Technical Director, AI Decision Systems

About the role

DEFCON AI is seeking a Technical Director, AI Decision Systems to lead the cross-functional team delivering a new AI-enabled decision-support capability for the federal government. The team spans product and design, software engineering, data architecture, applied analytics, AI solutioning, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, quality engineering, and technical transition.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the cross-functional delivery team spanning product, design, engineering, data, AI, analytics, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, and quality.
• Owning technical strategy, architecture, execution, and delivery from discovery through operational deployment.
• Translate mission needs and product priorities into clear technical plans, release objectives, and engineering decisions.
• Align software, data, AI, infrastructure, security, and quality into one integrated system.
• Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing technical organization.
• Make architecture, integration, tooling, and delivery decisions that balance speed, security, quality, and maintainability.
• Identify and resolve technical risks, dependencies, and ambiguity before they impact delivery.
• Partner effectively with customers, product leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Remain technically hands-on enough to challenge assumptions, review designs, and solve hard problems.
• Significant accomplishment in software engineering, AI/ML, data systems, analytics, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, product technology, or a comparable technical discipline.
• Experience leading complex technical efforts across multiple teams and specialties.
• Demonstrated ability to turn ambiguity into working systems and measurable outcomes.
• Strong systems thinking, communication skills, and leadership judgment.
• Experience delivering cloud-native software from concept through deployment and operations.

Qualifications

• US Citizenship Required.
• In scope US Secret clearance.
• Elevated security requirements apply to portions of this work and are discussed during the interview process.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% to customer sites, DEFCON AI HQ, and vendor facilities as required.

A Note to Candidates: You do not need to have held this exact title before to be a strong candidate. We encourage accomplished practitioners from software engineering, data, AI, analytics, product technology, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, design, or quality engineering who are ready to lead across disciplines and grow a team around an important mission. A thoughtful cover letter will materially strengthen your application. Tell us what you have built, where your technical depth comes from, why you are ready to lead beyond your primary discipline, and how you approach a zero-to-one effort where the team, architecture, and operating model are all taking shape.