Job Details

Software Engineer and AI Integration Developer

Job Type: Contract To Hire (6-month)

Location: Newport News, VA

Work Setting: Remote

Rate: $80-$85 per hour based upon experience

Position Summary

Unison Systems is looking for a skilled Software Engineer and AI Integration Developer for our client located in Newport News, VA. In this role, you will design, build, and maintain the automation, integration, and API infrastructure that connects the firm's technology ecosystem. You will develop Python-based tools, engineer reliable RESTful and event-driven APIs and data integrations, and drive CI/CD and workflow automation to increase efficiency and reduce manual effort across the firm. You will partner with Technology, Finance/Operations, and business teams to translate requirements into scalable, secure solutions while leveraging firm-approved AI development tools such as Claude with required human review to accelerate delivery and uphold quality, privacy, and ethical standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain RESTful and event-driven APIs that are secure, versioned, well-documented, and production-grade.
• Write clean, testable Python code for automation, data transformation, integration pipelines, and operational tooling.
• Build and manage CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, and deployment automation while enforcing DevOps best practices across the software delivery lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain integrations between enterprise platforms and third-party systems, ensuring reliable, governed, and auditable data movement.
• Leverage AI development tools (e.g., Claude or similar) to accelerate coding, documentation, testing, and workflow design, with human review and accountability for all outputs.
• Contribute to light application architecture decisions, including build-vs-buy trade-offs and pattern selection (microservices, event-driven, serverless).
• Implement monitoring, alerting, and logging for integrations and automated workflows; perform root-cause analysis and drive sustainable fixes.
• Author and maintain technical documentation, SOPs, architecture diagrams, and runbooks to ensure audit-ready artifacts and reproducibility.
• Apply security best practices such as secrets management, least-privilege access, and encryption of data in transit and at rest across all APIs, integrations, and pipelines.
• Facilitate technical design sessions and collaborate with Data, Security, and product owners to prioritize the backlog, remove blockers, and drive measurable outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer/Information Science, Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience in software engineering, DevOps, or a related engineering discipline.
• Proficiency in Python for automation, scripting, and integration development.
• Demonstrated experience designing and building RESTful APIs and enterprise integrations.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD tooling (e.g., GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps) and version control (Git).
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience working in Agile delivery environments, with strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Strong documentation and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for varied audiences and work independently with discipline and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot, or similar) for code generation, documentation, or workflow automation.
• Light application architecture experience, including evaluating patterns, designing system boundaries, and producing architecture documentation.
• Familiarity with data integration patterns (ETL/ELT, event streaming, webhooks) and enterprise middleware or iPaaS platforms.
• Professional services, financial services, tax, or audit industry experience.
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Terraform) and secrets management solutions.
• Knowledge of API security standards (OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, API gateways).

About Unison Systems

Unison Systems is a national IT & Engineering Services firm that delivers secure, innovative technology solutions and resources for our clients ranging from the Fortune 500 to the U.S. Navy. We bring together the strongest talent and tools in the business to solve complex problems and build solutions that make a measurable impact. At Unison, we invest in our people, foster a collaborative culture, and give our team the opportunity to learn and grow their careers. Unison is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.