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

Description

Most engineers claim they want to build systems that matter. This is your opportunity to demonstrate it: continuous deployment, rigorous assessment, and operational AI infrastructure that directly influences U.S. government operations. No credential posturing. No abstract assignments. Only production deliverables every week, delivered under real pressure.

Gauntlet for America is a fully funded, competitive 10-week fellowship built to develop AI-native engineering talent for the United States government. It functions as a high-rigor proving ground for seasoned engineers ready to show they can construct and maintain production-grade AI systems in contexts where reliability, security, and tangible impact are non-negotiable.

Fellows deliver weekly, undergo continuous evaluation, and train in parallel with other high-caliber engineers. After successful program completion, graduates transition into federal GS-12 engineering positions (~$150K + comprehensive federal benefits), working on infrastructure that directly influences government operations.

The fellowship spans 10 weeks: an initial 3 weeks conducted remotely, then 7 weeks onsite in Austin, Texas. Expect a demanding schedule (80–100 hours/week) engineered to accelerate learning velocity, signal clarity, and professional trajectory.

Program Outcomes:

  • 10+ production-ready AI systems delivered throughout the fellowship
  • Direct transition into a federal engineering position (GS-12 equivalent, ~$160K–$200K+ based on experience + full benefits)
  • Contribution to high-impact infrastructure shaping how the U.S. government designs and operates technology
  • Access to a network of AI-native engineers working at the leading edge of public sector innovation

If you are prepared to be assessed on what you deliver — not where you studied — apply now.

What you will be doing

  • Deliver production-ready AI applications weekly against firm deadlines
  • Develop using modern AI-first methodologies (agents, tool use, evals, retrieval, deployment)
  • Collaborate and compete with elite engineering talent in a feedback-intensive environment
  • Engage with authentic, ambiguous problem domains mirroring government and enterprise settings
  • Convert actual briefs into scoped, reliable, deployable systems

What you will NOT be doing

  • Attending abstract coursework or passive instruction — every hour is dedicated to building and deploying
  • Waiting months for production deployment — you'll release functional systems each week
  • Depending on credentials, pedigree, or interview results to secure your placement — production output is the sole evaluation criterion
  • Operating in a low-stakes environment — the systems you construct must meet genuine security and reliability standards

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

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

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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
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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
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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) — Foundations in AI-First Engineering

  • 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) — Scaling Production AI

  • 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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The Olympics of work

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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.

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Shortlist by skills, not bias

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