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 speak about creating systems that count. This is your opportunity to demonstrate it: continuous delivery, rigorous assessment, and operational AI infrastructure that directly influences how the U.S. government functions. No résumé posturing. No abstract assignments. Only production deliverables each week, under demanding conditions.

Gauntlet for America is a completely funded, competitive 10-week fellowship created to develop AI-native engineering capacity for the United States government. It represents a high-intensity validation environment for seasoned engineers prepared to show they can construct and maintain production-grade AI systems in contexts where dependability, security, and tangible impact are paramount.

Fellows deliver weekly, function under rigorous assessment, and develop skills alongside other exceptional engineers. Following successful completion, graduates receive placement into federal GS-12 engineering positions (~$150K + comprehensive federal benefits), contributing to 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 commitment (80–100 hours/week) structured to maximize learning velocity, demonstrated capability, and career advancement.

Results:

  • 10+ production-ready AI systems delivered throughout the fellowship
  • Direct entry into a federal engineering position (GS-12 equivalent, ~$160K–$200K+ based on experience + comprehensive benefits)
  • Engagement with high-impact systems influencing how the U.S. government develops and operates technology
  • Entry into a network of AI-native engineers operating at the leading edge of public sector innovation

If you're prepared to be assessed on what you deliver — not your educational background — apply now.

What you will be doing

  • Deliver production-ready AI applications weekly against firm deadlines
  • Develop with contemporary AI-first methodologies (agents, tool use, evals, retrieval, deployment)
  • Collaborate and contend alongside elite engineering talent in a high-feedback setting
  • Engage with authentic, ambiguous problem domains similar to government and enterprise contexts
  • Convert actual briefs into scoped, dependable, deployable systems

What you will NOT be doing

  • Attending theoretical coursework or passive instruction — every hour centers on building and shipping
  • Waiting months for your contributions to reach production — you'll launch real systems each week
  • Depending on credentials, pedigree, or interview performance to secure your placement — your production output is the sole metric that counts
  • Operating in a low-stakes environment — the systems you create function under genuine security and reliability requirements

Key responsibilities

Deliver production-grade AI systems under real-world constraints that validate 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

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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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About Crossover

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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