AI Solutions Architect

Valiant is seeking an AI Solutions Architect to serve as the hands-on technical owner of our enterprise artificial intelligence capability. This is a senior individual-contributor role focused on architecture, integration, and delivery. The AI Solutions Architect will design and build the technical foundation that allows AI tools and agents to operate securely and effectively across the organization, and will serve as the central point of technical coordination for all AI initiatives.

This role bridges technical AI/ML architecture with the compliance, security, and data-handling constraints required for work involving Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The successful candidate will translate mission and business requirements into secure, scalable AI architectures while ensuring all systems, data pipelines, and third-party tools align with NIST SP 800-171 controls and the organization's System Security Plan (SSP).

The emphasis is on technical execution: designing integrations, standing up agent workflows, and ensuring that every deployment respects the compliance obligations that govern a Department of Defense contractor. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable at a whiteboard defining an integration pattern and at a keyboard building it.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, build, and maintain the technical architecture supporting enterprise AI tools, agents, and integrations across the organization.
• Serve as the central technical coordinator for all AI initiatives, ensuring consistency, reusability, and alignment across individual projects and business units.
• Configure and deploy AI agents, including prompt design, tool and data integration, guardrails, and workflow orchestration.
• Integrate AI capabilities with existing enterprise systems, data sources, and line-of-business applications through APIs, connectors, and custom development.
• Evaluate and pilot AI platforms, models, and vendor solutions, and translate approved selections into working technical implementations.
• Establish and document reference architectures, integration standards, and reusable patterns that other teams can adopt.
• Ensure all AI deployments handle data in a manner consistent with the organization's security posture, including the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
• Partner with IT governance, security, and compliance stakeholders to ensure AI implementations meet regulatory and contractual requirements.
• Monitor the performance, cost, and reliability of deployed AI solutions, and iterate to improve them over time.
• Provide technical guidance and enablement to teams adopting AI tools, without assuming direct management responsibility for those teams.

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT:  Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance; active Secret preferred.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:  Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).  Master's degree in a related technical field preferred.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated experience architecting and building production integrations between enterprise systems using APIs, connectors, and custom code.
• Hands-on experience configuring and deploying AI or large language model solutions, including agent frameworks, retrieval pipelines, or workflow automation.
• Proficiency in at least one modern programming or scripting language commonly used for integration work (for example, Python, JavaScript, or C#).
• Strong working knowledge of cloud platforms and services, including identity, networking, and data-handling considerations.
• The ability to work independently as the sole technical owner of a capability, from design through delivery and ongoing support.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document technical work clearly for both technical and non-technical audiences.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Relevant certifications such as CISSP or Sec+
• Experience deploying AI tools within the Microsoft ecosystem, including Microsoft 365, Copilot, and Azure services, particularly in government or regulated cloud environments (for example, GCC High or Azure Government).
• Familiarity with the compliance obligations that govern a Department of Defense contractor, including CMMC Level 2, DFARS 252.204-7012, and the handling of CUI.
• Experience integrating AI solutions in an environment subject to security controls aligned to NIST SP 800-171.
• Background in enterprise IT governance, data governance, or secure systems integration.
• Experience evaluating AI vendors and platforms and translating strategy into technical delivery.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:  Physical requirements may include, but are not limited to, lifting, ascending, and descending stairs, climbing, extended sitting or standing, to various degrees.

Valiant Integrated Services is an employer who hires in accordance with applicable state and federal law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in compliance with those laws.