Director, Autonomy Division

Pay Scale: $139,395–$197,200. This position is covered by the Department of War (DoW) Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo) under pay plan NH-0340-04, equivalent to GS-14/15. Location: Washington, DC.

About the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office

The Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) mission is to accelerate the adoption of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) across the Department of War (DoW). The CDAO works across the Military Departments and Services, Joint Staff, Combatant Commands (CCMDs), Office of the Secretary of War (OSW), and other DoW Components to design, develop, field, and scale technologies, capabilities, strategies, policies, and other guidance related to data, analytics, and AI in support of DoW's warfighting and business functions, including responding to crises and emerging challenges with state-of-the-art digital solutions.

The CDAO has three broad goals: enabling, speeding, and scaling adoption of AI in the DoW. Rapid and scalable adoption of AI is a critical capability for DoW support in national security. The CDAO executes that strategy by facilitating the rapid adoption of frontier AI and autonomy, informing future investments into policies, partnerships, and infrastructure, and enabling AI adoption at scale throughout the department.

Adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems (UxS) each year across all domains. While global military unmanned systems production has skyrocketed over the last three years, the United States has been slow to field these capabilities at scale. The Department of War (DoW) is moving at speed to bolster the U.S. drone manufacturing base, arm combat units with low-cost unmanned systems, and train the Joint Force to fight and win with these capabilities.

As the Director, Autonomy Division within CDAO’s Enterprise Directorate, your mission is to deliver the digital capabilities that make rapid autonomy development and deployment possible, enabling the deployment of highly effective, safe, and reliable autonomous systems in days or weeks, rather than years.

Responsibilities

• Division Leadership & Strategic Alignment: Lead the CDAO’s Autonomy Division, defining the strategic roadmap for digital infrastructure and software capabilities that enable rapid autonomy development across the Joint Force. Align the division’s objectives with the Direct Reporting Program Manager for Unmanned Systems and broader DoW warfighting concepts.
• High-Level Stakeholder Integration: Coordinate with the Services, Military Departments, Combatant Commands (CCMDs), Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)), and other UxS stakeholders to ensure synchronized joint capability.
• Commercial & Industrial Base Acceleration: Partner with DIU and commercial industry to rapidly deliver autonomous platforms and capabilities to the DoW. Accelerate the transition of cutting-edge commercial technology, including AI, navigation algorithms, and other technologies, into DoW autonomy programs.
• Budgetary & Programmatic Execution: Strategically direct and plan programmatic funding lines, program elements (PEs), and budget submissions for the Autonomy Division, utilizing rapid acquisition pathways to optimize cost, schedule, and technical performance.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Candidates are encouraged to provide an e-portfolio, project samples, GitHub, or similar materials with their submission package.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration).
• This position is subject to provisions of the WHS/OSW Priority Placement Program.
• A three-year trial period may be required if not previously completed a trial or probationary period in the excepted or competitive service.
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program.
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing.
• This position requires a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance.
• If you are a veteran claiming veteran's preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must submit documents verifying your eligibility with your application package.
• This position may require work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or mandatory overtime.
• This position may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station via military or commercial aircraft.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) Eligibility

The following PPP categories are eligible for this position:

• Military Spouse Preference (MSP): Applicants must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified. A completed Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days must be included with the application (checklist).
• Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians: Applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. A completed Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist must be included (checklist).
• Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement: Applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. A completed Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist must be included (checklist).
• Retained Grade: Applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. A completed Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist must be included (checklist).