Data Architect

Fusion Innovation•McLean, VA

30d

About The Position

Fusion Innovation is seeking an expert-level AI Application Developer & Systems Integrator to design, build, deploy, and integrate AI-powered learning solutions. This role combines hands-on AI development with technical integration and coordination across multiple projects. The successful candidate will develop applications using open-source AI models that operate in resource-constrained, disconnected, on-premises, and edge computing environments, while planning for future cloud scalability. Applications may support language learning, translation, conversational practice, simulations, speech processing, computer vision, and avatar animation. This individual will also coordinate technical resources, schedules, dependencies, and stakeholder communications to ensure projects and systems are integrated efficiently.

Requirements

Active Top Secret/SCI with Polygraph.
A degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a scientific or technical discipline.
A master’s degree in Software Engineering or equivalent years of experience.
Expertise in Python for AI/ML development and scripting.
Strong working knowledge of Linux environments, including shell scripting and system configuration.
Experience working with and deploying open-source AI models from repositories such as Hugging Face, PyTorch Hub, GitHub, or Civitai.
Experience training and fine-tuning open-source models using custom datasets.
Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker or Podman.
Familiarity with Python environment management tools such as Conda, venv, or Poetry.
Experience deploying and managing AI models in on-premises or edge computing environments.
Experience migrating standalone AI applications to cloud infrastructure.
Familiarity with GPU acceleration frameworks such as CUDA and cuDNN.
Foundational knowledge of machine learning principles and the software development lifecycle.
Ability to coordinate master project schedules and information flow across programs and organizational stakeholders.
Ability to define technical specifications, resolve system interface issues, and support hardware and software integration.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Project, Outlook, Office, SharePoint, and PowerPoint.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare correspondence for senior executives.
Strong organization, time management, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail.
Experience coordinating action items and synthesizing information from multiple sources.
Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and take initiative in a fast-paced technical environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience testing and evaluating hardware and software for efficiency, reliability, and compatibility with existing systems.
Ability to identify system performance measures and recommend corrective actions or improvements.
Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary technical teams and senior leadership on system design, testing, and evaluation.
Ability to adapt to changing priorities in a dynamic and challenging environment.

Responsibilities

Design and implement high-performance applications using open-source AI models.
Evaluate AI technologies and models for integration into existing learning curricula and enterprise systems.
Train and fine-tune models, including large language models and vision models, using custom datasets.
Develop solutions supporting machine translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, object detection, image generation, image classification, and avatar animation.
Integrate large language models into applications supporting translation, conversational skills, simulations, and language practice.
Deploy and manage models in disconnected, on-premises, and edge computing environments.
Use Docker or Podman to create reproducible, portable deployments.
Optimize models and applications for efficient execution across different hardware platforms.
Support the transition of standalone AI applications to scalable cloud environments, including AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Provide integration management support across multiple concurrent projects.
Coordinate master project schedules, technical resources, facilities, plans, and cross-project dependencies.
Establish functional and technical specifications, standards, and system input/output parameters.
Resolve hardware and software interface issues and support integration of complete systems and subsystems.
Assess relationships, dependencies, and requirements across hardware and software components.
Evaluate emerging technologies for potential incorporation into training programs and learning solutions.
Collaborate with engineers, systems analysts, developers, technicians, scientists, and senior managers on system design, testing, and evaluation.
Monitor project progress and provide clear updates on task status, risks, issues, and dependencies.
Prepare status reports, briefings, technical correspondence, and communications for senior leadership.
Coordinate meetings, maintain calendars, and track action items through completion.
Gather and synthesize information from multiple sources to support decisions and respond to requests.
Address technical and administrative questions accurately, clearly, and professionally.