AI Architect - 1545
About The Position
Scientific Applications & Research Associates, Inc. (SARA) is a world-class Defense Research and Development enterprise, with a charter to create new and emerging technological innovations in support of Commercial & Government organizations. We have expertise in RF, EMP, Pulsed Power, Acoustics and Threat Warning Systems, and we prioritize partnering with our customers to address real-world problems with cost-effective solutions… that work. SARA, Inc. is seeking an experienced AI Architect to architect and implement organization-wide AI capability out of our Colorado Springs, CO location. The primary responsibility focuses on secure onsite/private LLM deployments, enterprise data integration, and scalable adoption across business functions. This leader will define, deploy, and maintain enterprise AI operating models – spanning platform architecture, governance, evaluation standards, and production lifecycle management – ensuring AI solutions are reliable, compliant, and aligned to business priorities. The AI Architect will work closely with executive leadership, IT, cybersecurity, data owners, and external partners to deliver AI-enabled workflows that improve decision-making, automate routine analysis, and increase efficiency. Success will be measured by adoption, business value realization, and sustainable production operations rather than isolated prototypes.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field
- 8 – 10 years of professional experience in AI, data science, or related field
- 5+ years of experience leading complex technical initiatives
- Demonstrated experience deploying and maintaining AI systems
- Experience managing external consulting partners
- Proven ability to deliver systems beyond proof-of-concept
- Strong understanding of LLMs and generative AI concepts
- Experience with: LLM deployment (open-source and/or proprietary) RAG architectures and vector databases AI infrastructure (on-prem, private cloud, or hybrid) enterprise data systems (SQL databases, etc.) authentication/authorization methods and implementation evaluation/monitoring tools for LLM’s and accompanying hardware
- Familiarity with AI tooling ecosystems (e.g., Open WebUI, LangChain, LlamaIndex)
- Familiarity with Model Context Protocol (MCP) and client-server architecture
- Familiarity with Model and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Management
- Familiarity with authentication and security (JWT, OAuth, LDAP, API Key Mgmt)
- Understanding of GPU infrastructure and cost tradeoffs
- Strong data governance and security awareness
- Light physical effort, involving standing, sitting and use of hands while performing duties, carrying or lifting up to 50 pounds
- Working environment is indoor, moderately quiet, reasonably clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated; moderate physical hazards may exist
- US Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree or higher in related field
- 10 – 12 years of professional experience in deploying and maintaining AI systems
- Experience deploying onsite or air-gapped AI systems
- Background in Government Contracting and/or IP-sensitive environments
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Experience with high-level IT network and systems architecture
- AI product management or AI platform ownership
- PMP, Agile, or similar program management certification
Responsibilities
- Serve as internal AI program owner for all enterprise AI initiatives
- Define AI strategy, roadmap, and success metrics aligned to business goals
- Lead requirements definition for onsite and private LLM deployments
- Oversee external AI consultants and vendors; ensure delivery accountability
- Evaluate and select AI tools, LLMs, platforms, and architectures
- Design and oversee RAG pipelines, model hosting, and inference workflows
- Ensure AI systems meet security, privacy, and governance standards
- Partner with IT, cybersecurity, and technical teams
- Drive AI pilots into production-ready solutions
- Develop AI usage guidelines and guardrails
- Lead internal AI training and adoption efforts
- Monitor AI performance, risks, and ROI over time
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, and other supplemental programs
- A generous PTO program
- Tuition & certification reimbursement
- Flexible work schedules
- Employee bonuses
- 401(k) match
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Number of Employees
51-100 employees
