Director of AI
Vaco Recruiter Services, McLean, VA, United States
Client: Well-Known Organization
Role: Director of AI
Pay Range: $175,000 – $200,000 USD
Location: McLean, VA
Overview
A leading organization is seeking a Director of AI to drive the strategy, design, and implementation of advanced artificial intelligence solutions across the business. This leadership role will focus on developing scalable AI systems, overseeing AI engineering teams, and implementing Generative AI and automation capabilities that enhance operational efficiency and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the AI and automation strategy , aligning AI initiatives with business goals and long-term technology roadmaps
Design and oversee the implementation of Generative AI solutions , including large language model applications and retrieval-based systems
Drive the development of agent-based AI systems and autonomous workflows that support intelligent automation
Guide engineering teams in building and deploying AI-powered platforms and data pipelines
Implement scalable solutions using cloud-native AI platforms such as Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, or Google Vertex AI
Collaborate with data, engineering, and product teams to integrate AI into enterprise systems and digital products
Establish best practices for MLOps, model lifecycle management, and AI governance
Lead architecture decisions related to APIs, microservices, and modern application frameworks
Mentor engineering teams and promote innovation in AI development and experimentation
Qualifications
10+ years of experience in technology leadership , with at least 2 years focused on AI or automation strategy
Deep knowledge of Generative AI technologies , including large language models and retrieval-based architectures
Experience with agent-based AI systems and autonomous workflow frameworks
Strong programming experience in Python with expertise in data processing tools such as Pandas and PySpark
Hands-on experience with AI and machine learning frameworks including TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn
Experience building solutions on cloud-based AI platforms such as Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, or Google Vertex AI
Advanced experience with SQL and data engineering practices
Familiarity with API development (RESTful services or GraphQL) and modern frontend technologies such as React, Vue.js, or Angular
Experience with MLOps practices , containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and Infrastructure as Code tools like Terraform or CloudFormation
Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies, Jira, and version control systems such as Git
Education
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, or a related quantitative discipline
US citizenship is required