---
title: 'AI/Machine Learning Specialist at Black Canyon Consulting'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/ai-machine-learning-specialist-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-9k6w7pfba771'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# AI/Machine Learning Specialist at Black Canyon Consulting

- **Company:** Black Canyon Consulting
- **Location:** Bethesda, MD
- **Posted:** 2025-11-05
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/blackcanyonconsulting/jobs/7518297003

## Job description

## Overview

Black Canyon Consulting (BCC) seeks a AI/Machine Learning Specialist that will lead design and deployment of AI/ML models that advance MC&FP’s mission outcomes while ensuring ethical and compliant use.

We attract the best people in the business with our competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, 401k plan with employer contribution, paid holidays, vacation, and tuition and conference reimbursement. If you enjoy being a part of a high performing, professional service and technology focused organization, please apply today!

Duties & Responsibilities:

- Designs AI/ML prototypes, prompt engineering libraries, and ethical AI frameworks aligned with DoD AI Ethics Principles.
- Implement data pipelines and model governance controls
- Collaborate with DoD CIO on AI ethics and RMF AI risk alignment

Minimum Qualifications:

- 8 + years of experience in AI, ML, or data science solutions
- Bachelor’s in Data Science, CS, or Engineering
- Experience handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) at minimum
- Public Trust eligibility
- must have at least Public Trust or ADP/IT-2 investigations
- Experience with Python, TensorFlow, or PyTorch

Preferred Qualifications:

- CQA, CMQ/OE, or equivalent certification
- Experience supporting DoD quality programs
- Experience handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) at minimum
- Experience supporting DoD quality programs

## Benefits and Salary

We attract the best people in the business with our competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, 401k plan with employer contribution, paid holidays, vacation, and tuition reimbursement.

We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience and location. The targeted range for this position is $135,000 - $205,000.

If you enjoy being a part of a high performing, professional service and technology focused organization, please apply today!

## About Black Canyon Consulting

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Black Canyon Consulting (BCC) is a privately held, woman-owned small business that delivers innovative program and IT management support services to federal research and development programs.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Woman-Owned Small Business, SBA-certified WOSB)
- **Headquarters**: Fairfax, Virginia, United States
- **Founded**: 2017 [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)
- **Founders**: Manish Salhotra (Managing Director, Co-Founder) and Haley Esser (Principal / CEO) [sba.gov](https://dsbs.sba.gov/search/dsp_profile.cfm?SAM_UEI=WB3LFMA4KM45) | [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-canyon-consulting-llc)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Federal IT consulting and program management support for life sciences, bioinformatics, tool development, and environmental sciences.
- **Target customers**: U.S. federal government agencies (e.g., NIH, HHS) and other R&D-focused organizations.
- **Mission/purpose**: “Integrity, Impact, Innovation” – providing agile, adaptive, customer-focused support to advance national missions. [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)

## Products & Services
- **Program Management Support**: Strategic and tactical program oversight, administrative management, and consulting for federal R&D initiatives.
- **IT Management Support**: Custom computer programming, systems design, cloud engineering, DevOps, data engineering, AI/ML, and cybersecurity services.
- **Proprietary Technologies**: BCC leverages its own IT system tools, workflows, and a distributed network of consulting resources to deliver turn-key enterprise solutions. [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)
- **GSA Schedule Holder**: Contract #47QTCA18D00JA, providing a streamlined procurement vehicle for federal clients. [gsaelibrary.gsa.gov](https://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/ElibMain/home.do/contractorInfo.do?contractNumber=47QTCA18D00JA&contractorName=BLACK+CANYON+CONSULTING+LLC&executeQuery=YES)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly available (private company).
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue not disclosed; total funding not applicable (bootstrapped / organic growth).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: No external investors; key certifications include WOSB, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 20000-1:2018, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, FISMA compliance, and SOC readiness. [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)
- **Growth Signals**: LinkedIn reports 42 employees (+75% year-over-year growth), 65 active job postings on Greenhouse, and a +50% increase in job postings monthly/quarterly. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-canyon-consulting-llc) | [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/blackcanyonconsulting)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)**: Provides set-aside contracting advantages in the federal market.
- **Deep Federal R&D Focus**: Over 125 years of combined experience in supporting NIH and other research programs.
- **Compliance & Security**: Holds multiple ISO certifications and FISMA, NIST, and PCI-DSS compliance, enabling work on sensitive government systems.
- **Agile Delivery**: Proprietary workflows and IT tools allow rapid, high-value execution for complex program needs. [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Expanding support for NIH bioinformatics, data platforms (e.g., DailyMed, RxNorm, SRA), and AI/LLM initiatives. Actively hiring for roles like AI/ML Specialist, FHIR API SME, and Platform DevEx Engineer. [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/blackcanyonconsulting)
- **Growth direction**: Continuing to secure federal contracts, growing the consulting workforce, and deepening capabilities in cloud, DevOps, and data science.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Emphasizes “Integrity, Impact, Innovation” with a collaborative, mission-driven environment focused on supporting national research priorities. [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)
- **Work location**: Most roles are based in Bethesda, Maryland (NIH campus) or Fairfax, Virginia. Remote/hybrid policy not explicitly stated but likely on-site or hybrid given federal client requirements.
- **Notable perks**: Opportunity to work on high-impact federal R&D programs (e.g., NIH’s National Library of Medicine), professional growth in a rapidly expanding company (75% YoY headcount growth), and exposure to cutting-edge technologies (AI, cloud, bioinformatics). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-canyon-consulting-llc)
- **Engineering culture**: Strong focus on software development, DevOps, data engineering, and AI/ML. Teams are organized into divisions like Software Engineering, Platform & DevOps, and Information Engineering. [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/blackcanyonconsulting)

## Sources
1. [bccdc.net](https://www.bccdc.net/)
2. [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/blackcanyonconsulting)
3. [sba.gov](https://dsbs.sba.gov/search/dsp_profile.cfm?SAM_UEI=WB3LFMA4KM45)
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-canyon-consulting-llc)
5. [gsaelibrary.gsa.gov](https://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/ElibMain/home.do/contractorInfo.do?contractNumber=47QTCA18D00JA&contractorName=BLACK+CANYON+CONSULTING+LLC&executeQuery=YES)

## Other roles at Black Canyon Consulting

- [Contracts & Legal Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/contracts-legal-operations-specialist-black-canyon-consulting-bcc-q62403brefnw) — Bcc
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- [QA Analyst (CTG)](https://feeny.ai/job/qa-analyst-ctg-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-snwnzqn23b1k) — Bethesda, MD
- [Front-End Technical Lead – Wagtail CMS](https://feeny.ai/job/front-end-technical-lead-wagtail-cms-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-3yarp4nfjvnw) — Bethesda, MD
- [Full Stack Developer – Wagtail CMS](https://feeny.ai/job/full-stack-developer-wagtail-cms-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-6px5ydn9hsg7) — Bethesda, MD
- [Senior Windows Systems Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-windows-systems-administrator-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-rm7ttb762h8n) — Bethesda, MD
- [Computational Biologist (SRA Bioinformatics)](https://feeny.ai/job/computational-biologist-sra-bioinformatics-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-7tmwwbc53sva) — Bethesda, MD
- [Junior/Mid Full Stack Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/junior-mid-full-stack-software-engineer-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-3mfn5d4a5338) — Bethesda, MD
- [Systematic Review Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/systematic-review-analyst-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-ry1se1hxn6sy) — Bethesda, MD
- [Research Literature Technical Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/research-literature-technical-specialist-black-canyon-consulting-bethesda-apbe8kvp61pq) — Bethesda, MD