Senior External Model Integration Engineer

ECS Tech Inc • Fairfax, VA

18h • Onsite

About The Position

The War Data Platform (WDP) is a key initiative within the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) AI-First strategy introduced in early 2026. The WDP focuses on operational warfighting data and aims to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) on the battlefield. The WDP extends to Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret environments, and supports collaboration between Combatant Commands, Joint Staff directorates, Senior Executive Service leaders, and operational analysts. The Senior External Model Integration Engineer leads the engineering and sustainment of integrations between WDP Core Integration and external artificial intelligence and machine learning model providers, expanding enterprise access to production-ready AI capabilities across all classification levels. This role is central to enabling consistent, secure, and scalable model access across WDP environments by designing the integration patterns, wrapper services, and compliance frameworks that govern how external AI capabilities are consumed within the platform.

Requirements

• Current Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
• 10 or more years of experience in software engineering, systems integration, or data platform development with a focus on API design, AI/ML model serving, or enterprise integration architecture.
• Demonstrated experience designing, building, and maintaining secure API integrations with external AI or machine learning model providers, including hands-on development of wrapper services, proxy layers, schema translation components, and credential-handling patterns.
• Experience integrating AI/ML capabilities within cloud-based or hybrid enterprise platforms, including familiarity with managed model provider ecosystems such as Amazon Bedrock or equivalent commercial AI service platforms.
• Hands-on experience applying Zero Trust principles, DevSecOps practices, and enclave boundary controls within classified or government-accredited environments, including compliance with transport encryption, identity access management, and audit logging requirements.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with a proven ability to weigh the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and identify the most appropriate solution.
• Highly developed interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, with the ability to effectively and professionally interact with a diverse set of stakeholders (from peers to end-users to executive management).

Responsibilities

• Leads the design, engineering, and sustainment of integrations between War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration and external artificial intelligence and machine learning model providers, including commercial platforms such as Amazon Bedrock, to expand enterprise access to production-ready model capabilities across Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret enclaves supporting Combatant Commands, Joint Staff directorates, and federal mission partners.
• Implements secure and scalable application programming interface integration patterns aligning with War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration serving architectures, Zero Trust principles, and DoW cybersecurity policy.
• Develops wrapper services, proxy configurations, schema translation layers, credential-handling mechanisms, and rate-limiting profiles that standardize external model access within War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration's approved API patterns.
• Conducts technical evaluation of external provider capabilities, validates interoperability with War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration pipelines, and defines cross-domain promotion constraints for approved model artifacts and service endpoints.
• Coordinates with cybersecurity engineers, DevSecOps pipeline teams, platform architects, and enclave administrators to maintain compliance with enclave boundary controls, transport encryption requirements, identity access integration patterns, and audit logging expectations.
• Supports test and evaluation activities by integrating reliability checks, performance benchmarks, contract-testing patterns, and model behavior validations into integration workflows.
• Develops technical documentation, integration playbooks, architectural diagrams, and sustainment materials that codify provider-specific requirements and operational readiness indicators.
• Strengthens overall mission value by enabling consistent, secure, and scalable access to advanced artificial intelligence capabilities across all War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration environments.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed