AI Engineer, Lead (Intelligence Center)

As a Lead AI Engineer, you will provide technical leadership in applying artificial intelligence, data engineering, and systems engineering to solve complex national security challenges. You will collaborate closely with government sponsors, mission partners, and multidisciplinary MITRE teams to identify high-value opportunities for AI-enabled mission transformation and guide the development of technical strategies that improve operational effectiveness., * Lead the application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data engineering, systems engineering, and enterprise IT approaches to support N962 technical strategy, modernization initiatives, and mission execution.

• Partner with government sponsors to identify mission challenges and translate operational needs into AI-enabled capabilities, engineering strategies, technical roadmaps, and implementation plans.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies-including large language models (LLMs), natural language processing (NLP), knowledge graphs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), workflow automation, and decision-support capabilities-for applicability to Intelligence Community and Department of Defense missions.
• Identify, prioritize, prototype, and assess AI-enabled opportunities that improve mission effectiveness through automation, advanced analytics, and operational decision support.
• Lead technical analyses supporting enterprise architecture, systems integration, infrastructure modernization, cloud adoption, data movement, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Develop engineering approaches that integrate AI capabilities into operational workflows, mission systems, and enterprise data environments while ensuring scalability, security, resilience, and mission relevance.
• Guide technical evaluations of AI solutions by assessing operational value, technical feasibility, implementation risk, data readiness, model performance, and responsible AI considerations.
• Develop technical architectures, engineering documentation, implementation roadmaps, and repeatable processes that enable successful deployment and sustainment of AI-enabled mission capabilities.
• Collaborate across directorates, technical teams, acquisition organizations, and mission partners to align modernization efforts, technical exchanges, implementation activities, and strategic priorities.
• Prepare and deliver technical reports, executive briefings, and recommendations that communicate complex AI, data, and systems engineering concepts to both technical and executive audiences.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to government sponsors and MITRE leadership on emerging AI technologies, digital modernization strategies, and mission-focused engineering solutions.

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 6 years with a Master's degree; or 3 years with a PhD; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• Demonstrated experience leading technical strategy involving artificial intelligence, machine learning, systems engineering, enterprise IT, data engineering, or digital modernization initiatives.

• Experience identifying, prioritizing, and implementing AI-enabled capabilities that improve operational effectiveness, decision support, automation, or mission execution.

• Experience translating sponsor mission needs, operational challenges, and technical requirements into actionable engineering strategies, implementation plans, or technical recommendations.

• Experience evaluating technical alternatives and balancing mission impact, implementation risk, technical feasibility, and operational constraints.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary technical teams and effectively engage government sponsors, mission partners, and senior leadership.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex AI, systems engineering, and technical architecture concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Understanding of Intelligence Community analytic processes, mission workflows, and intelligence operations.

• Familiarity with mission systems, technical architectures, operational tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), or other repeatable engineering and operational processes.

• Active Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

• U.S. Citizenship required

• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site

• Experience developing, integrating, evaluating, or deploying AI-enabled solutions using machine learning, large language models (LLMs), natural language processing (NLP), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), knowledge graphs, or agentic AI capabilities.

• Knowledge of current artificial intelligence, data engineering, commercial cloud, enterprise IT, and modern software engineering technologies and practices.

• Experience translating sponsor mission challenges into deployable AI-enabled capabilities, prototypes, technical demonstrations, or operational decision-support tools.

• Experience designing and evaluating AI-enabled workflows that improve mission performance, automate repeatable processes, or enhance operational decision making.

• Experience assessing AI solution performance, operational suitability, technical feasibility, data readiness, implementation risk, and mission value.

• Familiarity with Responsible AI principles, model evaluation, AI assurance, governance, human-in-the-loop decision support, and trustworthy AI practices within mission-sensitive environments.

• Experience supporting Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, or other national security organizations.

• Experience developing technical roadmaps, modernization strategies, enterprise architectures, engineering assessments, or executive-level technical briefings.

• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering efforts, mentoring technical staff, and influencing technical direction across complex sponsor engagements.

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges-and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day-working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us.

The Air & Space Intelligence Department delivers impactful engineering analyses to rapidly transform current and future warfighter operations in contested and denied environments. We accomplish this through close interaction with our United States Air Force (USAF), United States Space Force (USSF), Office of the Under Secretary of War for Intelligence & Security (OUSW(I&S)), and Intelligence Community sponsors, as well as senior leadership across the Intelligence, Acquisition, and Warfighting communities.

Our engineering analyses are informed by intelligence assessments of adversarial capabilities and threats to U.S. mission systems. We conduct engineering assessments of advanced and evolving threats, perform end-to-end mission and effects chain analysis, develop engineering architectures for intelligence applications, identify threat mitigation opportunities, and evaluate emerging technologies to improve operational effectiveness. We leverage artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics, and systems engineering to accelerate mission understanding, enhance decision advantage, and enable resilient intelligence capabilities across complex national security missions.