Senior AI Engineer

Location: Tallahassee, FL (Hybrid)

The Senior AI Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and deploying enterprise-grade Generative AI and automation solutions that transform internal operations, systems, and workflows. This role focuses on hands-on engineering and implementation, delivering secure, scalable, and compliant AI capabilities within NOVA's Azure Government (GCC High) environment, working across NOVA's hybrid AI/automation stack which includes Azure OpenAI Service, the N8N workflow automation platform, the OpenClaw personal AI assistant platform, Microsoft 365 GCC High, and the broader Microsoft Azure Government ecosystem.

Working within the IT organization, this individual will partner with IT leadership and architecture stakeholders to implement AI solutions aligned with enterprise standards and federal compliance requirements, while directly developing high-impact applications and automation capabilities. The Senior AI Engineer will also lead Agile / Scrum development practices for the AI and automation program, driving iterative delivery of value to the business.

Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential job functions for this position include:

Enterprise AI Architecture & Strategy

• Contribute to the design and implementation of AI and automation solutions across NOVA's hybrid stack, including Azure OpenAI Service, N8N (workflow automation), OpenClaw (personal AI assistants), Microsoft 365 GCC High, and Azure Government, aligning with defined enterprise architecture and standards.
• Contribute to and maintain a multi-year AI and automation roadmap aligned with enterprise IT strategy and federal compliance requirements.
• Support implementation of AI governance, security, and usage policies in alignment with the NOVA AI Tool Program (Tier 0-Tier 3 model), CMMC 2.0, NIST SP 800-171, and DoD data protection requirements.
• Ensure AI implementation meets enterprise identity, access management, and data security controls (e.g., Entra ID, RBAC, Conditional Access, managed identities).
• Provide technical input into evaluation and selection of AI tools, models, and platforms appropriate for GCC High and Azure Government environments.

Hands-On AI Engineering & Solution Delivery

• Design, build, and deploy Generative AI applications, copilots, agents, and automation workflows leveraging Azure OpenAI Service, N8N, OpenClaw, Microsoft Graph API, Power Platform, and Copilot Studio.
• Develop and implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions using enterprise data sources such as SharePoint Online (GCC High), Teams, document libraries, and internal knowledge repositories.
• Build secure APIs, services, webhooks, and integrations connecting AI solutions to enterprise platforms and line-of-business systems.
• Prototype and rapidly deploy high-value use cases that automate internal processes and improve productivity across business units.
• Optimize AI systems for performance, cost, scalability, and secure operation within government cloud constraints, including managed identity authentication, private networking, and data residency requirements.
• Develop reusable AI and automation components, services, integration patterns, and workflow templates to support scalable solution delivery.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and continuously improve AI and automation systems in production environments, maintaining appropriate logging, monitoring, and alerting.

Enterprise Automation & Ecosystem Integration

• Identify and implement automation solutions in collaboration with business stakeholders and IT leadership, prioritizing high-value, repeatable, cross-functional automations.
• Integrate AI capabilities into enterprise tools to enhance collaboration, knowledge management, and operational efficiency.
• Leverage Microsoft Graph, N8N connectors, OpenClaw skills, and other enterprise data connectors to integrate AI capabilities with line-of-business systems including ServiceNow, Salesforce, and similar enterprise SaaS platforms.
• Partner with stakeholders across business units to redesign and modernize workflows using AI-enabled capabilities.

AI Governance, Security & Compliance

• Implement responsible AI practices within an Azure Government / GCC High-compliant environment, including data protection, access controls, and usage policies.
• Apply established guardrails and security controls to mitigate risks such as data leakage, prompt injection, model misuse, and insecure outputs.
• Ensure developed solutions align with federal cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance standards, and with the NOVA AI Tool Program tiering model.
• Support implementation of monitoring, logging, and auditing using Microsoft security and compliance tools (Purview, Defender, Sentinel) and platform-native logging (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, SIEM).
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to ensure AI and automation systems align with the organization's path toward CMMC 2.0certification and enterprise security posture.

Technical Leadership & Agile Delivery

• Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for AI and automation engineering within NOVA's Azure Government / GCC High environment.
• Lead Agile / Scrum development practices for the AI and automation program, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, backlog grooming, sprint reviews, and retrospectives, ensuring iterative delivery of value to the business.
• Maintain and prioritize the AI/automation product backlog in partnership with IT leadership and business stakeholders, translating business needs into well-defined user stories, acceptance criteria, and technical tasks.
• Establish and enforce engineering practices including version control, code review, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, and documentation standards across the AI/automation portfolio.
• Collaborate with IT leadership and architecture teams to align AI and automation solutions with enterprise strategy.
• Lead internal adoption of AI capabilities, including training, enablement, and change management in partnership with business units.
• Mentor IT staff and cross-functional teams on AI technologies, automation platforms, and modern engineering practices.
• Communicate technical solutions and capabilities effectively to executive, technical, and non-technical stakeholders.
• Other duties as required.

Competencies

Required skills and abilities to effectively perform this position include, but are not limited to:

• Skilled in applying Generative AI and Large Language Model engineering concepts to business and technical use cases.
• Ability to architect secure AI solutions within Microsoft 365 GCC High, Azure Government, and other regulated cloud environments.
• Skilled in developing AI workflow automation using tools such as Power Platform, Copilot Studio, N8N, or equivalent platforms.
• Ability to design and support personal AI assistant, agent, and workflow orchestration platforms.
• Skilled in designing retrieval-augmented generation solutions, including embeddings, vector databases, and enterprise data retrieval systems(RAG, vector databases).
• Ability to integrate AI and automation solutions with enterprise platforms such as ServiceNow, Salesforce, or equivalent SaaS applications.
• Ability to apply secure software engineering practices to AI implementation, including compliance, governance, access control, and data protection considerations.
• Skilled in interpreting and supporting federal compliance requirements, including CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, and DoD cybersecurity requirements.
• Ability to lead Agile/Scrum delivery activities, including backlog management, sprint planning, prioritization, and stakeholder coordination.
• Skilled in modern software engineering practices, including version control, CI/CD, code review, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues and develop practical, hands-on engineering solutions.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to executive, technical, and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive enterprise adoption, change management, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, secure, and compliance-driven environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field required. Master's degree in AI, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 6-12 yearsof experience in software engineering, AI/ML engineering, or related technical roles.
• Demonstrated experience designing and deploying production-grade AI/ML or Generative AI systems.
• Strong programming experience in Python and experience with APIs, backend systems, and integrations.
• Experience working in Microsoft 365 GCC High or Azure Government environments.
• Experience with Azure OpenAI, Copilot technologies, Power Platform, and Microsoft Graph.
• Experience designing, deploying, and operating workflow automation platforms such as N8N, Power Automate, or equivalent.
• Familiarity with AI agent and personal assistant platforms is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience leading Agile / Scrum development teams, including sprint planning, backlog management, and iterative delivery.
• Experience in federal contracting, DoD, or highly regulated environments.
• Familiarity with CMMC2.0, NIST SP 800-171, FedRAMP, or similar frameworks.
• Experience implementing enterprise-wide digital or AI transformation initiatives.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Preferred experience integrating with ServiceNow (e.g., ITSM workflows, incident/request automation, REST API integrations).
• Preferred experiencewith data science, databases,andintegrating withoperational dashboards(e.g., CRM data flows, Apex/REST API integrations, AI-enabled workflow automation).

Required Licenses, Certifications, or Registrations

• Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate,Azure DevOps Engineer,Azure Data Engineer Associate,or Azure Solutions Architect certifications preferred.
• Security or compliance certifications such as CISSP are a plus.
• Agile / Scrum certifications (e.g., Certified ScrumMaster, PMI-ACP) are a plus.

Supervisory Responsibility
This position may not have direct supervisory responsibility over others but may provide technical leadership and mentorship to IT staff and cross-functional teams.


Work Environment, Programs, and Tools

This position operates in an office environment and requires the individual to type, sit, stand, talk, and listen.


Required knowledge of the following tools, equipment, and programs includes: computers, phones, copier/scanner/fax, Microsoft-centric environment including Microsoft 365 GCC High, Azure Government, Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft Graph, and Power Platform; workflow automation platforms (N8N or equivalent); AI assistant / agent platforms (OpenClaw or equivalent); generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, etc.); enterprise SaaS platforms such as ServiceNow and Salesforce; Agile project management tools (Azure DevOps, Jira, or equivalent); version control platforms (Git/GitHub); secure development practices; and enterprise IT governance tools.


Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This position will be located at our corporate office in Tallahassee, FL and will require adherence to Corporate core hours of operation within the Eastern time zone. This location works hybrid, with the expectation of working in the office at least 2 days out of the week. This position is a full-time salaried exempt position, expected to work no less than 80 hours a payroll period. This position may require evening/weekend work and work outside of the typical work hours when needed to support enterprise needs.


Travel

Up to 10-15% travel required for strategic planning sessions, leadership meetings, and internal coordination.


Security Clearance

Ability to obtain and maintain an Active Secret clearance required.


Other Duties
This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of activities, duties, responsibilities, and standards required of this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

AAP/EEO Statement
NOVA Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, consistent with Title VII), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.