Lead AI/ML Engineer

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

About the role: 

We are seeking a Lead AI/ML Engineer to drive the design, development, and deployment of machine learning and AI systems that operate in mission-critical environments. You will lead the end-to-end lifecycle of AI solutions, from data ingestion and model development to production deployment, while guiding a cross-functional team across engineering, data, and product.

This role sits at the intersection of advanced AI capabilities and real-world operational impact. You will work closely with customers and internal stakeholders to deliver scalable, secure, and high-performance systems across cloud and edge environments.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the architecture and development of AI/ML systems integrated into production-grade data platforms
• Design and implement scalable ML pipelines including training, inference, and evaluation in distributed environments
• Drive adoption of modern AI approaches including LLMs, retrieval augmented generation, and agentic workflows
• Design, train, fine-tune, and deploy purpose-built Small Language Models (SLMs) optimized for domain-specific tasks, including quantization, distillation, and optimization techniques that enable low-latency inference in resource-constrained, edge, and air-gapped environments
• Partner with Data Engineers and DevSecOps to operationalize models in secure, containerized environments including Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelines
• Translate mission needs into technical solutions while working directly with customers and stakeholders
• Mentor and guide engineers while setting technical direction and best practices for AI/ML development
• Ensure models are reliable, observable, and performant in real-world operational conditions
• Own the enterprise-wide AI/ML strategy and multi-year technical roadmap, aligning research, engineering, and product investments with mission outcomes and commercial objectives
• Build, scale, and lead a multi-team AI/ML organization, including hiring, performance management, and developing senior technical leaders across applied research, ML engineering, and MLOps
• Establish and steward the technical vision for agentic systems, foundation models, and emerging AI paradigms, identifying strategic bets and guiding applied research investments that create long-term competitive advantage

What we are looking for: 

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related STEM field
• 8+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, software engineering, or related field
• Strong background in building and deploying machine learning models in production environments
• Experience designing and maintaining ML pipelines and platforms including training, inference, and monitoring
• Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Scikit-learn
• Strong software engineering fundamentals including APIs, microservices, testing, and version control
• Experience working in cloud-native environments such as AWS, Kubernetes, and containerization
• Ability to lead technical initiatives and collaborate across interdisciplinary teams
• Track record of setting multi-year technical strategy and delivering AI/ML capabilities that directly drove revenue growth, customer acquisition, or measurable mission impact
• Experience establishing AI governance, model risk management, and responsible AI practices at an enterprise scale

Highly preferred:

• Experience with LLMs, RAG architectures, and agent-based systems
• Experience deploying AI systems in edge, air-gapped, or secure environments
• Familiarity with event-driven and data streaming architectures such as Kafka
• Experience with MLOps tooling and workflows including CI/CD for ML, model versioning, and observability
• Contributions to open-source projects, publications, or a strong GitHub portfolio
• Experience with TypeScript or full-stack integration of AI systems

Clearance Requirements:

• Minimum Secret security clearance with ability to obtain and maintain an active TS SCI clearance

Salary Range: $175,000.00 - $225,000.00

Work Type:

• Hybrid role, must be local to NCR and come into Raft HQ in Tysons, VA or Chantilly 2-3 days per week.
• Foreign and domestic travel up to 35% to customer sites

What we will offer you: 

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) and company match
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays
• Education & training benefits
• Generous Referral Bonuses
• And More!

Our Vision Statement: 

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession: 

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there? 

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.