Lead Federal Software Engineer, AI/SaaS

Join AutogenAI – Revolutionizing Proposal Writing with generative AI AutogenAI is a leader in generative AI SaaS, transforming how organizations draft and optimise winning proposals through cutting-edge natural language processing technology. We are one of the fastest-growing AI companies in the world, expanding rapidly to meet the increasing demand for AI-driven solutions across industries. Our innovation stems from a belief that language AI technology will revolutionize business communication over the next decade. We empower our clients to grow faster and more efficiently by delivering AI language engines customized to their needs that save time, improve content quality, and increase win rates in highly competitive markets. AutogenAI is a company where everyone can have a career-defining experience and success is achieved by fostering a culture where innovation and ambition thrive. As we scale, passionate professionals are invited to join our journey of innovation, helping shape the future of AI-powered business solutions.

Job Summary:

AutogenAI is looking for a Technical Lead to own the technical face of our business in the US federal/GovCon market and lead a small, high-impact team delivering our US product-facing work. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has genuinely sat in federal procurement and enterprise sales conversations before - you know how to speak the language of GovCon stakeholders, translate their requirements into engineering reality, and represent the technical side of AutogenAI credibly alongside your sales peers.

You’ll lead a lean team of a DevSecOps Engineer and a Forward Deployed Engineer, while staying close enough to the code and infrastructure to jump in wherever the work demands it. We’re a startup moving fast - this role is about getting things done, not managing process. You’ll have real autonomy and real accountability for outcomes.

While you and your team will handle DevOps/platform work as needed (we’re a lean team and it’s all hands on deck), the primary focus is technical leadership and building: client-facing credibility, driving delivery for US customers, scoping and building the features that matter, and leading others who make that happen day to day.

Location:

This role is preferably based in the Northern Virginia/DC Metro GovCon corridor, including Tysons, Reston, Herndon, Chantilly, Arlington, Fairfax, and the surrounding DC market. NYC may be considered for an otherwise exceptional candidate. Some travel may be required in the DC-area for customer meetings, with periodic travel to the Midtown NYC office as needed.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Representing Engineering in the room: Act as the technical counterpart to our sales team in enterprise-level discussions with federal and GovCon stakeholders - pre-sales calls, technical due diligence, procurement conversations, and ongoing account relationships.
• Rapid Prototyping: Build small, high-impact, demoable features fast - against direct sales, CS, or customer pain - so the team can validate an idea in front of a prospect rather than promise it.
• Leading US product-facing technical delivery: Collaborate with Global Leadership to build the technical roadmap and execution for work that touches our US customers, from initial scoping through delivery.
• Leading a small team: Manage and grow a DevSecOps Engineer and a Forward Deployed Engineer. Set priorities, unblock them, and make sure the team is delivering for customers while also developing as engineers.
• Staying hands-on: As a lean, fast-moving team, you and your reports will pitch in on platform, DevOps, and infrastructure work as needed - this isn’t a purely product or people management role. You’re comfortable rolling up your sleeves and building.
• Bridging US and global engineering: Much of our broader engineering organization sits in the UK. You’ll be the connective tissue ensuring US-specific requirements (FedRAMP High, GovCon compliance needs, customer-specific constraints) are understood and reflected in the wider product.
• Building trust with customers on the ground: Work directly and iteratively with federal customers to understand their environment and deliver solutions that fit real-world constraints - a true forward-deployed mindset.
• Federal Support: As one of a small US-based group cleared to work inside the FedRAMP environment, contribute to federal deployment support and the on-call rota alongside our DevSecOps and FDE engineer.

What You’ll Bring to the Team:

• Federal/GovCon Credibility: Real experience working within federal or regulated-environment procurement, compliance, and delivery norms (FedRAMP, GSA, or similar) - and the confidence to represent that expertise directly to customers and internal sales partners.
• A Bias to Action: You get things done. You’re not precious about process for its own sake, and you know how to move fast responsibly in a startup environment.
• Team Leadership: Experience leading or mentoring engineers, ideally in a small-team or startup setting where you’re still close to the technical work.
• Technical Range: You’re comfortable enough across the stack (application, DevOps, infrastructure) to jump in and help your team when the lean structure demands it, even if it’s not your primary focus day to day.
• Communication Skills: You build rapport quickly, both with internal teams and external stakeholders, and can translate between technical and business/procurement language fluently.
• Ownership: You care about outcomes for the customer and the team, not just your own individual output.

Requirements:

• Experience: 7+ years in technical roles, including direct experience in federal/GovCon environments (compliance, procurement, or delivery)
• Client-facing Experience: Proven track record representing engineering in enterprise-level sales or customer conversations with federal/GovCon personas
• Leadership Experience: Experience leading or managing a small technical team (direct reports or strong informal leadership)
• Stack Familiarity: comfort with our TypeScript stack (Express, NestJS, React); Python a bonus
• Working DevOps/Platform Knowledge: Familiarity with Kubernetes, helmcharts, Docker, aws commands (or equivalent in the cloud provider you have used), and scripting - enough to contribute hands-on when the team needs it
• We are only able to consider applications from US Citizens or Green card holders

Preferred Qualifications:

• Forward-Deployed Engineering Experience: Experience working directly and iteratively with enterprise or federal customers on-site or in close collaboration
• Production LLM Experience: Hands-on experience building and shipping LLM-powered features in production.
• Prompt Engineering and Context Techniques: Practical grasp of prompt engineering, RAG, and related techniques for getting reliable behaviour out of LLMs.
• DevSecOps Awareness: Experience with security-focused DevOps practices in regulated environments
• Proposal Management Context: Understanding of US public-sector procurement, GovCon workflows, or regulated-environment requirements (FedRAMP, GSA, and similar).

Compensation and Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: $180,000 - $250,000 depending on specific experience and qualifications relevant to the role.
• Stock Options: Meaningful equity in the company.
• Comprehensive medical/dental/life insurance: Insurance coverage for individuals and families partially paid by the company as well as opportunity to participate in pre-tax health Flexible Spending Account.
• Retirement Plan: Ability to invest your pre-tax dollars in a 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions.
• Paid Time Off: Unlimited vacation (Yes, you read right!)
• Flexible Work Options: This role will be based in Washington DC, the DC beltway, or NYC - periodic visits to our Midtown NYC office are required for collaboration.
• Paid parental leave: 12 weeks if you’ve just given birth, 4 weeks if your partner has just given birth (after one year of year of service)
• Additional Perks: Your choice of laptop (Mac or Windows), regular company events to connect with teammates, and opportunities for continued professional development.

Values in Action:

• Customers, Always : Everything starts with our customers. We walk in their shoes, speak their language, and build for their delight and success. We win when they win.
• Make It Happen : We move fast and take ownership. No waiting, no red tape – just action, urgency, and focus on outcomes. We ask for forgiveness, not permission.
• Learn and Invent : We stay curious. We learn what we can from past masters - and make up the rest. Change is constant, and so is our growth.
• Act Like Owners : Titles don’t solve problems - people do. We own challenges, break the rules when it’s necessary, and focus on what matters.
• Turn It Up to 11 : There is no "Good enough". We raise the bar, push boundaries, and keep building. There’s always a next level.
• Lead With Respect : We listen first, speak honestly, and value every perspective. Integrity, follow-through, and kindness matter.
• Build Trust Through Transparency : We default to openness. We give feedback, share information, and assume positive intent - no secrets, no silos.

AutogenAI is an merit-based equal opportunity employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.