Senior Agentic AI Technical Lead at Agile Defense

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 #: 1393 Job Tittle: Senior Agentic AI Technical Lead Location: McLean, VA Clearance and eligibility: · Active Secret clearance required (TS/SCI eligible preferred) · U.S. Citizenship required · Ability to work within DoD IL5+ environments (e.g., Azure IL5, Google GovCloud), including support for expedited credentialing/facility clearance processes Role summary: We are seeking a Senior Technical Lead to serve as the Technical Lead and Delivery Manager for a high-impact Agentic AI Prototype program with the Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO). This essential role will function as the most senior full-stack engineer and architect on the agreement, translating Government-defined mission outcomes into secure, production-ready AI agent capabilities delivered within DoD IL5+ cloud environments. You will lead internal implementation, coordinate multiple non-traditional subcontractor teams, partner closely with the Government Product Owner, and be accountable for delivering accepted, operationally useful capabilities against fixed-price milestones. Key responsibilities: · Technical leadership and architecture o Translate mission outcomes and prioritized product backlog items into technical architecture, delivery plans, and sprint goals o Serve as the essential senior engineer/architect and primary technical authority for agentic AI solutions, from prompt engineering to complex multi-agent workflows with tool use and logical branching o Own end-to-end system design across secure cloud environments (Azure IL5, Google GovCloud), model inference services (Vertex AI, AWS Bedrock), and frontier AI SDKs (Gemini Enterprise, Anthropic for Gov, Grok Enterprise) o Lead development and integration of secure APIs, data pipelines (structured/unstructured), RAG/embeddings, and metadata catalog/platform (MCP) capabilities o Ensure all solutions are architected to be ATO-ready—meeting technical, administrative, and security controls required for production authorization · Delivery management and agile execution o Act as the single accountable interface to the Government Product Owner for technical, delivery, and performance matters o Work with Scrum Master to develop and deliver the Technical Management Plan (TMP) covering agile process, sprint cadence, staffing, and security adherence o Lead agile ceremonies (sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives), maintain velocity, and drive acceptance against fixed-price milestones o Direct up to five agile Implementation Teams (including one internal team and up to four subcontractor teams), ensuring technical proficiency, security credentialing, and consistent reporting on performance, cost, and schedule o Manage the mandatory 90-day trial period for each team, demonstrate mission utility, and recommend remediation or replacement options; support Government off-ramp decisions and backfill planning · Secure cloud development and compliance o Ensure development occurs exclusively in designated secure environments, leveraging CSP-native services and compliant model inference o Implement DevSecOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, observability, and security controls aligned to DoD SRG IL5, FedRAMP High, and RMF principles o Drive ATO-ready deliverables, documentation, and security artifacts; coordinate with the Government Product Owner for final approval of ATO-readiness · Stakeholder engagement and communication o Partner closely with the Government Product Owner to clarify mission needs, define acceptance criteria, and conduct live demonstrations and SME-led red teaming o Provide clear, concise status reporting on performance, cost, and schedule; proactively identify risks and mitigation strategies o Coordinate inclusion and communication with subcontractor teams, maintaining privity with the Agreement Holder and ensuring compliance with OTA terms · Program and subcontractor management o Execute a strategy to engage non-traditional defense contractors, small businesses, and university teams; maximize their significant participation to meet OTA statutory requirements o Track and report non-Federal contributions and the percentage of work performed by small business and non-traditional entities in support of cost-share structure and funding caps o Align team deliverables to Government-prioritized backlog items and measurable mission outcomes; maintain disciplined milestone acceptance and payment processes Required qualifications: · 10+ years of software engineering experience, with 5+ years in technical leadership roles delivering production AI systems in secure or regulated environments · Proven track record designing, building, and fielding agentic AI systems, including: o Agent frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph) and multi-agent orchestration o Advanced prompt engineering, system prompts, and agent persona libraries o Tool use/function calling, logical branching, and state management · Strong cloud expertise in IL5+ environments: o Azure IL5 and/or Google GovCloud; Kubernetes/containers; serverless; VNET/governance; Key Vault/Secrets; identity and access control o Model inference platforms: Google Vertex AI, AWS Bedrock; SDK integration with Gemini Enterprise, Anthropic for Gov, and Grok Enterprise · Data engineering and integration: o Designing secure API integrations and data ingestion pipelines (ETL/ELT) for structured/unstructured sources o Experience with RAG pipelines, embeddings, and vector databases (e.g., pgvector, Pinecone, Weaviate) o Building or integrating metadata catalogs/platforms (MCP) and search APIs (e.g., DataHub, OpenMetadata, Custom MCP) · DevSecOps and compliance: o Implementing CI/CD, automated testing, observability, and secure software supply chain (SBOM, signing) o Familiarity with DoD SRG IL5, FedRAMP High, RMF, and ATO-ready standards; experience preparing ATO packages and security documentation · Agile delivery: o Leading multiple agile teams in short, outcome-focused sprints; driving acceptance of fixed-price milestones and demonstrable prototypes · Programming and tooling: o Expert-level Python and TypeScript/JavaScript; REST/gRPC; OpenAPI; microservices; eventing/queues (Kafka/SQS); relational and NoSQL databases o Strong hands-on ability to produce high-quality code, conduct code reviews, and mentor senior engineers · Communication and leadership: o Exceptional ability to partner with Government stakeholders, synthesize mission needs, and present technical solutions and demos o Experience managing non-traditional subcontractors, small businesses, or academic teams and coordinating multi-party delivery Preferred qualifications: · Prior experience delivering AI capabilities for DoD or IC missions within IL5/IL6 enclaves · Hands-on experience with Azure OpenAI Service in Gov environments; Anthropic Gov offerings and enterprise agentic development platforms · Background in cybersecurity engineering or cloud security architecture; experience with Zero Trust patterns in DoD environments · Experience with red teaming, model evaluation, and AI safety testing for mission-critical workflows Contract-specific requirements and considerations: · Essential personnel: This Senior Technical Lead is considered essential to work performance. Any substitution requires at least 30 calendar days’ prior notice to the Government with justification and a proposed replacement; earlier notice as soon as practicable is required in the event of resignation · Trial and continuation: Lead the 90-day trial period for each Implementation Team and ensure successful demonstration of initial agent prototypes for Government acceptance · Milestones and deliverables: Drive delivery of Phase 1 and Phase 2 milestones, including TMP submission, agent prototype demonstrations, functional agentic workflow modules, live data connector integrations, SDK-based complex agents, MCP alpha release, and final transition package with code, prompts, and documentation · Development environments: Ensure all development and demonstrations occur in Government-specified secure cloud environments; commercial unclassified development requires prior Government approval · Documentation and transition: Prepare comprehensive technical documentation, source code repositories, prompt libraries, and maintenance procedures to support potential follow-on production under 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f) · Non-traditional engagement: Maximize and report significant participation of small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors; coordinate with university teams where applicable Key performance indicators: · Government acceptance of fixed-price milestones and deliverables · Demonstrated mission utility, security compliance, and performance of agentic AI capabilities · Credentialing throughput and timely ramp-up in IL5+ environments · ATO-ready posture of delivered prototypes and completeness of security documentation · Agile velocity, sprint predictability, and quality (defect rates, test coverage, reliability) · Effective multi-team coordination and subcontractor performance Work location and travel: · Primary work will be conducted within Government-designated secure cloud environments; onsite meetings with CDAO Product Owner and stakeholders may be required in the National Capital. Occasional travel to Contractor sites in Northern Virginia as needed. How to succeed in this role: · Be both a hands-on builder and a strategic architect who can own delivery end-to-end · Maintain rigorous security and compliance discipline while moving fast in agile sprints · Communicate clearly, demo frequently, and align tightly with the Government Product Owner’s acceptance criteria · Foster high-performance, outcome-focused teams across internal and non-traditional partners, and deliver capabilities that provide immediate mission value 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