Head of AI

Who we are:

Raft (https://teamraft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in Reston, VA. Our range of clients include innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting edge tech stack, and cloud native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

We’re looking for an experienced Head of AI to join Raft and be at the forefront of revolutionizing how AI is managed and deployed in mission-critical settings, harnessing its potential to the fullest. 

About this role: 

At Raft, our mission is to leverage cutting-edge technology to build digital solutions that significantly impact the lives of millions of Americans. As the Head of AI, your day begins by scanning the latest advancements in AI, especially within the realm of command and control AI models. Imagine spearheading initiatives that constantly evolve with the dynamic challenges on the battlefield, leading a dedicated team that designs adaptable AI models attuned to today and tomorrow's missions. Every day, you'll be pushing the boundaries of AI, ensuring that our models don’t just reflect the status quo but are tailored to evolving needs, with the goal of swiftly transitioning from enterprise settings to battlefield contexts. 

What you'll do:

• Lead research and development in cutting-edge command and control AI models, with a focus on adapting AI systems to ever-changing mission environments. 
• Direct the design and deployment of tailorable, mission-focused AI models, ensuring continuous evaluation and updates during mission execution. 
• Assemble a comprehensive AI playbook, serving as a knowledge base of AI development patterns with a specific focus on Command and Control. 
• Develop battle management tools and decision support systems that facilitate tasking, tracking AI actions, monitoring, and deployment. 
• Work closely with Task Force roles to connect them to appropriate software tools across different AI development phases. 
• Work with Raft product teams to embed Machine Learning into the product roadmaps with clearly defined achievable goals 
• Collaborate with the CTO and Growth team to accelerate company positioning into the future AI capabilities 
• Be hands-on to build proof of concepts that can be productionized by ML Engineering teams  

Highly preferred:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science (or extensive demonstrable experience in AI/ML research field) 
• Previous experience in the DoD domain – specifically DARPA or C2 
• Familiarity with the challenges and nuances of developing AI models using sparse data on limited hardware resources. 
• Experience or knowledge in command & control of AI systems, particularly in mission tailoring. 
• Ability to be flexible with the work setting - open to remote opportunities.
• Must be comfortable working with the executive team on fast moving and changing projects

Clearance Requirements:

• Ability to obtain and maintain a clearance

Work Type:

• Remote

What we will offer you:  

• Highly competitive salary 
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage 
• 401(k) and company match 
• Unlimited PTO + 11 paid holidays 
• Education & training benefits 
• Annual budget for your tech/gadgets needs 
• Monthly box of yummy snacks to eat while doing meaningful work 
• Team off-site in fun places! 
• Generous Referral Bonuses 
• And More!

Our Vision Statement:  

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission.

Our Customer Obsession:

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there?

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm.

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.