--- title: 'Technical AI Requirements Systems Engineer (Mid/Senior) (Hybrid) - Java/JavaScript/AI/ML at Captivation Software' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/technical-ai-requirements-systems-engineer-mid-senior-hybrid-java-javascript-ai-kznkrdwghznz' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-19' --- # Technical AI Requirements Systems Engineer (Mid/Senior) (Hybrid) - Java/JavaScript/AI/ML at Captivation Software - **Company:** Captivation Software - **Location:** Annapolis Junction, MD - **Posted:** 2026-09-17 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-19 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/captivation/jobs/5426724008 ## Job description Build to something to be proud of. Captivation has built a reputation on providing customers exactly what is needed in a timely manner. Our team of engineers take pride in what they develop and constantly innovate to provide the best solution. Captivation is looking for software developers who can get stuff done while making a difference in support of the mission to protect our country. Description Captivation Software has an immediate need for a Technical AI Requirements Systems Engineer to support the program and assist with overseeing the planning, design, and implementation of a mission-critical system. Candidates should be passionate about collaboratively solving challenging problems and have a track record of delivering high-quality solutions. Work directly with customers, systems engineers, developers, and AI solution stakeholders to ensure mission-driven software capabilities are accurately defined, built, tested, and delivered. Engage tactically with the development team, close collaboration with stakeholders, and active participation in Agile delivery throughout development lifecycle. Perform hands-on technical execution, low-level requirements definition, and functional validation of new features for an enterprise application integrating AI-enabled capabilities. ## Requirements Security Clearance: - Must currently hold a Top Secret/SCI U.S. Government security clearance with a favorable Polygraph, therefore all candidates must be a U.S. citizen Minimum Qualifications: - Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. - At least five years of experience performing in a Lead System Engineer role for a software development team - Master’s degree can be substituted for two (2) years experience Required Skills: - Familiarity with software development using Java or JavaScript frameworks, RESTful microservices, and Cloud-based architecture and deployment (Amazon Web Services) - Ability to work directly with customers to elicit, analyze, and document detailed functional requirements and convert them into technical specifications - Ability to translate high-level requirements into actionable Jira user stories and epics for development teams - Experience conducting functional testing of application features - Serving as a key technical liaison, collaborating with cross-functional teams, including system engineers, software developers, and domain experts - Effectively present and articulate recommended AI approaches, discussing the tradeoffs and implications of different implementations with both technical and non-technical stakeholders - Awareness of modern AI/ML advancements and ability to identify practical opportunities to apply emerging capabilities to enterprise applications Desired Skills: - Experience designing or refining technical artifacts specifically for AI integration - Ability to evaluate AI architectures, assess model performance, and identify system-level integration tradeoffs - Coordinating the design and development of AI-driven solutions from conception to deployment, ensuring seamless integration with the existing software architecture - Staying current with the latest advancements in AI and machine learning, continuously seeking opportunities to apply new technologies and methodologies to improve existing systems and solve complex problems This position is open for direct hires only. We will not consider candidates from third party staffing/recruiting firms. ## Benefits - Annual Salary: $130,000 - $270,000 (Depends on the Years of Experience) - Up to 20% 401k contribution (No Matching Required and Vested from Day 1) - Above Market Hourly Rates - $3,600 HSA Contribution - 6 Weeks Paid Time Off - Company Paid Employee Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance/Life Insurance/Short-Term & Long-Term Disability/AD&D ## About Captivation Software ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Captivation Software is a small, developer-owned company that builds innovative software solutions for the Armed Forces and the Intelligence Community. - **Entity Type**: Private - **Headquarters**: Columbia, Maryland, United States - **Founded**: 2014 - **Founders**: Dave Barbalato (President) ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Software Development, Defense & Intelligence, Digital Signal Processing, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning - **Target customers**: United States Department of Defense, United States Army, US CYBERCOM, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and other Intelligence Community agencies (B2G/Government) - **Mission or purpose statement**: "Build something to be proud of." — The company is focused on engineering digital solutions for mission makers, delivering software engineering expertise with the agility and efficiency of a small business. ## Products & Services Captivation delivers expertise across a broad spectrum of technical disciplines rather than a single product. Their core service areas include: - **Digital Signal Processing (DSP)**: Specialized engineering for RF and signal intelligence. - **Big Data / Streaming Analytics**: Processing and analyzing large-scale data streams. - **Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence**: Developing AI/ML models, including NLP and MLOps. - **Application Development**: Full-stack development using Java, Python, C++, Angular, and modern frameworks. - **Data Visualization**: Creating UI/UX solutions for complex data. - **DevOps & Platform Engineering**: Infrastructure management with AWS, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, GitLab, and Ansible. - **Network Engineering**: Expertise with Cisco/Arista, SSP, STE, and STN. - **Systems Administration**: Linux, AWS, and security-focused system management. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (private company) - **Key Metric**: The company has 9 employees (as of latest LinkedIn data) but is actively hiring with 53+ open job postings, indicating rapid growth or a high-demand project-based model. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not publicly available. Key clients include the US Department of Defense, US Army, US CYBERCOM, and DISA. - **Growth Signals**: The company has 53 active job postings on Greenhouse, with a yearly job posting growth of +65.6%. They are expanding their presence with multiple offices in Maryland (Columbia, Annapolis Junction, Baltimore) and an office in the United Kingdom. ## Competitive Advantages - **Specialized Mission Focus**: Deep expertise in serving the Intelligence Community and Armed Forces, a niche with high barriers to entry due to security clearance requirements. - **Technical Leadership**: Founded and led by engineers (Dave Barbalato has 15+ years of software engineering experience; Daniel Barbalato has 10 years in DSP). The company is described as "technical from the top down." - **Developer-Oriented Culture**: Operates like a tech startup with a flattened company structure and a focus on transparency, which is rare in the defense contracting space. - **Exceptional Compensation Package**: Offers a 20% 401(k) employer contribution with no match required, a $3,400 HSA contribution, and fully company-paid medical/dental/vision insurance. ## Strategic Focus - **Talent Acquisition**: Actively seeking the "BEST and BRIGHTEST" cleared professionals, with a strong emphasis on hiring for a wide range of engineering roles. - **Geographic Expansion**: Maintaining a presence in the Maryland area (near key government clients) and expanding to the UK. - **Staying at the Cutting Edge**: Pursuing work with leading software technologies (AI/ML, cloud, GPU computing) to remain competitive and deliver innovative solutions to clients. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Described as a "small, developer-oriented company" with a "progressive attitude" and a "flattened company structure." The company values transparency and empowers its team. - **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: Primarily on-site/in-office work at their Columbia, MD, Annapolis Junction, MD, and Baltimore, MD locations. Some hybrid roles are available (e.g., AI Engineer). - **Notable Perks**: - Up to 20% 401(k) Employer Contribution (NO MATCH REQUIRED). - $3,400 HSA Contribution. - Company-Paid Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance. - Company-Paid Life and Disability Insurance. - Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO). - Learning & Development Program (Udemy). - Free snacks and drinks. - Performance bonuses. - Generous parental leave. - **Engineering Culture**: Employees work with modern tech stacks (AWS, Kubernetes, Docker, Python, Java, etc.) on meaningful mission-critical problems. The company encourages open-source contributions. ## Sources 1. [captivation.us](https://captivation.us/) 2. [LinkedIn - Captivation](https://www.linkedin.com/company/captivation-software) 3. [Greenhouse - Captivation Careers](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/captivation) 4. [Built In - Captivation Software](https://builtin.com/company/captivation-software) 5. 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