Director of Platform Engineering (VOR)

ExpressionWashington, DC
Hybrid

About The Position

Expression is seeking a Director Platform Engineering to lead the architecture, development, and scaling of VOR, our flagship platform that unifies data, workflows, and AI agents to drive decision-making in complex, high-stakes environments. This is not a management-only role. You will write code, review pull requests, debug production issues, and make hands-on architectural decisions alongside the team you build. You will own VOR's technical direction end-to-end from system design and infrastructure to adoption and mission impact while personally contributing to the codebase in meaningful ways. You will lead cross-functional teams to deliver a platform that integrates seamlessly into client environments, operationalizes AI, and drives measurable outcomes across government and enterprise programs.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline
  • 10+ years of experience in platform engineering, data systems, or AI/ML delivery, with progressive leadership responsibility
  • Currently hands-on: you write production code today, not five years ago
  • Proven track record of building and scaling platforms not just managing teams that do
  • Deep proficiency in Python, Go, NodeJS and modern cloud-native development (AWS required; Azure/GCP a plus)
  • Experience with containerization, orchestration (Kubernetes/ECS), and infrastructure-as-code
  • Working knowledge of data platforms (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, Spark) and workflow orchestration frameworks
  • Experience with AI/ML lifecycle and operationalization — MLOps, model serving, LLM integration, agent architectures
  • Experience working in complex, regulated, or mission-driven environments (government, defense, or national security preferred)
  • Ability to bridge deep technical execution with executive communication and client engagement
  • Experience in client-facing roles including pre-sales and delivery engagements

Nice To Haves

  • Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
  • Active TS/SCI clearance
  • Experience with FedRAMP, IL4/IL5+, or ATO processes
  • Hands-on experience with generative AI, multi-agent systems, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
  • Contributions to open-source projects or a visible engineering track record
  • Relevant certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, Kubernetes, etc.)
  • Working knowledge of Agentic AI frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph, CrewAI, or similar).
  • Familiarity with retrieval and context engineering systems and vector search systems/vector database integration.

Responsibilities

  • Personally architect and code critical platform components you set the technical standard by building, not just directing
  • Own system design decisions across VOR's data integration, workflow orchestration, and AI agent layers
  • Conduct code reviews, set engineering standards, and establish patterns that scale across the platform
  • Debug and resolve complex production issues spanning cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, and AI pipelines
  • Maintain deep technical fluency in the full stack: Python, NodeJS, Go, cloud-native services (AWS GovCloud), container orchestration, data pipelines, and LLM/agent frameworks
  • Own the end-to-end strategy, roadmap, and delivery of the VOR platform
  • Drive the evolution of VOR across data integration, workflow orchestration, and AI/agent capabilities
  • Ensure alignment between product vision, engineering execution, and mission needs
  • Make build-vs-buy decisions grounded in hands-on technical evaluation, not slide decks
  • Lead the transition from services-driven delivery to a scalable, repeatable platform model
  • Define deployment models across hybrid cloud, enterprise, and edge environments
  • Establish platform standards for interoperability with systems like Palantir, Databricks, and Snowflake
  • Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, testing infrastructure, and release processes that support rapid, reliable delivery
  • Drive the "last mile" of AI ensuring models and data systems are embedded into real workflows, not just prototyped
  • Architect and implement human-in-the-loop systems that balance automation with control, explainability, and trust
  • Oversee VOR Agents development, ensuring mission alignment and compliance through auditable, explainable, and traceable actions.
  • Drive the implementation of evaluation frameworks, agent behavior monitoring, and red-teaming to ensure agentic systems behave safely and predictably within mission constraints.
  • Stay current with and personally evaluate emerging AI/ML frameworks, tools, and techniques
  • Partner with program teams and clients to implement VOR in real-world environments
  • Translate complex mission requirements into platform capabilities
  • Ensure successful deployment from pilot to production, personally engaging at breakdown points when needed
  • Build and lead a high-performing team of engineers, architects, and product leaders
  • Foster a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and shipping — lead by example at the keyboard
  • Mentor engineers through pairing, code review, and architectural guidance
  • Align cross-functional teams across engineering, delivery, and business units

Benefits

  • 401(k) matching
  • PPO and HDHP medical/dental/vision insurance
  • Education reimbursement
  • Complimentary life insurance
  • Generous PTO and holiday leave
  • Onsite office gym access
  • Commuter Benefits Plan
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