Right Data. Best Decisions. | Technology and deep data expertise to drive the best defense and intelligence decisions.
Distinguished AI/ML Engineer
Location
Washington
Posted
5 days ago
Salary
$190K - $220K / year
Seniority
Lead
Job Description
Distinguished AI/ML Engineer
FTI - Frontier Technology Inc.
• Architect and integrate hybrid AI systems that combine traditional machine learning, deep learning, large language models (LLMs), and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines. • Design and deploy scalable AI architectures including APIs, microservices, and model-serving frameworks that integrate seamlessly with analytic, simulation, or operational systems. • Lead the full AI/ML lifecycle — from data ingestion and feature engineering through training, deployment, and sustainment within secure DoD environments (IL5/IL6, ATO, GovCloud). • Engineer event-driven data pipelines and feature stores for both structured and unstructured data, including text, imagery, and simulation outputs. • Ensure Responsible AI practices by embedding traceability, explainability, and confidence scoring into deployed systems. • Implement and maintain MLOps pipelines (MLflow, Kubeflow, Airflow, Docker/Kubernetes) to support continuous integration, retraining, and drift detection. • Transition R&D prototypes into production, optimizing for mission constraints such as limited compute, edge environments, or disconnected operations. • Provide technical leadership and mentorship, setting standards for model quality, architectural design, and ethical AI deployment across programs. • Collaborate across engineering, data, and modeling teams to unify FTI’s AI portfolio, ensuring interoperability and reuse across mission systems. • Support proposal and solution development, providing technical inputs for AI/ML architectures, data strategies, and Responsible AI assurance frameworks.
Job Requirements
- Active Secret clearance required; TS/SCI strongly preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field (Master’s or Ph.D. preferred).
- 10+ years of overall experience in AI/ML development, with 5+ years designing and deploying scalable AI/ML architectures, including at least two full lifecycle implementations (from prototype to operational system).
- Proficiency in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and modern ML frameworks.
- Experience designing or deploying systems using vector databases (Milvus, Pinecone, Weaviate), knowledge graphs, and semantic search frameworks.
- Proven ability to design event-driven data pipelines using Databricks, Spark, Flink, or Kafka.
- Demonstrated experience deploying AI/ML systems in secure, classified, or edge environments.
- Familiarity with Responsible AI and assurance principles, including bias detection, explainability, human-machine teaming, and hallucination prevention.
- Experience integrating AI models into simulation, modeling, or operational planning systems is highly desirable.
- Strong communication and mentoring skills, with the ability to lead technically while remaining deeply hands-on.
Benefits
- FTI Defense offers a variety of benefits including health insurance and opportunities for professional development.
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