Principal AI & Emerging Tech Specialist , Emerging Technology

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the leading cloud provider, operating a globally distributed and resilient environment at massive scale. The World Wide Public Sector (WWPS) team seeks an AI & Emerging Tech Specialist to accelerate customers' journey in transforming mission areas and business functions with emerging technologies like generative AI, high-performance computing, and quantum.

About the role

As an AI & Emerging Tech Specialist on the AWS National Security Emerging Technology team, you will focus on developing customer use cases, driving adoption, and shaping go-to-market strategy across U.S. Defense and Intelligence agencies. You will work backwards from mission needs to develop integrated solutions leveraging AWS and partner data, analytics, generative AI, and emerging technologies. This role requires U.S. citizenship and an active Top Secret security clearance, with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance with polygraph.

Responsibilities

• Prospect into new AI and emerging technology customers and buying centers by identifying mission-driven use cases for generative AI, agentic AI, ML at the edge, quantum, and other emerging capabilities in collaboration with AWS account teams and partners.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in AI and emerging technologies, providing specialized sales guidance, technical enablement, and thought leadership to account teams and customers.
• Engage regularly with national security executives and mission owners to understand requirements, architectures, and technology roadmaps, introducing AWS AI, data, analytics, and emerging technology services to accelerate mission outcomes.
• Negotiate and close large, complex AI and emerging technology opportunities across multiple agencies and buying centers to drive adoption at scale.
• Collaborate with Amazon business leaders—including account teams, engineering leaders, professional services, and technical program managers—to align emerging technology solutions with customer mission needs.
• Represent the voice of the customer, bringing feedback to product teams and leading curation of custom feature requests, regional availability requirements, and unique mission use cases across classified and unclassified environments.
• Identify opportunities for Marketing and Public Policy engagements to position AWS as a trusted partner for AI and emerging technologies in the national security community.
• Leverage Defense and Professional Associations to establish AWS as a thought and industry leader, deepening customer intimacy, nurturing partner relationships, and uncovering new opportunities.

About the team

The National Security Emerging Technology team specializes in AI and emerging technologies, including generative AI, frontier AI, ML at the edge, quantum, mission networking, and advanced computing. The team combines deep technical expertise with mission knowledge to accelerate responsible adoption across classified and unclassified environments. As a trusted partner to end users, agency leadership, and the policy community, the team helps customers navigate the rapidly evolving AI and emerging technology landscape to deliver mission impact.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent work experience.
• 7+ years of technology platform sales with an understanding of government IT, data centers, cloud services, and cloud adoption experience.
• Experience working cross-functionally with tech and non-tech teams.
• Current, active U.S. Government Security Clearance of Top Secret or above.

Preferred qualifications

• 10+ years of direct sales or business development in software, cloud, or SaaS markets selling to C-level executives.
• Experience with AI/ML technologies.
• Experience in one or more of the following domains: analytics, security, storage, DevOps, application development, or machine learning.
• Experience interpreting data and making business recommendations.
• Experience developing, negotiating, and executing business agreements.
• Experience with generative AI, foundation models, or agentic AI solutions.
• Track record of building new business categories or emerging technology practices from the ground up.

Benefits

Amazon offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D, and optional supplemental life plans).
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and mental health support.
• Medical Advice Line and Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage.
• 401(k) matching.
• Paid time off and parental leave.

Pay

Base salary ranges:

• Jessup, MD: $176,100 - $238,200 USD annually.
• Arlington, VA: $176,100 - $238,200 USD annually.
• Herndon, VA: $176,100 - $238,200 USD annually.

Compensation package includes sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location.