RAG Application Engineer The Opportunity:
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems require reliable, well-orchestrated runtime logic to integrate search, models, and metadata into a single coherent experience. As a RAG Application Engineer, you will build the application layer that makes this possible. You will implement the end-to-end query workflow, including embedding generation, hybrid retrieval, reranking, citation assembly, and request-level guardrails, ensuring analysts can access grounded, high-quality responses at scale.
We're looking for an engineer who can design and maintain RAG runtime logic in a secure, cloud-based environment. On our team, you'll develop API endpoints, manage model integrations, enforce authentication and authorization controls, and implement robust retry, timeout, and error-handling strategies.
You'll containerize services and partner closely with Cloud, Security, Data, and Site Reliability Engineering teammates to ensure the RAG runtime is stable, secure, observable, and ready for mission use.
Join us. The world can’t wait.
You Have:
Experience building back-end or platform services using programming languages such as Python or Java
Experience designing or integrating RAG workflows, including embeddings, hybrid retrieval, vector search, and reranking
Experience implementing API request pipelines, orchestration logic, and service routing for AI model and search calls
Experience enforcing authentication and authorization within service logic
Experience developing resilient services with retry, backoff, timeout, and error-handling strategies and collaborating with data, search, cloud, and security engineers to optimize retrieval behavior
Experience containerizing applications using Docker and deploying to ECS, EKS, or Kubernetes
Experience building telemetry, including structured logs, metrics, and traces
Ability to translate RAG requirements into clean, maintainable application logic
TS/SCI clearance
HS diploma or GED
Nice If You Have:
Experience integrating Amazon Bedrock model inference into application workflows
Experience implementing hybrid retrieval with OpenSearch, including BM25 and vector search
Experience developing citation assembly logic, grounding validation, or model guardrails
Experience designing API gateways, rate limiting, caching, or other high-availability patterns
Experience working with message queues or asynchronous workflows, including Kafka or Amazon SQS
Experience contributing to evaluation data pipelines or partnering with evaluation scientists
Experience using infrastructure-as-code frameworks such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or AWS CDK
Ability to collaborate across multiple engineering disciplines
Possession of excellent communication skills
Clearance:
Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; TS/SCI clearance is required.
Skills Assessment
As part of Booz Allen’s skills first hiring process, candidates must complete the required skills assessment to ensure they meet the Basic Qualifications for this role. Candidates must complete the assessment and meet the minimum proficiency threshold to continue in the hiring process.
Compensation
At Booz Allen, we celebrate your contributions, provide you with opportunities and choices, and support your total well-being. Our offerings include health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, work-life programs, and dependent care. Our recognition awards program acknowledges employees for exceptional performance and superior demonstration of our values. Full-time and part-time employees working at least 20 hours a week on a regular basis are eligible to participate in Booz Allen’s benefit programs. Individuals that do not meet the threshold are only eligible for select offerings, not inclusive of health benefits. We encourage you to learn…