VP of AI Solutions

At Agile Defense we know that action defines the outcome and new challenges require new solutions. That’s why we always look to the future and embrace change with an unmovable spirit and the courage to build for what comes next.

Our vision is to bring adaptive innovation to support our nation's most important missions through the seamless integration of advanced technologies, elite minds, and unparalleled agility—leveraging a foundation of speed, flexibility, and ingenuity to strengthen and protect our nation’s vital interests.

Requisition #: 821

Job Title: VP of AI Solutions

Location: Remote to McLean VA

Clearance Level: Active DoD - Top Secret

Salary Range: $140,000 - $260,000

SUMMARY

Agile Defense Labs is the innovation engine of Agile Defense, focused on rapid prototyping, advanced technology R&D, and bleeding-edge solution development. The VP of AI Solutions will lead our AI vertical, shaping the future of AI-enabled mission solutions, delivering impactful prototypes, and driving thought leadership across the organization and our customer base.

The VP of AI Solutions will lead Agile Defense Labs’ AI initiatives, serving as both a senior technical architect and a strategic business leader reporting to the Chief Product Officer. This role is responsible for defining and executing the AI strategy across the company, with a strong emphasis on developing GenAI-enabled solutions for government and commercial missions. The ideal candidate will be deeply hands-on, able to rapidly prototype AI/ML applications, while also engaging directly with customers to understand mission needs and translate them into actionable solutions. This individual will act as the primary AI subject matter expert for Agile Defense, guiding technical teams, informing corporate investment strategies, and evangelizing AI best practices across our 2000+ employees.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·         Define and drive the AI product and solutions roadmap within Agile Labs, ensuring alignment with customer needs and emerging technology trends.

·         Develop rapid prototypes of GenAI applications to demonstrate value and accelerate customer adoption

·         Engage directly with customers to gather requirements, lead technical discussions, and propose AI-powered solutions tailored to mission outcomes.

·         Collaborate across product, engineering, and business development teams to support proposal development and capture strategies involving AI.

·         Represent Agile Defense as a public-facing AI thought leader through speaking engagements, whitepapers, and customer engagements.

·         Mentor and guide internal engineering teams on AI and ML best practices, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.

·         Identify strategic partnerships and evaluate emerging AI technologies for integration into our Labs portfolio.

SUPERVISORY DUTIES

·         This position will oversee and mentor AI-focused engineers while being a leader to cross-functional architects and developers across the organization. Will contribute to hiring, performance management, and strategic team growth initiatives related to AI innovation.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Certifications

·         None required, though AI/ML certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Machine Learning, TensorFlow Developer) are advantageous

Education, Background, and Years of Experience

·         Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related technical field required

·         Master’s degree or PhD in AI, Machine Learning, or related discipline preferred

·         Minimum of 10 years of technical experience in software engineering or data science

·         At least 3 years of experience architecting and delivering AI or ML-based solutions, including Generative AI

·         Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional technical teams or innovation labs

ADDITIONAL SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

Required Skills

·         Proven expertise in designing and deploying GenAI solutions using LLMs and foundation models

·         Deep hands-on experience with tools and platforms such as OpenAI, Anthropic's Claude, Grok, Groq, LangChain, and vector databases to name a few

·         Agentic frameworks

·         Strong software engineering skills with Python, Javascript, APIs, DevSecOps, and cloud-native development (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills for technical and executive audiences

·         Ability to lead in ambiguity and operate across technical, business, and strategic domains

·         Experience with ML/DataOps, AI model evaluation, and responsible AI practices

Preferred Skills

·         Experience developing, supporting or delivering solutions within the federal government or defense sector

·         Familiarity with secure AI/ML deployments in air-gapped or classified environments

·         Understanding of enterprise data management and integration for AI use cases

·         Experience leading go-to-market strategies or productization of AI capabilities

·         Active security clearance or ability to obtain one

WORKING CONDITIONS

Environmental Conditions

·         Up to 25% travel possible

Strength Demands

·         Sedentary – 10 lbs. Maximum lifting, occasional lift/carry of small articles.  Some occasional walking or standing may be required.   Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Physical Requirements

·         Stand or Sit; Walk; Repetitive Motion; Use Hands / Fingers to Handle or Feel; Stoop, Kneel, Crouch, or Crawl; See; Climb (stairs, ladders) or Balance (ascend / descend, work atop, traverse).

Employees of Agile Defense are our number one priority, and the importance we place on our culture here is fundamental. Our culture is alive and evolving, but it always stays true to its roots. Here, you are valued as a family member, and we believe that we can accomplish great things together. Agile Defense has been highly successful in the past few years due to our employees and the culture we create together. 

What makes us Agile? We call it the 6Hs, the values that define our culture and guide everything we do. Together, these values infuse vibrancy, integrity, and a tireless work ethic into advancing the most important national security and critical civilian missions. It's how we show up every day. It's who we are.

We also believe in supporting our employees by offering a competitive and comprehensive benefits package. To explore the benefits we offer, please visit our website under the Careers section.

Happy - Be Infectious.

Happiness multiplies and creates a positive and connected environment where motivation and satisfaction have an outsized effect on everything we do.

Helpful - Be Supportive.

Being helpful is the foundation of teamwork, resulting in a supportive atmosphere where collaboration flourishes, and collective success is celebrated.

Honest - Be Trustworthy.

Honesty serves as our compass, ensuring transparent communication and ethical conduct, essential to who we are and the complex domains we support.

Humble - Be Grounded.

Success is not achieved alone, humility ensures a culture of mutual respect, encouraging open communication, and a willingness to learn from one another and take on any task.

Hungry - Be Eager.

Our hunger for excellence drives an insatiable appetite for innovation and continuous improvement, propelling us forward in the face of new and unprecedented challenges.

Hustle - Be Driven.

Hustle is reflected in our relentless work ethic, where we are each committed to going above and beyond to advance the mission and achieve success.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities