Chief Architect - AI Platform for Mission-Critical Ops

Socket.dev; Jessup (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

ClearEdge seeks a Chief Architect to set the technical direction for a core AI-enabled product, guiding architecture across multiple customer environments including hybrid and air-gapped networks.

You will prototype frontier AI capabilities, lead multi-team technical efforts, and present platform capabilities to leadership and prospective customers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or similar (4 years of experience may substitute)
• 15+ years of IT experience
• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph; U.S. citizenship
• Experience with Generative AI: frontier LLMs, AI-native IDEs, RAG and vector stores
• Experience deploying complex systems across hybrid and air-gapped environments
• Experience across the full software development lifecycle
• Strong written and oral communication skills for leadership briefings

Responsibilities

• Own architecture vision for the product, scaling across current and future customer engagements
• Lead proofs of concept and prototypes evaluating new technologies
• Perform technical trade-off analysis and implementation decisions across teams

Skills

Architecture leadership

AI-native development

Full-stack system design

Hybrid and air-gapped deployment

Prototyping new tech

Translating business into architecture

Mentoring engineers

Technical leadership

Communicating with leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / Software Engineering / Information Systems

Tools

Frontier LLMs

Agentic architectures

RAG and vector stores

Job description

Join ClearEdge and be part of a mission-focused team solving some of the DoD’s most complex technical challenges. Every day, ClearEdge supports government and industry customers by delivering innovative solutions that enable critical operations and mission success.

ClearEdge offers an extremely competitive benefits package—including a $10k annual training and education benefit, a 10% 401(k) contribution fully vested on day one, annual health and technology allowances, and access to a state-of-the-art technology lab. Learn more at www.clearedgeit.com/careers/

Your Mission

Join ClearEdge as a Chief Architect, where you will set the technical direction and architecture for one of our core AI-enabled products, supporting deployment across multiple customer environments, including hybrid and air-gapped networks. You will lead architectural decisions for workflow, compliance, and dashboard capabilities, working across engineering teams to keep the platform modular, secure, and extensible as it scales to new customers.

This role includes prototyping new AI capabilities using frontier LLMs and agentic architectures, leading multi-team technical efforts, and representing the platform's capabilities to leadership and prospective customers.

You Will Excel in This Role If You Are:

Experienced leading architecture for complex, multi-team software efforts

Fluent in AI-native development: frontier LLMs, agentic architectures, RAG and vector stores

Skilled in full-stack, layered system design, including hybrid and air-gapped deployment

Comfortable prototyping and evaluating new technical approaches

Capable of translating business objectives into durable architectural decisions

Experienced mentoring engineers and providing technical leadership across teams

Confident presenting technical direction to leadership, prospects, and customers

Skilled at balancing customer-specific requests with the platform's long-term direction

A Day in the Life:

Own architecture vision for an assigned product, scaling it across current and future customer engagements

Lead proofs of concept and prototypes evaluating new technologies

Perform technical trade-off analysis and implementation decisions across teams

Produce functional design documents; support installation and integration of the platform baseline

Mentor engineers, including leads embedded in specific customer implementations

Support business development: whitepaper authoring, customer briefings, proposals

Deliver technical briefings and presentations to internal and external leadership

What We Are Expecting From You:

Active TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance; U.S. citizenship

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or similar (4 years of experience may substitute)

15+ years of IT experience

Experience with Generative AI: frontier LLMs, AI-native IDEs, RAG and vector stores, agentic AI principles (orchestration, sub-agents, agent protocols)

Experience deploying complex systems across hybrid and air-gapped environments

Experience across the full software development lifecycle

Strong written and oral communication skills, including briefings for internal and external leadership

Nice to Have:

Experience supporting RMF/ATO in a classified DoD or IC environment

Experience owning a COTS platform serving multiple customer accounts

Experience with physical security or facility accreditation practices, such as ICD 705 or similar frameworks

Familiarity with tools used by security and compliance teams

ClearEdge is an established small business that values its employees and is committed to providing an environment where individuals can succeed and grow. We believe in developing our people, promoting from within, and fostering long-term career growth across the organization.

Our Core Values—Honesty, Integrity, Loyalty, Fairness, Respect, Responsibility, and Accountability—guide everything we do. These principles shape our culture, inform our decisions, and drive our commitment to excellence in support of our customers and partners.

If this position is not the right fit, we encourage you to visit our Careers page to explore other opportunities at ClearEdge or connect with one of our recruiters at [e-mail]. ClearEdge is an equal opportunity employer.