AI Development Lead

TheIncLab
  • McLean, VA
    20 days ago

    Job Description

    The Mission Starts Here

    TheIncLab engineers and delivers intelligent digital applications and platforms that revolutionize how our customers and mission-critical teams achieve success.  

    We are where innovation meets purpose; and where your career can meet purpose as well.  We are looking for an AI Development Lead to join our RAPID AI Research team to deliver TheIncLab's vision. Our work spans the full AI lifecycle, from research and early prototyping through production-grade systems impacting real customers. We encourage you to apply and take the first step in joining our dynamic and impactful company. 

    Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept

    • As an AI Development Lead, you will work cross-functionally with product, engineering, and business leaders to translate cutting-edge AI research into scalable, reliable, and mission-impacting software. We encourage you to apply and take the first step in joining our dynamic and impactful company.   
    • What will you do
    • Drive Technical Strategy & ExecutionLead architecture, design, and delivery of AI/ML systems, including LLMs, RAG workflows, agents, and foundation models from prototyping to production.
    • Lead End-to-End AI LifecycleOversee model development including data preparation, training/optimization, evaluation/validation, deployment, monitoring, and iteration. Ensure systems adhere to robustness, scalability, observability, and ethical AI standards.
    • Collaborate Cross-FunctionallyPartner with product managers, data engineers, UX/design, and business stakeholders to define requirements, set priorities, and deliver impactful AI solutions aligned to business needs.
    • Establish Best PracticesChampion CI/CD and MLOps practices, including model versioning, automated pipelines, performance monitoring, and reproducibility.
    • Mentorship & LeadershipMentor engineers and scientists, fostering high engineering standards, technical growth, innovation, and accountability.
    • Research & Innovation ImpactStay ahead of industry advancements in generative AI, foundational model tech, self-supervised learning, optimization techniques, RLHF, and robustness/interpretability. Apply research insights to product enhancements and novel solutions. 

    What Success Looks Like

    • Robust, scalable, and maintainable foundations for TheIncLab’s products and services
    • Increased velocity of AI development through strong engineering processes
    • High team morale and growth through mentorship and technical leadership
    • Measurably better customer outcomes informed by AI research
    • You are an analytical and inventive thinker who loves both building and leading. You deliver systems that work at scale.
    • You combine research fluency with practical engineering rigor to bridge innovation and production delivery.

    You Are:

    • Innovative. You constantly survey emerging AI technologies and apply them where they advance business value.
    • Collaborative. You communicate technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences alike.
    • A Proven Leader. You set direction, elevate execution quality, and nurture talent.
    • Technical & Hands-On. Comfortable writing production-grade code and architecting systems with deep knowledge of modern AI frameworks.

    Requirements

    Capabilities that will enable your success

    • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or related field.
    • Minimum 5+ years in AI/ML development with clear progression into technical leadership roles.
    • Experience from concept through execution and operationalization of AI/ML systems.
    • Deep understanding of generative AI architectures, training paradigms, and foundation models.
    • Hands-on experience with large deep learning models: language, vision, event, or graph domains.
    • Expertise in one or more advanced topics: self-supervised learning, training optimization, robustness, explainability, RLHF.
    • Demonstrated record of delivering AI systems at scale, both training compute and inference loads.
    • Experience building platform-level capabilities or reusable libraries that uplift other teams.
    • Track record of meaningful contributions to the field, such as publications, open-source code, or recognized projects.
    • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to align AI work with business strategy.
    • Willingness to travel to customer sites as needed. 

    Preferred Qualifications

    Graduate degrees preferred.

    Clearance Requirements

    Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen and willing and eligible to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance at the Secret or Top-Secret level. Existing clearance is preferred.

    Benefits

    Benefits

    At TheIncLab we recognize that innovation thrives when employees are provided with ample support and resources. Our benefits packages reflect that: 

    • Hybrid and flexible work schedules 
    • Professional development programs 
    • Training and certification reimbursement 
    • Extended and floating holiday schedule  
    • Paid time off and Paid volunteer time 
    • Health and Wellness Benefits include options for Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance along with access to Wellness, Mental Health, and Employee Assistance Programs. 
    • Supplemental Life Insurance options for employees and family members.
    • 401(k) Plan Options with employer matching 
    • Incentive bonuses for eligible clearances, performance, and employee referrals. 
    • A company culture that values your individual strengths, career goals, and contributions to the team. 

    About TheIncLab

    Founded in 2015, TheIncLab (“TIL”) is the first human-centered artificial intelligence (AI+X) lab.  We engineer complex, integrated solutions that combine cutting-edge AI technologies with emerging systems-of-systems to solve some of the most difficult challenges in the defense and aerospace industries.  Our work spans diverse technological landscapes, from rapid ideation and prototyping to deployment.  

    At TIL, we foster a culture of relentless optimism.  No problem is too hard, no project is too big, and no challenge is too complex to tackle. This is possible due to the positive attitude of our teams.  We approach every problem with a “yes” attitude and focus on results.  Our motto, “demo or die,” encompasses the idea that failure is not an option.  

    We do all of this with a work ethic rooted in kindness and professionalism.  The positive attitude of our teams is only possible due to the support TIL provides to each individual.  

    At TIL, we believe that every challenge is an opportunity for growth and innovation.  Our teams are encouraged to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to complex problems.  We understand that the path to success is not always straightforward, but we are committed to persevering and finding a way forward. 

    Our culture of relentless optimism is not just about having a positive attitude; it is about taking action and making things happen.  We believe in the power of collaboration and teamwork, and we know that by working together, we can achieve great things.  Our teams are made up of individuals who are passionate about their work and dedicated to making a difference. 

    Learn more about TheIncLab and our job opportunities at www.theinclab.com

    Salary range guidance provided is not a guarantee of compensation. Offers of employment may be at a salary range that is outside of this range and will be based on qualifications, experience, and possible contractual requirements.

    This is a direct hire position, and we do not accept resumes from third-party recruiters or agencies.

    Numbers & Facts

    LocationMcLean, VA

    Skills

    • Aerospace and Defenseunmatched
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI)unmatched
    • Bridge Buildingunmatched
    • Business Strategyunmatched
    • Civil Engineeringunmatched
    • Communication Skillsunmatched
    • Computer Scienceunmatched
    • Continuous Deployment/Deliveryunmatched
    • Continuous Integrationunmatched
    • Cross-Functionalunmatched
    • Data Modelingunmatched
    • Data Scienceunmatched
    • Deep Learningunmatched
    • Emerging Technologyunmatched
    • Establish Prioritiesunmatched
    • Invention Reviewsunmatched
    • Leading Edge Technologyunmatched
    • Mathematicsunmatched
    • Mentoringunmatched
    • Modeling Languagesunmatched
    • Open Sourceunmatched
    • Performance Analysisunmatched
    • Presentation/Verbal Skillsunmatched
    • Product Engineeringunmatched
    • Production Systemsunmatched
    • Prototypingunmatched
    • Publicationsunmatched
    • Rapid Prototypingunmatched
    • Recruiting/Staffing Agencyunmatched
    • Reimbursementunmatched
    • Requirements Managementunmatched
    • System Architectureunmatched
    • Team Playerunmatched
    • Technical Leadershipunmatched
    • Technical Strategyunmatched
    • User Experience Design (UXD)unmatched
    • Willing to Travelunmatched
    • Writing Skillsunmatched

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