Senior AI/ML Data Engineer

Boeing Intelligence & Analytics is seeking a Senior AI/ML Data Engineer to lead the design and delivery of enterprise-scale data platforms for vector search, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), large language model (LLM) applications, and emerging Agentic AI capabilities. The role emphasizes technical leadership, cross-functional execution, governance, and clear communication with senior leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and maintain enterprise-scale data platforms that enable vector databases, semantic search, RAG, Agentic AI systems, and LLM applications.
• Define and implement controls for data quality, data lineage, source attribution, and prompt and context traceability, including explainability and evaluation of AI system outputs.
• Lead architectural decision-making for AI-supporting data infrastructure, balancing performance, scalability, security, reliability, maintainability, and cost.
• Collaborate with Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, Architects, Cybersecurity teams, and Software Engineers to convert AI requirements into production-grade solutions.
• Translate advanced AI, machine learning, and data architecture concepts into operational impacts, risks, opportunities, and implementation considerations for senior leadership.
• Coordinate across multiple organizations to align AI initiatives, promote reuse of enterprise capabilities, and reduce duplication of effort.
• Implement monitoring, observability, and alerting to support reliability, performance, and continuous improvement for AI-supporting data platforms.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, reinforcing engineering best practices and encouraging innovation across the organization.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies, including vector database platforms, retrieval frameworks, and engineering approaches to strengthen organizational AI capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• 20 years of experience in AI/ML, Data, or Software Engineering roles (or a highly related field) with similar scope and responsibilities.
• A Bachelor’s degree may substitute for 4 years of experience, and a Master’s degree may substitute for 6 years of experience.
• Active TS/SCI with CI Polygraph.
• Expert proficiency in Python and SQL, along with modern software engineering practices.
• Deep experience with Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud data and AI platforms.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, MLOps, and AI platform engineering.
• Experience implementing vector databases, embedding pipelines, retrieval systems, and RAG architectures.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, orchestration platforms, infrastructure automation, and observability tooling.

Technologies

• Python, SQL
• Azure, AWS, Google Cloud
• MLOps
• Vector databases
• Embedding pipelines
• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
• CI/CD pipelines
• Observability tooling

Desired Qualifications

• Proven experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale AI, machine learning, generative AI, or Agentic AI solutions.
• Demonstrated success architecting and implementing production cloud-native data systems supporting advanced analytics and AI workloads.
• Proven experience operating in complex enterprise environments with security, infrastructure, technology dependencies, governance requirements, and competing priorities.
• Extensive experience designing data pipelines for machine learning models, vector databases, semantic search, and generative AI applications.
• Proven experience delivering complex technical solutions from strategic requirements through operational deployment while balancing schedule, performance, capability, and cost objectives.
• Experience building and operating enterprise-scale vector search, RAG, knowledge management, and LLM-based platforms.
• Experience supporting AI adoption efforts within large government, defense, intelligence, or highly regulated organizations.

Work Location and Telework

• Location: Washington, DC (hybrid)
• Work location options: Washington, DC or Reston, VA
• Hybrid work authorization: minimum 2-3 days onsite

Contingencies

The position is contingent upon program award.

Compensation

Summary pay range: USD 242,000 - 305,000 per yearly.