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

Description

Engineers claim they build systems that matter. This fellowship lets you prove it. You'll ship relentlessly, face strict evaluation, and build production AI systems that directly influence how the U.S. government functions. No credential posturing. No abstract theory. Only weekly production output under real pressure.

Gauntlet for America is a selective, fully funded 10-week fellowship built to develop AI-native engineering capacity for the United States government. It operates as a high-intensity proving ground for seasoned engineers ready to show they can construct and maintain production-grade AI systems where reliability, security, and tangible impact count.

Fellows deploy weekly, undergo rigorous evaluation, and work alongside other elite engineers. Successful graduates transition into federal GS-12 engineering positions (~$150K + comprehensive federal benefits), building systems that directly affect government operations.

The fellowship spans 10 weeks: the first 3 weeks remote, then 7 weeks onsite in Austin, Texas. Expect a demanding schedule (80–100 hours/week) structured to accelerate learning velocity, generate signal, and optimize career trajectory.

Outcomes:

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

If you're prepared to be judged by what you ship — not your academic background — apply now.

What you will be doing

  • Deploy production-ready AI applications weekly under firm deadlines
  • Develop using modern AI-first methodologies (agents, tool integration, evals, retrieval, deployment)
  • Collaborate and compete with elite engineering peers in a high-feedback setting
  • Engage with authentic, ambiguous problem domains resembling government and enterprise contexts
  • Convert real briefs into scoped, dependable, deployable systems

What you will NOT be doing

  • Attending theoretical lectures or passive instruction — every hour is dedicated to building and shipping
  • Delaying deployment for months — you'll release real systems every week
  • Depending on credentials, pedigree, or interview skills to secure placement — production output is the sole measure
  • Operating in a low-risk sandbox — your systems face genuine security and reliability requirements

Key responsibilities

Deliver production-grade AI systems under authentic 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
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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