Director, Forward Deployed Engineering - Federal

About the role

In this leadership role, you will oversee a diverse portfolio of strategic federal accounts, guiding teams from the initial stages of contract signing through to production and subsequent expansion. As the primary executive liaison for government stakeholders, you will play a crucial role in mentoring and developing a team of Forward Deployed Engineers and Team Leads. This position requires a blend of technical oversight, program management, and the ability to cultivate executive-level relationships within the federal landscape.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Manage the delivery outcomes for both civilian and Department of Defense accounts, ensuring comprehensive oversight from defining the project scope to the successful launch of production.
• Establish engagement frameworks that include key milestones and value propositions while ensuring adherence to scope amidst evolving mission priorities.
• Facilitate executive briefings and steering committee meetings to effectively communicate technical trade-offs and the accreditation status to agency sponsors.
• Oversee team staffing, recruitment, and performance management, guaranteeing high-quality service delivery across multiple accounts with diverse security requirements.
• Lead technical discovery sessions and outline roadmaps for AI use cases, including deployments in environments ranging from IL2 to IL6 and air-gapped settings.
• Direct strategies for Authority to Operate (ATO) and conditional ATO (cATO), managing accreditation documentation and addressing any obstacles in collaboration with Information System Security Managers (ISSMs) and Authorizing Officials.
• Collaborate with Sales and Presales teams to identify and seize expansion opportunities based on insights gathered from the field and budgetary cycles.
• Document successful delivery methodologies and provide constructive feedback to internal product teams to enhance platform capabilities.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is a prerequisite for this position.
• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a closely related technical discipline is required.
• At least 10 years of experience in management consulting or delivery leadership, particularly in enterprise software or technical consulting for federal clients.
• A demonstrated history of managing multi-workstream delivery for federal or defense clients, with direct accountability for achieving results.
• Familiarity with federal program frameworks, including Project Management Offices (PMOs), Risk Management Framework (RMF), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and common contracting vehicles.
• Technical expertise in enterprise AI, large language model (LLM) systems, or agentic deployments, with the capability to review code and assess data architectures.
• An executive presence that enables effective navigation of complex stakeholder relationships and management of political dynamics.
• Must be able to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship.

Nice to have

• An active Department of Defense security clearance (Secret or higher preferred; TS/SCI is a plus).
• An MBA from a prestigious program.
• Leadership experience in consulting at the Associate Partner or Principal level.
• A background in federal software factories such as Kessel Run, Platform One, or similar organizations.
• Knowledge of accredited cloud environments like AWS GovCloud, C2S, Azure Government, or CDAO-managed environments such as Advana.
• Experience in sectors such as defense, intelligence, maritime, manufacturing, or energy.
• Experience in scaling a delivery function or team effectively.

Skills & tools

• Proficiency in the C3 Ai Platform (Studio, Code, Generative AI, Agentic AI)
• Expertise in Enterprise AI and Machine Learning
• Knowledge of federal accreditation processes (ATO, cATO, System Security Plan (SSP), Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M))
• Familiarity with data modeling and integration patterns
• Skills in technical program management

Practical notes

• The base salary range for this position in Tysons, Virginia, is between $180,000 and $230,000 USD.
• C3 Ai offers a comprehensive benefits package, competitive compensation, and an equity plan.
• Candidates must possess the legal right to work in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship from the company.