Accenture federal services

Senior Data & AI Architect - Defense and Intelligence

Washington, DC Full Time
 
At Accenture Federal Services, nothing matters more than helping the US federal government make the nation stronger and safer and life better for people. Our 13,000+ people are united in a shared purpose to pursue the limitless potential of technology and ingenuity for clients across defense, national security, public safety, civilian, and military health organizations.
 
Join Accenture Federal Services, a technology company and part of global Accenture, to do work that matters in a collaborative and caring community, where you feel like you belong and are empowered to grow, learn and thrive through hands-on experience, certifications, industry training and more.
 
Join us to drive positive, lasting change that moves missions and the government forward!
 

You Are:

We are seeking an experienced Data & AI Architect to join our Defense and Intelligence practice. This role focuses on designing and implementing robust data solutions for government clients while providing technical leadership on complex data initiatives. You'll work on critical national security projects, designing data architectures that enable mission success through advanced analytics, business intelligence, and emerging AI/ML capabilities while ensuring security, compliance, and scalability.

Key Responsibilities

Data Architecture & Design

  • Design and develop enterprise data architectures for defense and intelligence clients
  • Create data models, integration patterns, and information management strategies
  • Architect data foundations that support business intelligence, analytics, and AI/ML initiatives
  • Design secure data sharing and exchange architectures across classification boundaries
  • Support the evaluation and selection of data platforms, tools, and technologies
  • Create technical documentation, architecture diagrams, and design specifications

Analytics & AI/ML Enablement

  • Design data architectures that support business intelligence and reporting requirements
  • Create data pipelines and feature stores to enable AI/ML model development and deployment
  • Architect analytics platforms that deliver actionable insights to mission stakeholders
  • Support the integration of AI/ML capabilities into operational systems
  • Design data strategies that balance traditional BI needs with emerging AI/ML use cases
  • Ensure data architectures support model training, validation, and production deployment

Client Engagement

  • Lead technical discussions with client stakeholders to understand data, analytics, and AI/ML requirements
  • Present architecture solutions and recommendations to government technical teams
  • Support proposal development by contributing data architecture content and technical strategies
  • Build trusted relationships with client data and technology leaders
  • Translate complex data and AI/ML concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences

Solution Delivery

  • Guide implementation teams in executing data architecture designs
  • Collaborate with data engineers, BI developers, data scientists, and analysts to deliver integrated solutions
  • Ensure solutions meet security, compliance, and performance requirements
  • Support data migration strategies and legacy system modernization efforts
  • Conduct architecture reviews and provide technical guidance throughout project lifecycle

Technical Leadership

  • Mentor junior architects, data engineers, and BI developers on best practices and design patterns
  • Contribute to internal knowledge sharing through documentation and presentations
  • Stay current with emerging data technologies, analytics platforms, AI/ML frameworks, and cloud capabilities
  • Support innovation initiatives and proof-of-concept development
  • Participate in technical communities and capability development efforts

Required Qualifications

Experience

  • 7-10 years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, or related roles
  • Proven track record of designing and implementing enterprise data solutions
  • Experience with business intelligence platforms and analytics solutions
  • Exposure to AI/ML projects and understanding of data requirements for machine learning
  • Government or highly regulated environment experience preferred

Technical Skills

Core Data Architecture:

  • Strong expertise in data architecture patterns, methodologies, and best practices
  • Deep knowledge of relational and non-relational database technologies
  • Proficiency in data modeling (conceptual, logical, physical)
  • Experience with cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
  • Strong understanding of data integration patterns and ETL/ELT processes
  • Knowledge of data warehousing and analytics platforms
  • Familiarity with data governance, metadata management, and data quality frameworks
  • Proficiency in SQL and experience with scripting languages (Python, Shell)
  • Understanding of API design and microservices architectures

Business Intelligence:

  • Experience designing data architectures for BI and reporting solutions
  • Familiarity with BI tools (Tableau, Power BI, Qlik, or similar)
  • Understanding of dimensional modeling and OLAP concepts
  • Knowledge of semantic layers and data visualization best practices
  • Experience with self-service analytics architectures

AI/ML Foundations:

  • Understanding of data requirements for machine learning projects
  • Familiarity with ML frameworks and platforms (TensorFlow, PyTorch, SageMaker, Azure ML)
  • Knowledge of feature engineering and data preparation for ML models
  • Awareness of MLOps concepts and model deployment patterns
  • Experience designing data pipelines that support AI/ML workflows

Security & Clearance

  • Active Secret clearance minimum (TS/SCI preferred or ability to obtain)
  • Understanding of government security requirements, compliance frameworks, and accreditation processes
  • Knowledge of data classification and handling requirements

Professional Skills

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to lead technical discussions and influence stakeholders
  • Experience managing multiple priorities in fast-paced environments
  • Strong collaboration skills and ability to work across diverse teams
  • Strategic thinking with attention to implementation details

 

As required by local law, Accenture Federal Services provides reasonable ranges of compensation for hired roles based on labor costs in the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and the city of Cleveland. The base pay range for this position in these locations is shown below. Compensation for roles at Accenture Federal Services varies depending on a wide array of factors, including but not limited to office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. Accenture Federal Services offers a wide variety of benefits. You can find more information on benefits here. We accept applications on an on-going basis and there is no fixed deadline to apply.

 

The pay range for the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and the city of Cleveland is:
$160,700$306,500 USD
 
What We Believe
As a company wholly dedicated to serving the US federal government, we bring together the best talent to help reinvent how federal agencies operate and deliver greater value for their mission and the American people. We have an unwavering commitment to creating a culture in which all our people are respected, feel a sense of belonging, and have equal opportunity. As a business imperative, every person at Accenture Federal Services has the responsibility to create and sustain a culture where everyone feels welcomed and included. This is grounded in our core values and our experience that hiring and developing great people who reflect different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds is key to driving innovation and delivering the results that our clients and the country count on.
 
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. Our rich diversity makes us more innovative, more competitive, and more creative, which helps us better serve our clients and our communities. For details, view a copy of the Accenture Federal Services Equal Opportunity Policy Statement.
 
Accenture Federal Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Additionally, as an Affirmative Action Employer for Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities, Accenture Federal Services is committed to providing veteran employment opportunities to our service men and women.
 
Requesting An Accommodation 
Accenture Federal Services is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or religious observances, including reasonable accommodation when needed. If you are hired by Accenture Federal Services and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you will be asked to participate in our reasonable accommodation process. Accommodations made to facilitate the recruiting process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired.
 
If youare being considered for employment opportunities with Accenture Federal Services and need an accommodation for a disability or religious observance during the interview process or for the job you are interviewing for, please speak with your recruiter.
 
Other Employment Statements 
Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.
 
Candidates who are currently employed by a client of Accenture Federal Services or an affiliated Accenture business may not be eligible for consideration.
 
Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process.
 
The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Additionally, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the Company's legal duty to furnish information.
 
California requires additional notifications for applicants and employees. If you are a California resident, live in or plan to work from Los Angeles County upon being hired for this position, please click here for additional important information.