AI Subject Matter Expert

Nightwing•Sterling, VA

1d•$122,000 - $253,000•Onsite

About The Position

Nightwing is seeking an AI Subject Matter Expert to bridge artificial intelligence innovation and practical cyber defense operations. The role combines AI expertise, cybersecurity knowledge, and project management capabilities to guide the strategic adoption of AI technologies in security infrastructure. The position supports a U.S. Government customer providing onsite incident response to civilian Government agencies and critical asset owners affected by cyber-attacks. Contract personnel investigate breaches, characterize their severity, develop mitigation plans, and assist with service restoration.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen.
Must have an active TS/SCI clearance.
Must be able to obtain DHS Suitability.
10+ years of directly relevant experience.
5+ years of experience in cybersecurity or related technical roles.
3+ years working with AI/ML technologies or data-driven security solutions.
3+ years in project/program management or technical leadership roles.
Ability to envision long-term AI security capabilities and create actionable paths forward.
Understanding of machine learning fundamentals, neural networks, natural language processing, and the AI model lifecycle.
Adaptability to rapidly evolving AI and threat landscapes.
Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
Strong knowledge of security operations, the threat landscape, defense frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK, SIEM/SOAR platforms, and security architecture.
Familiarity with behavioral analytics, threat hunting, malware analysis, phishing detection, and vulnerability management use cases.
Proven experience developing roadmaps and managing complex technical projects.
Proficiency with Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid project management methodologies.
Strong skills in resource planning, schedule development, and stakeholder management.
Experience with project management tools such as Jira, MS Project, Asana, or similar.
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.
Experience securing AI systems, using AI in defensive system operations such as SOC operations, and thwarting AI-enabled attacks.
Background in data engineering, security analytics, or threat intelligence.
Familiarity with cloud security platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Knowledge of AI governance, ethics, and responsible AI principles.
Understanding of regulatory requirements such as GDPR, CCPA, and industry-specific frameworks.
Experience with automation and orchestration platforms.
Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, PMP, PMI-ACP, or AI/ML certifications.

Responsibilities

Define a strategic vision for AI-enhanced security capabilities aligned with organizational risk posture.
Identify and evaluate AI/ML use cases for cyber defense, threat detection, incident response, and security operations.
Assess emerging AI technologies for security applications such as anomaly detection, threat intelligence, and automated response.
Stay current on the AI threat landscape, including adversarial AI and AI-powered attacks.
Bridge communication among technical teams, security operators, and business stakeholders.
Evaluate complex security challenges and identify appropriate AI solutions.
Translate cybersecurity requirements into AI solution specifications.
Evaluate AI/ML platforms, tools, and vendors for security applications.
Define and advocate for AI prototyping or piloting initiatives as risk-reduction measures.
Collaborate with data science, security operations, and infrastructure teams on solution architecture.
Develop roadmaps for AI cybersecurity initiatives with clear milestones and dependencies, aligned with broader organizational roadmaps and strategies.
Create project schedules, resource plans, and budget estimates.
Manage cross-functional implementation teams, including security analysts, data scientists, and engineers.
Track project progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies.
Facilitate stakeholder communication and executive reporting on AI security initiatives.
Coordinate with stakeholders and workstreams to address use cases and inform strategy.
Ensure AI implementations meet security, privacy, and compliance requirements.
Understand model training, validation, and deployment pipelines in security contexts.
Conduct readiness assessments for AI adoption within security operations.
Design change-management strategies for integrating AI tools into existing workflows.
Develop success metrics and KPIs for AI security implementations.
Create documentation, training materials, and knowledge-transfer programs.