AI Software Engineer
$160K–$200K+ Offers For Graduates $160K–$200K+ Offers For Graduates 

3 weeks remote, 7 weeks onsite in Austin, TX
80–100 hours/week for 10 weeks
In-person
Short-term contract
full-time (90 hrs/week)

AI Software Engineer   $160K–$200K+ Offers For Graduates $160K–$200K+ Offers For Graduates 

Description

Most engineers say they want to build systems that matter. This is your opportunity to prove it through relentless execution, rigorous evaluation, and production AI that directly influences how the U.S. government functions. No credential signaling. No abstract theory. Only weekly production output under real pressure.

Gauntlet for America is a fully funded, selective 10-week fellowship engineered to develop AI-native engineering talent for the United States government. It serves as a high-intensity proving ground for experienced engineers determined to show they can ship and maintain production-grade AI systems in contexts where reliability, security, and tangible impact are non-negotiable.

Fellows deliver weekly, face strict evaluation, and train with other high-caliber engineers. Upon successful completion, graduates transition into federal GS-12 engineering positions (~$150K + comprehensive federal benefits), working on systems that directly affect government operations.

The program spans 10 weeks: 3 weeks conducted remotely, then 7 weeks onsite in Austin, Texas. Fellows should anticipate a high-intensity workload (80–100 hours/week) structured to maximize learning velocity, performance signal, and career trajectory.

Outcomes:

  • 10+ production-ready AI systems delivered during the fellowship
  • Direct placement into a federal engineering position (GS-12 equivalent, ~$160K–$200K+ based on experience + full benefits)
  • Contribute to high-impact systems that define how the U.S. government builds and deploys technology
  • Enter a network of AI-native engineers working at the leading edge of public sector innovation

If you're prepared to be judged on what you ship — not where you studied — apply now.

What you will be doing

  • Deliver production-ready AI applications weekly against strict deadlines
  • Build using modern AI-first workflows (agents, tool use, evals, retrieval, deployment)
  • Collaborate and compete with top-tier engineering talent in a high-feedback setting
  • Engage with real, ambiguous problem domains resembling government and enterprise contexts
  • Convert real briefs into scoped, reliable, deployable systems

What you will NOT be doing

  • Attending theoretical lectures or passive coursework — every hour is dedicated to building and shipping
  • Waiting months to see your work in production — you'll deploy real systems each week
  • Depending on credentials, pedigree, or interview scores to secure your placement — your production output is the sole metric
  • Operating in a low-stakes environment — the systems you build function under genuine security and reliability requirements

Key responsibilities

Deliver production-grade AI systems under real-world constraints that prove readiness for federal engineering positions.

Candidate requirements

  • U.S. citizenship required (no exceptions; background check required)
  • Demonstrated engineering ability (new grads and experienced engineers considered)
  • Willing to relocate to Austin, TX for 7 weeks (full-time, in person)
  • Willing to relocate to the Washington, DC area upon program completion (no remote roles)
  • Strong problem-solving ability, learning speed, and clear reasoning under pressure
  • High responsiveness to feedback and ability to operate in high-intensity environments

Meet a successful candidate

Watch Interview
Fabiano Lucchese
Fabiano  |  SVP of Software Engineering
Brazil

Does your company encourage your natural creativity? This Brazilian engineering leader rediscovered his purpose after unleashing both his an...

Meet Fabiano

Applying for a role? Here’s what to expect.

Crossover's skill assessment process combines innovative AI power with decades of human research, to take the guesswork, human bias, and pointless filters out of recruiting high-performing teams.

Chat-style
screening interview.
STEP 1

Chat-style
screening interview.

Cognitive 
aptitude test.
STEP 2

Cognitive 
aptitude test.

Prove real-world 
job skills.
STEP 3

Prove real-world 
job skills.

Interview with the hiring manager.
STEP 4

Interview with the hiring manager.

Pass
proctored test.
STEP 5

Pass
proctored test.

Accept job offer.
STEP 6

Accept job offer.

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What you will learn

Phase 1: Remote (Weeks 1–3) — AI-First Engineering Foundations

  • AI-first development workflows (coding agents, MCP, real-time collaboration)
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), embeddings, and vector databases
  • Rapid project sprints focused on shipping under constraints

Phase 2: Onsite in Austin (Weeks 4–10) — Production AI at Scale

  • Agent systems, evals, verification, and observability (LangChain/LangSmith/LangFuse/CrewAI)
  • Enterprise-grade delivery: QA, reliability, and high-standards execution
  • Fine-tuning + deployment patterns (LoRA/QLoRA + production integration)
  • Multi-agent modernization of real-world codebases
  • Multimodal AI builds (image/video/voice) and scalable infrastructure (AWS/Azure)

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Why Crossover

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The Olympics of work

The Olympics of work

It’s super hard to qualify—extreme quality standards ensure every single team member is at the top of their game.

Premium pay for premium talent

Premium pay for premium talent

Over 50% of new hires double or triple their previous pay. Why? Because that’s what the best person in the world is worth.

Shortlist by skills, not bias

Shortlist by skills, not bias

We don’t care where you went to school, what color your hair is, or whether we can pronounce your name. Just prove you’ve got the skills.

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