AI Practice Lead

Role Description

RIVA Solutions is seeking an innovative and hands-on AI Practice Lead to architect, advance, and scale our next-generation AI capabilities across our core business lines. This strategic and highly visible role combines thought leadership with the technical depth to prototype, design, and deploy cutting-edge AI solutions that deliver measurable impact to both internal operations and federal customers.

• Define and lead the roadmap for RIVA’s AI Practice, ensuring alignment with company strategy and customer mission outcomes.
• Architect and deliver end-to-end AI solutions, including data ingestion, model design, training/tuning, deployment, and lifecycle governance.
• Build and scale AI/ML operations (MLOps) pipelines with automation, monitoring, and version control best practices.
• Serve as a hands-on technical expert, designing proofs of concept (POCs) and implementing AI system components as needed.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to design scalable, secure, and cloud-native AI solutions using AWS and Microsoft Azure AI/ML services.
• Collaborate with BD/Sales teams to develop AI-enabled proposals, build demonstrations, and engage with customers during pre-sales activities.
• Establish and promote AI delivery standards, frameworks, and governance models emphasizing ethical and responsible AI use.
• Integrate cybersecurity, compliance, and data privacy standards into AI architectures.
• Track and evaluate emerging AI trends to identify new capabilities for adoption within RIVA’s delivery teams.
• Mentor and grow a multi-disciplinary AI team of engineers, data scientists, and designers.
• Define and monitor KPIs to measure AI adoption, customer success, and delivery quality across projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Development, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience delivering AI/ML-based solutions, including at least 5 years in an architecture or technical leadership capacity.
• Proven hands-on experience building AI prototypes, ML models, and production-grade pipelines.
• Strong experience with AWS and Microsoft Azure AI/ML services and cloud-native data architectures.
• Expertise in machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and large language model (LLM) deployment and governance.
• Familiarity with MLOps practices, continuous integration, and model lifecycle management.
• Experience applying human-centered design principles to AI-driven solutions.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity and data compliance considerations in AI environments.
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to interface with both technical and executive stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtain a Federal Security Clearance.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Software Development.
• Experience deploying Generative AI (GenAI) or LLM-based solutions in enterprise or federal environments.
• Background building or scaling AI practices, Centers of Excellence (CoEs), or reusable AI frameworks.
• Proficiency with Infrastructure as Code (IaC), containerization, and scalable microservice architectures.
• Familiarity with low-code/no-code AI platforms or workflow automation tools.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off / Sick Leave
• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Life Insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan with Company Match
• HSA/FSA Spending Accounts
• Long- and Short-term Disability
• Pet Insurance
• Wellness Program Initiatives
• RIVA Flex (Flexible Hours and Hybrid Work Support)