AI/ML Principal Engineer

The AI/ML Principal Engineer partners with data scientists, ML engineers, and intelligence analysts to design, evaluate, and integrate advanced AI/ML capabilities across Military Operational Systems and advance NextGen products and services. This role shapes technical direction, supports government stakeholders, and helps transition cutting-edge models and analytics into operational environments.

Responsibilities

• Deliver AI/ML-focused systems engineering expertise to validate technical and operational solutions.
• Design and develop AI/ML-based solutions for defense, intelligence, and mission applications.
• Contribute AI/ML engineering inputs to acquisition documents (SOWs, specifications, engineering plans, evaluation strategies).
• Prepare analysis products and strategic recommendations aligned to government objectives.
• Diagnose and resolve AI/ML system challenges to ensure reliability and mission readiness.
• Define problem spaces, lead studies, and supervise analytical data collection to support decision-making.
• Provide guidance and consultation to cross-functional personnel.
• Assist in implementing modern AI/ML frameworks, tools, and software development practices.
• Support development and assessment of research and SBIR topics, BOMs, RFPs, and related artifacts.
• Communicate progress clearly to leadership and government stakeholders.

Qualifications

• BS in Computer Science or related field; MS/PhD preferred.
• 8+ years of relevant experience in AI/ML, applied analytics, or systems engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn emerging technologies in evolving mission domains.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex, diverse data sets.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience building, optimizing, and maintaining large-scale distributed data pipelines.
• Familiarity with a range of ML models and intelligence-analytic use cases.
• Understanding of AI/ML system performance factors such as model validation, statistical analysis, and operational constraints.
• Foundational knowledge of the intelligence cycle and intelligence data production workflows.
• Proficiency in modern algorithms, data science methods, and systems/network security fundamentals.
• Top Secret Clearance (with ability to obtain SCI) preferred. Highly qualified Secret-cleared candidates may also be considered.

Desired Qualifications

Defense / Intelligence / Federal Experience

• Experience supporting U.S. Army organizations (e.g., DEVCOM, C5ISR Center, INSCOM, CPE ISW, CPE C2IN, etc.) or similar Military or Intelligence organizations.
• Background in DoD or Federal RDT&E environments or government labs.
• Familiarity with EW, SIGINT, Cyber, or multi-domain operations/systems.

Mission-Aligned AI/ML Experience

• Experience applying AI/ML to operational military use cases such as:
  • Tactical edge AI/ML model deployment on constrained compute environments.
  • RF analytics, blind signal detection, electronic support/attack workflows, or sensor-tasking automation.
  • Integrating AI/ML agents with EW/SIGINT payloads, software-defined radios, or vehicle-mounted systems.
• Experience developing or integrating models in C5ISR domains—including all-source analytics, cyber intelligence, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, PED, weather analytics, or data fusion.
• Familiarity with containerized AI/ML deployment (e.g., GPU-accelerated pipelines, DevSecOps, CI/CD environments) aligned to enterprise architectures.
• Background supporting system-of-systems engineering, rapid prototyping, or “quick reaction” capability development for government customers.

Technical & Architectural

• Understanding of MOSA principles (e.g., CMOSS, VICTORY, MORA) and digital engineering/MBSE practices.
• Experience designing or integrating distributed analytics with Army (or similar) cloud or hybrid-edge environments.
• Proficiency with data taxonomies, interoperability standards, and mission-data synchronization across tactical and enterprise systems.

About NextGen:

NextGen Federal Systems is an innovative technology and professional services provider specializing in advanced software solutions and comprehensive mission and business support services. We work in close collaboration with our customers to truly understand their business and mission goals. Our approach is to design, build, implement, and manage solutions that measurably improve our client’s organizational performance. We have established and foster a corporate culture where we:

• Treat employees with fairness and respect regardless of their position, sexual identity, race, or tenure.
• Communicate the importance of our mission and our employees’ contributions to it, ensuring they understand how their job role contributes to the greater good.
• Openly promote and communicate our ideas for change and adaptability.
• Strive to achieve results as an organization.
• Hold employees accountable to their commitments and provide incentives that encourage positive and productive behaviors.
• Value the talents and contributions of our employees as the key factor for our success.
• Create an environment where people can engage at all levels.
• Encourage people to take risks and allow them to make mistakes.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.