Staff AI/ML Engineering Manager (TS/SCI) {S}

ARKA Group L.P. (“ARKA”) is an advanced technologies company serving the U.S. military, intelligence community, and commercial space industry delivering next-generation solutions to support the national security space enterprise. Built on more than six decades of excellence, ARKA brings modern approaches and a culture of innovation to the challenges of today.

Join the ARKA team to learn how Beyond Begins Here. Discover your next career opportunity now!

Position Overview:

This position is for an AI/ML Engineering Manager. ARKA-Mission Applications is seeking a talented and motivated AI/ML Engineering Manager to join our growing team. This is a unique player/coach role designed for an experienced AI/ML engineer who is passionate about both researching, building, developing AI/ML applications and leading people. You will be responsible for managing and mentoring a team of skilled AI/ML researchers and engineers while also actively apply cutting-edge AI/ML algorithms in a variety of domains to meet the mission needs of our customers. You'll split your time effectively between guiding your team's success and rolling up your sleeves to wrangle data, write code, build and train models, solve complex technical challenges, and contribute directly to our AI/ML portfolio.

We offer generous relocation benefits for eligible candidates.

In support of work/life balance, many positions are available for a flexible schedule within the pay period.  Ask us about the opportunity for flex scheduling if that’s of interest to you. 

Responsibilities:

Management & Leadership (Approx. 25% on average):

• Lead & Mentor: Manage, coach, and mentor a team of AI/ML engineers, fostering their technical and professional growth, by providing career advice and helping with program technical guidance.  Additionally, you will work with the greater AI/ML engineering group to cultivate a positive, collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team that is focused on bringing modern AI/ML development practices and robust engineering principles across all ARKA programs.
• Performance Management: Conduct regular 1:1 bi-weekly meetings with your team, provide feedback on both technical and non-technical topics, assist with setting clear goals, and manage performance reviews for your direct reports.
• Collaboration: Work closely with AI/ML engineering organization and other engineering leadership to align priorities, define requirements, and ensure successful project delivery across programs.
• Project Oversight: Help manage project priorities, timelines, and deliverables for your team, identifying and removing roadblocks.
• Hiring & Onboarding: Participate in the recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and retention of engineering talent for your team and the broader organization.  Additionally works closely with engineering leadership to align current and new staff skillsets with program needs over time.

Technical Contribution (Approx. 75% on average)

• Hands-on AI/ML Development: Actively participate in the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle, contributing high-quality, well-tested, and maintainable code for data pipelines, model training, evaluation, and deployment to key AI/ML projects using our tech stack.
• • Proven proficiency in Python, including experience with key machine learning libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Pandas, NumPy).
• ML System Design & Architecture: Contribute to technical design discussions and architectural decisions for scalable and robust machine learning systems, including data pipelines, model training infrastructure, serving layers, and MLOps frameworks.
• Code & Model Quality: Actively participate in code reviews, ensuring adherence to coding standards, MLOps best practices, and high-quality engineering principles, specifically for machine learning models and infrastructure (e.g., reproducibility, testability, explainability).
• Stay Current and Mentor: Keep abreast of cutting-edge machine learning research, algorithms, MLOps tools, and cloud AI/ML services, advocating for their strategic adoption. Leverage this continuous learning to mentor and provide technical direction to your AI/ML team.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, mathematics, engineering, or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in a formal or informal leadership capacity (e.g., Tech Lead, Team Lead, mentoring junior engineers, project leadership)
• 8+ years of experience developing AI/ML applications, data science, or algorithm development
• Experience with Python and data science / machine learning libraries (e.g. PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, OpenCV, NumPy, Pandas, Polars, scikit-learn, etc.)
• Experience with one or more of the following areas:
  • Applying unsupervised and/or supervised machine learning techniques
  • Applying and/or developing algorithms based in statistical analysis
  • Analyzing large datasets and building models to perform inference
• Applying Large Language Models (LLMs) and techniques such as retrieval augmented generation (RAG), fine tuning, and prompt engineering
• Experience with deep learning architectures (e.g. FCNs, CNNs, RNNs, Transformers, GANs)
• Experience with modern software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban)
• Experience with version control systems such as Git and the associated tooling to for modern software version control
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills
• Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities
• A genuine passion for both technology and people leadership
• Ability to effectively balance management responsibilities with individual technical contributions
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance 

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS or PhD in machine learning, computer science, mathematics, or related fields
• Experience directly managing AI/ML engineers, including performance management cycles
• Experience with any of the following AI/ML domains:
• • Large Language Models and experience identifying ways to incorporate them into new areas and applications
  • Applying Transformer-based architectures to domains in other areas outside of Natural Language Processing (NLP) such as computer vision
  • Object detection algorithms such as YOLO and Faster-RCNN
  • Natural Language Processing algorithms such as BERT
  • Generative Adversarial Networks and Variational Autoencoders
  • Reinforcement learning and familiarity with Gymnasium Gym, RLlib, and Stable Baselines
  • Applying clustering algorithms and/or deep neural networks to real life problems
  • Implementing tracking and pattern-of-life algorithms
• Experience with Machine Learning libraries and frameworks such as HuggingFace and LangChain
• Experience with Computer Vision libraries such as OpenCV, Nerfstudio, FiftyOne, etc.
• Experience with Linux
• Familiarity with using AWS cloud computing resources such as EC2, S3, Lambda, etc.
• Experience with any of the following additional languages: Java, C++, Rust, Go, and/or C#
• Experience implementing algorithms on the GPU in Python or C++ using CUDA and other CUDA libraries
• Experience in application deployment, virtualization, and containerization (e.g. Podman, Docker, Kubernetes, Rancher)
• Experience working with various Remote Sensing datasets (e.g. EO/OPIR/SAR images, passive RF, etc.)
• Experience shaping and writing proposals

Pay Range: $160,000 - $200,000

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

The application window will close in 250 days for this position.

Location: Aurora, CO

Being situated at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Aurora provides opportunities to enjoy all the beautiful nature that Colorado has to offer, while also being a 20-minute drive from downtown Denver and 15-minutes to the Denver International Airport.

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive medical/vision/dental insurance packages
• Company contributions to qualified HSA accounts
• 401k retirement plan with industry leading company contributions
• 3 weeks of vacation accrual per year plus time off for sick leave and unscheduled life events
• 13 paid holidays
• Upfront tuition assistance for approved degree programs
• Annual bonus program based on company and employee performance
• Company paid life insurance, AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurance
• 4 weeks paid Parental Leave
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

EHS/Environmental Requirements:

This job operates in a professional office environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee routinely is required to use hands to keyboard, communicate, listen to, and interpret instructions and remain stationary for extended periods of the time. This would require the ability to move around the campus and occasionally move/lift items weighing up to 25 lbs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Applicants are invited to apply for a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the job. To apply, send a request to staffing@arka.org or contact 203-797-5000 and press 2 for Human Resources.

ITC & Security Clearance Requirements:

This position requires an active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance.

Visa Restrictions:

No visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Pre-employment Screenings:

Employment with any ARKA companies in the U.S. is contingent upon satisfactory completion of several pre-employment requirements to include a credit check, background check, and drug screen.