Expert Associate Partner - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

McKinsey & Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 243,000 - 249,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company seeks a senior leader to shape and deliver agentic AI and ML solutions for defense clients across public and private sectors. You will work with client service teams to counsel defense clients, shape AI agendas, and deploy secure, mission-ready AI systems.

This role requires US citizenship with an active SECRET clearance (Top Secret with SCI eligibility preferred) and readiness to travel across major US locations.

Qualifications

• 7+ years applying data science, analytics, and AI to drive measurable mission or business impact in client-facing or senior stakeholder settings.
• Experience designing and scaling modern AI solutions, including agentic AI systems, production-grade ML, and ontologies in secure environments.
• Strong communication and collaboration with government program offices, senior military and civilian leadership, and industry partners.
• Flexible with travel: between 40-80%, including client, government, and secure facility locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI implementation engagements, defining aspirations and the required impact, then set technical direction and ensure delivery.
• Architect and lead teams to deliver agentic AI systems from use case shaping to secure build, test, deployment, and adoption.
• Span AI techniques from traditional ML to generative AI, semantic layers, and multi-agent systems with defense-grade security and oversight.
• Collaborate with government program offices, uniformed and civilian leaders, and industry partners to co-create solutions.

Skills

Defense sector experience

AI leadership

Data science & AI

Leadership of multidisciplinary teams

Cloud platforms AWS/GCP/Azure

Communication & collaboration

Travel flexibility

Tools

AWS

Google Cloud

Microsoft Azure

LLM orchestration frameworks

Knowledge graphs

Job description

You will play a senior leadership role in shaping and delivering agentic AI and machine learning solutions for defense clients across the public and private sector.

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• Dallas
• New York City
• San Francisco
• Silicon Valley
• Southern California
• Washington DC

YOUR IMPACT

Security Clearance: US Citizenship and an active SECRET clearance (or higher) are required at time of hire - no exceptions. An active or previously held Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility is preferred.

You’ll work with McKinsey client service teams to counsel defense clients, shape their AI and data agendas, and build and deploy agentic AI and machine learning systems that meet rigorous standards for security, resilience, and mission assurance. You’ll also help us refine our Defense-facing AI assets and deploy them at clients.

What that looks like in practice:

• Lead AI implementation client engagements - helping clients define their aspirations and the impact required to achieve them, then setting technical direction and ensuring exceptional delivery. Priority topics span manufacturing, readiness, industrial base, resource allocation, acquisition, and talent.
• Architect and lead teams to deliver custom-built agentic AI and machine learning systems - from use case shaping through secure build, testing, deployment, and adoption - so capabilities operate at every level of classification, not just in a lab or demo. This means partnering with client program and technical leaders, aligning stakeholders, and building the measurement approach that keeps value visible and durable.
• Span the full range of AI techniques, from traditional machine learning to generative AI, semantic layers, and multi-agent systems, and hold every solution to defense-grade standards for security, resilience, and human oversight.
• Bring sharp problem-solving and vision-setting to complex mission and business needs - delivering high-impact insights and recommendations, and leading technical design workshops to co-create solutions and architecture with government program offices, uniformed and civilian leaders, and industry partners.
• Build scalable, secure AI foundations (data architecture, MLOps, governance, and security controls suited to classified and controlled-unclassified environments) that enable repeatable AI delivery across programs, especially where legacy defense systems, sensor data, and modern AI platforms must work together.
• Apprentice and mentor teams - you'll be responsible for developing high-performing QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey practitioners across the Defense practice, raising the bar on quality, pace, and practical impact, while building the cleared talent pipeline the practice needs to scale.

You’ll work as part of our Defense practices – either serving private sector Aerospace and Defense companies or Government – and QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, partnering closely with senior leaders across the global Defense practice and directly with senior government and industry clients on topics related to digital, technology, and advanced analytics. You’ll be part of the senior leadership team that helps clients realize material value from their AI and data assets, running multiple engagements simultaneously and leading large, complex, high-profile working sessions on findings and implications, often across both classified and unclassified settings. You’ll oversee multiple AI builds, giving each program the technical direction and client leadership it needs to move from concept to deployment, usage, and impact. Working alongside small QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey teams and McKinsey client service teams, you’ll turn client priorities into production-ready, secure AI systems and drive execution with government and industry partners to deliver measurable results.

YOUR GROWTH

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues-at all levels-will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you’ll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won't find anywhere else.

When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You'll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm's diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World-class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• US Citizenship and an active SECRET clearance are required at time of hire; an active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility is preferred
• Deep experience in the defense sector (e.g., military services and combatant commands, defense and intelligence agencies, or the prime and subcontractor industrial base that supports them), with hands-on understanding of the data and technology environments common to these settings (classified and controlled-unclassified IT environments, commercial-to-government development lifecycle, business systems, and the defense acquisition and security ecosystems)
• 7+ years of experience applying data science, advanced analytics, and AI to drive measurable mission or business impact in client-facing or senior stakeholder settings (e.g., readiness, industrial base and manufacturing, resource allocation, acquisition, or talent)
• Experience designing and scaling modern AI solutions, including agentic AI systems, production-grade machine learning, and ontologies, particularly in environments requiring security accreditation. Deep expertise with major cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure, including government clouds) and fluency in modern AI and data stacks, including core languages (e.g., SQL, Python), and emerging agentic AI tooling (e.g., LLM orchestration frameworks, tool-calling and workflow-based agents, RAG, knowledge graphs.)
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary engineering and analytics teams (data science, data engineering, full-stack, platform, DevOps), including experience leading cleared and distributed teams across classified and unclassified environments
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with a proven track record of building relationships with government program offices, senior military and civilian leadership, and industry partners
• Flexible with travel: between 40-80%, including client, government, and secure facility locations

Please review the additional requirements regarding essential job functions of McKinsey colleagues.

Our unwavering commitment to integrity drives everything we do, guiding us to always act in the best interests of our clients, our people, and the communities we serve.

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Certain US jurisdictions require McKinsey & Company to include a reasonable estimate of the salary for this role. To help you understand what you can expect, the salary range for new joiners in this role in United States, including all office locations where the job may be performed, is $243,000 - $249,000 USD gross per year. This reflects our best estimate of the lowest to highest [salary/hourly wages] for this role at the time of this posting, ensuring you have a clear picture right from the start, though it's important to remember that actual salaries may vary. Factors like your office location, your unique blend of experience and skills, start date and our current organizational needs all play a part in determining the final figure. Certain roles are also eligible for bonuses, subject to McKinsey's discretion and based on factors such as individual and/or organizational performance.

Additionally, we provide a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the wellness of our colleagues and their families. This includes medical, mental health, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, a generous retirement contributions program, financial guidance, and paid time off.