Senior Information Technology Specialist

Food Safety and Inspection Service • Fort Collins, CO

20h

About The Position

The Senior Information Technology Specialist works in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Center (AIIC). The AIIC provides policy and guidance on the use of artificial intelligence and its subsets to support safe, secure, and responsible use in accordance with federal policy. The role serves as a senior technical expert across the AI development lifecycle, guiding work from idea initiation through deployment and aligning data assets and machine-learning technologies with AI modernization. The specialist directs the planning, execution, and lifecycle delivery of AI products; establishes product roadmaps, data-governance guidelines, federal security frameworks, and statutory and regulatory compliance requirements; and oversees standardized solution delivery. The role coordinates with enterprise, technology, and data architects to support code reuse, cross-system integration, performance, and manageability of deployed AI solutions, and presents complex architectural recommendations to executives, program areas, and external stakeholders. The position also directs cross-functional initiatives to develop machine-learning, deep-learning, and advanced analytics solutions; defines lifecycle standards; oversees knowledge representation and model evaluation; and provides feasibility, compatibility, compliance, and modernization recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Must successfully complete a one-year probationary period unless previously served.
• Must successfully pass E-Verify employment verification.
• Must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the announcement closing date.
• For GS-14, at least 52 weeks of progressively responsible specialized experience at or equivalent to GS-13 in the federal government, including all specified specialized experience areas.
• Specialized experience leading a multidisciplinary team to design, develop, and deliver AI/ML-enabled enterprise solutions aligned with architecture standards, mission needs, and federal requirements.
• Specialized experience designing and enhancing enterprise architecture systems that perform AI/ML functions, including integration with cloud platforms, data pipelines, automated workflows, and decision-support logic.
• Specialized experience advising on, developing, and implementing enterprise AI/ML policies, processes, and technical standards for responsible deployment.
• Specialized experience identifying, analyzing, and resolving complex AI system challenges involving interoperability, data structure compatibility, workflow automation, and model lifecycle management.
• Specialized experience researching and analyzing emerging AI technologies, tools, risks, and regulatory changes and communicating actionable recommendations to agency leadership.
• Must successfully complete the 2210 series USAHire assessment with a passing score for specified competencies.
• Resume review will assess minimum proficiency in Information Management, Oral Communication, Problem Solving, and Technical Competence.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance; selectee is subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.
• If selected, must submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of initial appointment and annually thereafter.
• Selectee is subject to financial disclosure requirements under 5 CFR, Part 2635, Subpart E.
• Education is not a qualification requirement for this job series.

Responsibilities

• Guide AI work from idea initiation through deployment as a senior technical expert across the AI development lifecycle, aligning data assets and machine-learning technologies with AI modernization.
• Direct planning, execution, and full lifecycle delivery of AI products; establish product roadmaps, data-governance guidelines, federal security frameworks, and statutory and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Oversee solution delivery and enforce standardized methods, frameworks, tools, and platforms to promote consistency and reliability.
• Coordinate with enterprise, technology, and data architects to support code reusability, cross-system integration, operational performance, and manageability of deployed AI solutions.
• Present, justify, and defend complex architectural recommendations to OCIO executives, program areas, and external stakeholders.
• Direct initiatives and cross-functional working groups to design, implement, and deploy machine-learning, deep-learning, and advanced analytics solutions.
• Define standards for data preprocessing, model training and fine-tuning, production deployment, monitoring, and integration into operational workflows.
• Synthesize data, analytics, organizational knowledge, and AI systems; authorize codification of FSIS policies into rules or logic; ensure ethical safeguards, risk boundaries, and auditable compliance in decision flows.
• Oversee ontologies, knowledge graphs, and symbolic models that capture domain expertise and support integrated AI/ML architectures.
• Direct independent evaluations of foundational models and large language models; identify limitations, assess compensating controls, conduct risk and outcome analyses, and monitor enterprise performance metrics.
• Collaborate with OCIO centers to develop, document, and analyze proposals for feasibility, compatibility, and compliance, and communicate recommendations to leadership and stakeholders to support business decisions.
• Maintain working relationships with technical staff and internal and external stakeholders; participate in special projects and stay current with industry best practices to inform modernization.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams, such as database administrators, testers, and developers, to design, develop, and deliver AI/ML-enabled enterprise solutions aligned with architectural standards, mission needs, and federal requirements.
• Design and enhance enterprise architecture systems capable of AI/ML functions, including integration with cloud platforms, data pipelines, automated workflows, and decision-support logic.
• Advise on, develop, and implement enterprise AI/ML policies, processes, and technical standards for safe, secure, and responsible deployment.
• Identify, analyze, and resolve complex AI system challenges involving interoperability, data structure compatibility, workflow automation, and model lifecycle management.
• Research emerging AI technologies, tools, risks, and regulatory changes; conduct impact analyses and communicate actionable recommendations to agency leadership.

Benefits

• Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual (CSALA) may be available.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is available.
• Federal employees receive a comprehensive benefits package, with benefits eligibility depending on position type.

What This Job Offers

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