, AI-assisted workflows. You'll apply systems engineering fundamentals from initial design through development and delivery, building AI agents, Skills, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations that expedite the development, qualification, and certification of cyber professionals.

Here's what you'll do:

• Engage with organizational leadership, training staff, and stakeholders to identify process bottlenecks and define requirements for AI-driven improvements
• Conceptualize, design, and develop innovative AI solutions that streamline and expedite readiness and certification workflows
• Integrate and configure AI harnesses, including developing custom Skills and MCP servers, to connect AI workflows with organizational data and tools
• Apply systems engineering fundamentals across the full lifecycle, from initial design and prototyping through development, testing, and delivery
• Utilize AI software engineering practices to rapidly build, iterate on, and maintain automation tools using Python, Bash, and C++
• Leverage AI to assist in the development, review, and maintenance of qualification documentation
• Create technical documentation, user guides, and training materials to support adoption of new AI tools by the training team
• Provide systems engineering expertise and technical documentation support to the training team and stakeholders

The ideal candidate combines a strong software engineering foundation with an understanding of cyber operational and training environments, including familiarity with formalized training pipelines and certifications. If you're excited about putting AI to work on a mission that directly impacts operational readiness, this is the role for you.

📋 Requirements

• 12 years of experience, with a B.S. in a technical discipline (or 4 additional years of experience in place of a B.S.)
• Knowledge of CNE/CNO operations and cyber mission tradecraft
• Experience with operating systems and networking concepts (security, design, and troubleshooting)
• Proficiency in scripting/programming languages (Bash, Python, C++)
• Experience applying AI/ML technologies to improve workload efficiency and automate routine tasks
• Familiarity with AI harnesses and agentic workflows, including implementing Skills and MCP servers
• Experience applying systems engineering fundamentals from initial design through development and delivery
• Experience with documentation generation and organization

🌟 Preferred Skills

• Experience or familiarity with formalized cyber training pipelines and certifications
• Experience developing or reviewing Job Qualification Standards (JQS), high stakes course products, or foundational training and certification documents
• Previous Interactive Operator or Exploitation Analyst experience
• Experience building and deploying custom MCP servers or AI agents in a production or enterprise environment
• Experience with Large Language Model (LLM) prompt engineering, evaluation, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
• Experience working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to gather and refine requirements
• Familiarity with web development frameworks (e.g., React, TypeScript) for building user-facing tools

🏝️ 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.