Axial Search is working with a mid-sized federal IT and cybersecurity services firm to hire a Chief AI Architect & Engineer. The company works directly with national security and federal civilian agencies and is looking to formalize and scale its AI architecture and delivery capabilities across multiple programs.

This is a senior, hands-on technical leadership role for someone who can own AI strategy and build real systems — not just advise on them. The role sits at the intersection of solution architecture, engineering, and client engagement, with direct visibility to executive leadership and government stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

Lead AI architecture strategy and technical roadmaps across federal programs and initiatives.
Design and build end-to-end AI/ML solutions including LLM-based systems, RAG architectures, vector databases, and orchestration frameworks.
Partner with federal stakeholders to identify high-impact AI opportunities and translate mission needs into deployed solutions.
Guide solutions through the full lifecycle — concept through prototype through production deployment.
Act as the primary technical liaison between government customers, internal engineering teams, and external partners.
Architect solutions within federal security and compliance frameworks (RMF, FedRAMP) across AWS, Azure, or GCP environments.

Candidate requirements

U.S. citizen (required).
7+ years in solution architecture, technical consulting, or field engineering with a focus on AI/ML.
Deep hands-on experience with LLMs, generative AI pipelines, prompt engineering, RAG, and orchestration frameworks (LangChain, Semantic Kernel, or similar).
Strong cloud architecture background with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and infrastructure-as-code (Terraform or similar).
Proven ability to lead AI initiatives from concept through production in complex, high-visibility environments.
Exceptional communication skills — able to translate technical AI concepts into mission impact for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience supporting DoD, DHS, or Federal Civilian agencies preferred.