Senior AI Platform Engineer

Job Description

Responsibilities
The
Senior AI Platform Engineer
will stand up and operate a bare-metal container platform, support a feasibility assessment of all platform technologies, and drive the transition towards infrastructure-as-code managed provisioning using Terraform and Ansible. This individual will work in a bare-metal-first environment while actively reducing reliance on manual installs over time, and will support core platform services and OCONUS bootstrap activities.

This role is flexible for occasional telework however, candidates must be within 50 miles to one of the following work locations: Oklahoma City, OK, Montgomery, AL, Ogden, UT, San Antonio, TX, Mechanicsburg, PA, Chambersburg, PA, Arlington, VA, Ft. Meade, MD, Columbus, OH.

Other Responsibilities Include:
Deploy, configure, and operate large language models (LLMs), and integrate approved frontier AI models and services into enterprise environments
Optimize model inference and deployment configurations to improve response times, throughput, and GPU/memory utilization while maintaining output quality
Monitor, troubleshoot, and maintain model-serving environments, including model updates, API connectivity, and supporting infrastructure
Transition platform provisioning from manual/bare-metal installs toward a fully IaC-managed model
Install, configure, and operate bare-metal OpenShift (or equivalent enterprise Kubernetes distribution) clusters
Design and implement infrastructure-as-code provisioning using Terraform and Ansible for platform and VM orchestration
Support the objective feasibility assessment of OpenShift versus Spectro Cloud, documenting licensing tradeoffs, operability, and long-term sustainability considerations
Deploy and support core platform services including authoritative DNS (e.g., PowerDNS)
Implement and enforce STIGs and cybersecurity compliance requirements on platform infrastructure
Monitor platform health, performance, and capacity using observability tools; manage platform logging and alerting
Support OCONUS hardware bootstrap activities including physical hardware installation and configuration
Document platform architecture, configuration decisions, and operational procedures

Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
Minimum of 12 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 10 years with MS/MA; Minimum of 7 years with Ph.D.
Experience with platform/systems/integration engineering
Hands-on Kubernetes-based container platform experience
US Citizenship
Active DoD Secret clearance
DoD 8570/8140 compliant certification
Practical experience deploying and operating AI models, with a foundational understanding of inference and performance tuning
Hands-on experience deploying and administering OpenShift (or another enterprise Kubernetes distribution) on bare metal
Infrastructure-as-code proficiency, specifically Terraform and Ansible, for provisioning and configuration management
Working knowledge of virtualization/cloud orchestration platforms (Spectro Cloud, VMware, or equivalent)
Understanding of container platform architecture: networking (CNI), storage (CSI), cluster security, and lifecycle management
Ability to document platform architecture, licensing tradeoffs, and operational considerations
Strong Linux administration skills (RHEL)
Must have regular/recurring physical access to a DISA SIPR-accredited facility
Working understanding of agentic platform modeling/hosting/services
Preferred Qualifications:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent writing and grammatical skills
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
Experience with GitOps workflows (e.g., ArgoCD, Flux) for platform configuration management
Experience bootstrapping platforms in disconnected or OCONUS environments including physical hardware installation

Peraton Overview
Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can't be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit
peraton.com
to learn how we're keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Target Salary Range
$146,000 - $234,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.
EEO
EEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.

The
Senior AI Platform Engineer
will stand up and operate a bare-metal container platform, support a feasibility assessment of all platform technologies, and drive the transition towards infrastructure-as-code managed provisioning using Terraform and Ansible. This individual will work in a bare-metal-first environment while actively reducing reliance on manual installs over time, and will support core platform services and OCONUS bootstrap activities.

This role is flexible for occasional telework however, candidates must be within 50 miles to one of the following work locations: Oklahoma City, OK, Montgomery, AL, Ogden, UT, San Antonio, TX, Mechanicsburg, PA, Chambersburg, PA, Arlington, VA, Ft. Meade, MD, Columbus, OH.

Other Responsibilities Include:
Deploy, configure, and operate large language models (LLMs), and integrate approved frontier AI models and services into enterprise environments
Optimize model inference and deployment configurations to improve response times, throughput, and GPU/memory utilization while maintaining output quality
Monitor, troubleshoot, and maintain model-serving environments, including model updates, API connectivity, and supporting infrastructure
Transition platform provisioning from manual/bare-metal installs toward a fully IaC-managed model
Install, configure, and operate bare-metal OpenShift (or equivalent enterprise Kubernetes distribution) clusters
Design and implement infrastructure-as-code provisioning using Terraform and Ansible for platform and VM orchestration
Support the objective feasibility assessment of OpenShift versus Spectro Cloud, documenting licensing tradeoffs, operability, and long-term sustainability considerations
Deploy and support core platform services including authoritative DNS (e.g., PowerDNS)
Implement and enforce STIGs and cybersecurity compliance requirements on platform infrastructure
Monitor platform health, performance, and capacity using observability tools; manage platform logging and alerting
Support OCONUS hardware bootstrap activities including physical hardware installation and configuration
Document platform architecture, configuration decisions, and operational procedures

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum of 12 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 10 years with MS/MA; Minimum of 7 years with Ph.D. Experience with platform/systems/integration engineering Hands-on Kubernetes-based container platform experience US Citizenship Active DoD Secret clearance DoD 8570/8140 compliant certification Practical experience deploying and operating AI models, with a foundational understanding of inference and performance tuning Hands-on experience deploying and administering OpenShift (or another enterprise Kubernetes distribution) on bare metal Infrastructure-as-code proficiency, specifically Terraform and Ansible, for provisioning and configuration management Working knowledge of virtualization/cloud orchestration platforms (Spectro Cloud, VMware, or equivalent) Understanding of container platform architecture: networking (CNI), storage (CSI), cluster security, and lifecycle management Ability to document platform architecture, licensing tradeoffs, and operational considerations Strong Linux administration skills (RHEL) Must have regular/recurring physical access to a DISA SIPR-accredited facility Working understanding of agentic platform modeling/hosting/services

Requirements

Required Qualifications:
Minimum of 12 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 10 years with MS/MA; Minimum of 7 years with Ph.D.
Experience with platform/systems/integration engineering
Hands-on Kubernetes-based container platform experience
US Citizenship
Active DoD Secret clearance
DoD 8570/8140 compliant certification
Practical experience deploying and operating AI models, with a foundational understanding of inference and performance tuning
Hands-on experience deploying and administering OpenShift (or another enterprise Kubernetes distribution) on bare metal
Infrastructure-as-code proficiency, specifically Terraform and Ansible, for provisioning and configuration management
Working knowledge of virtualization/cloud orchestration platforms (Spectro Cloud, VMware, or equivalent)
Understanding of container platform architecture: networking (CNI), storage (CSI), cluster security, and lifecycle management
Ability to document platform architecture, licensing tradeoffs, and operational considerations
Strong Linux administration skills (RHEL)
Must have regular/recurring physical access to a DISA SIPR-accredited facility
Working understanding of agentic platform modeling/hosting/services
Preferred Qualifications:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent writing and grammatical skills
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
Experience with GitOps workflows (e.g., ArgoCD, Flux) for platform configuration management
Experience bootstrapping platforms in disconnected or OCONUS environments including physical hardware installation