Artificial Intelligence Engineer (Key Personnel)

Location: Remote (Supporting Eastern Time Zone)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Security Requirement: Tier 4 / High Risk Background Investigation
Travel: Approximately two trips per year (seven trips over the life of the contract)

Salary Range: $180,000-$210,000

Position Overview

MKS2 is seeking an experienced Artificial Intelligence Engineer (Key Personnel) to support the development, implementation, and optimization of advanced AI and machine learning solutions for a federal government program. This role will serve as a technical leader responsible for designing, building, training, deploying, and maintaining AI-driven systems that address complex business and mission requirements. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, software engineering, and cloud-based technologies within large enterprise or government environments.

The Artificial Intelligence Engineer will collaborate closely with data scientists, software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, stakeholders, and government leadership to develop innovative solutions that drive operational efficiency, decision-making, and mission outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, deploy, and maintain enterprise-scale artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions.
• Lead the creation of predictive models, natural language processing applications, generative AI solutions, and advanced analytics platforms.
• Develop and implement machine learning algorithms and model architectures for real-world business challenges.
• Build and optimize data pipelines, feature engineering processes, and model training environments.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and recommend innovative solutions to enhance mission performance.
• Ensure AI solutions align with security, privacy, compliance, and governance requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software developers, cybersecurity specialists, data engineers, and business stakeholders.
• Support cloud-based AI deployments and model operationalization activities.
• Conduct model validation, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and thought leadership on AI strategies and capabilities.
• Develop technical documentation, architecture diagrams, implementation plans, and executive briefings.
• Participate in program reviews, stakeholder meetings, and technical working groups.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in information technology security, data science, software engineering, or related technical disciplines.
• At least 5 years of experience designing, developing, or deploying artificial intelligence or machine learning systems within enterprise or government environments.
• Experience delivering AI-enabled solutions for large organizations or federal agencies similar in size and complexity to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or General Services Administration (GSA).
• Demonstrated experience implementing AI and machine learning solutions in production environments.

Substitution:

• A PhD in Information Technology Security, Data Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline may substitute for up to five years of the required experience.

Required Education

Master’s degree in one of the following disciplines:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Business Administration
• Business Management
• Cybersecurity
• Computer Science
• Information Systems
• Information Assurance
• Information Security
• Information Resource Management
• Related field

Required Certifications

Must possess one or more of the following:

• Information Assurance Technician (IAT) Level III
• Information Assurance Management (IAM) Level III
• Information Assurance System Architect and Engineer (IASAE) Level III

Required Expertise

• Extensive experience working on data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence projects.
• Experience building, training, testing, and deploying machine learning models in production environments.
• Expertise collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including data scientists, software engineers, architects, cybersecurity personnel, and business stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of data preparation, data quality, cleansing, transformation, and feature engineering techniques.
• Experience applying AI technologies to complex business and mission challenges.
• Knowledge of responsible AI principles, model governance, security considerations, and ethical AI practices.
• Experience supporting federal government organizations or large enterprise environments.
• Hands-on experience with AI frameworks, machine learning libraries, and cloud-based AI services.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Security Requirement

• Must be able to successfully complete and maintain a Tier 4 / High Risk Background Investigation.

Place of Performance

• Remote position supporting Eastern Time Zone operations.
• Meetings and coordination activities may occur at the Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO), 811 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC.
• Routine onsite support is not anticipated.

Hours of Operation

• Available during standard Federal Government business days.
• Must be responsive during core business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

Travel Requirements

• Support program-related meetings and events as required.
• Government anticipates approximately two trips per year, totaling seven trips across the contract period.

Why Join MKS2?

At MKS2, we partner with federal agencies to deliver innovative technology solutions that improve mission outcomes and enhance operational effectiveness. Our team is committed to excellence, collaboration, and continuous innovation while supporting some of the nation's most important programs. This role offers the opportunity to help shape the future of artificial intelligence within the federal government sector while working in a highly collaborative and mission-driven environment.