Applied AI/Machine Learning Engineer

Oddball is building production-ready AI capabilities and is seeking an Applied AI/Machine Learning Engineer to design, develop, and deploy machine learning and GenAI solutions. The work spans experimentation and prototyping through evaluation, iteration, and integration into live systems, with a focus on reliability and measurable impact.

This hybrid role is based in the McLean, VA area, supporting occasional in-office collaboration with a team that bridges applied modeling and software engineering.

What you’ll do

• Design, develop, and deploy machine learning and AI-powered features into production systems
• Apply supervised, unsupervised, and deep learning approaches across structured and unstructured data
• Build and evaluate models for tasks including classification, ranking, prediction, NLP, and anomaly detection
• Develop and integrate GenAI solutions such as LLM-based workflows, retrieval-augmented generation, and agents
• Translate business and user needs into ML problem statements, metrics, and experiments
• Implement data pipelines and feature engineering workflows that support both training and inference
• Evaluate model performance, bias, drift, and reliability, then iterate based on results
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate models into APIs, services, and user-facing applications
• Participate in architecture decisions related to model serving, scalability, and cost optimization
• Document approaches, assumptions, and tradeoffs for maintainability and knowledge sharing
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Required skills

• Strong foundation in machine learning concepts, including model selection, training, validation, and evaluation
• Experience building and deploying ML models for real-world applications
• Proficiency in Python and common ML libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and scikit-learn
• Experience working with large language models, embeddings, and prompt-driven systems
• Familiarity with data processing tools and workflows including Pandas, SQL, Spark, or similar
• Understanding of software engineering best practices such as version control, testing, and code reviews
• Ability to weigh tradeoffs between accuracy, latency, cost, and maintainability
• Strong communication skills and comfort working in cross-functional teams
• Authorization to work in the United States; some roles may also require U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a federal background investigation and/or security clearance

Technologies you’ll work with

• Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn
• LLM-based workflows, retrieval-augmented generation
• Pandas, SQL, Spark
• APIs and services

Bonus if you have

• Experience in innovation, R&D, labs, or exploratory engineering teams
• Experience deploying models to cloud platforms and managing inference at scale
• Familiarity with MLOps practices including model monitoring, CI/CD for ML, and experiment tracking
• Experience contributing to architectural discussions or technical strategy

Compensation and employment details

• Job type: Full-time
• United States wage range: $150,000 - $200,000 per year

Location

• Hybrid remote in McLean, VA 22102
• Must be located in the DMV area (DC, Maryland, Virginia) and able to participate in occasional in-office collaboration

Benefits

• Fully remote option
• Annual stipend
• Comprehensive Benefits Package
• Company Match 401(k) plan
• Flexible PTO and paid holidays
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) and 401(k) matching