AI Architect & Data Science Lead

Serve as the Senior AI Architect and Data Science Lead supporting a high-visibility Customer aviation modernization, sustainment, and test enterprise. Provide contractor technical leadership, aligning AI/ML, data, cloud, software, cyber, and systems-engineering workstreams with mission outcomes and program-office priorities., * Translate operational, acquisition, test, and sustainment needs into AI/data science roadmaps, reference architectures, model evaluation plans, release criteria, and measurable decision-support outcomes

• Architect secure full-stack solutions spanning data ingestion, APIs, application services, analytic products, ML training and inference, MLOps, observability, and edge/on-prem/cloud deployment patterns
• Lead predictive analytics, NLP/LLM, time-series, simulation, sensor-data, and decision-support initiatives using governed data products, Python/SQL, ML frameworks, containerized services, and reusable enterprise patterns
• Partner across government leadership, operators, cyber, test, platform, systems engineering, acquisition, vendor, and delivery teams to ensure technical designs are feasible, secure, supportable, and mission aligned
• Establish model validation, test, safety, performance, robustness, traceability, and risk controls appropriate for mission-relevant AI systems and production analytics
• Drive DevSecOps/MLOps discipline through CI/CD, Git-based configuration, automated testing, infrastructure-as-code, container orchestration, vulnerability scanning, security monitoring, and repeatable release processes
• Provide AI thought leadership while remaining hands-on across architecture, data engineering, model development, software integration, technical documentation, senior-stakeholder briefings, and practitioner mentoring
• Lead data science workstreams including exploratory analysis, data quality profiling, feature engineering, statistical modeling, forecasting, anomaly detection, NLP/LLM/RAG, simulation, sensor/time-series analytics, and model validation., * Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain required DoD security clearance, base access, and eligibility for classified or controlled environments as directed by contract
• Must comply with OPSEC, CUI, ITAR/export-control, RMF, cybersecurity, safety, data-handling, travel, drug-testing, ethics, and government-furnished equipment requirements
• Performs contractor technical support and advisory functions only; acquisition, command, operational, and inherently governmental decisions remain with authorized government officials
• Work may require onsite presence at government or Partner facilities, coordination across secure networks, CONUS/OCONUS travel, surge support, and adherence to evolving mission priorities

• Top Secret Clearance
• Master's or equivalent advanced graduate-level depth in AI, ML, data science, computer science, engineering, applied mathematics, or related discipline
• Advanced experience designing, delivering, and sustaining enterprise AI/ML, data science, cloud, and full-stack software systems in regulated, mission-critical, or defense environments
• Ability to communicate complex technical tradeoffs, delivery risk, architecture alternatives, and operational implications to senior military, government, contractor, and nontechnical stakeholders
• Experience with ETL/ELT, pipelines, data governance, feature stores, model registries, observability, or AI assurance workflows

Desired Skills

• Full-stack literacy across frontend concepts, API/service design, backend services, databases, containers, cloud/hybrid infrastructure, CI/CD, and monitoring
• Experience in sustainment, test, digital engineering, simulation, sensor data, logistics, readiness analytics, or operational decision-support domains

Military / Contractor Caveats