Senior Advisor - Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Systems Planning & Analysis; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Systems Planning & Analysis in Alexandria, Virginia, is seeking a Senior AI/ML Advisor to provide expert guidance and strategic counsel to senior Navy leadership. The role requires a minimum of 15 years of experience in AI/ML, including advising on integration into defense systems. The ideal candidate will have a track record of significant AI/ML accomplishments and a Ph.D. in a related field. Must be able to maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years senior-level experience leading AI/ML research or application development.
• Demonstrated success advising senior executives on AI/ML in large organizations.
• Significant accomplishments in AI/ML such as published research or key patents.

Responsibilities

• Serve as AI/ML senior advisor to Director Submarine Program.
• Translate complex AI/ML technical concepts into strategic implications.
• Provide expert guidance on integrating AI/ML into defense systems.

Skills

AI/ML Expertise

Strategic Counsel

Technical Authority

Research and Development

Education

Ph.D. in Computer Science, AI, or Data Science

Job description

Overview

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, SPA is known for continuous innovation for government customers in the U.S. and abroad. Our talented, collaborative team produces results that matter, offering unique challenges and clear‑sighted commitment to the mission: objective, responsive, trusted.

The AUKUS, Submarines, and Industrial Base Group (ASIG), within the Sea, Land, Air Division, provides timely, objective, analytic assessments that integrate technical, operational, programmatic, policy, and business analysis to Director Submarine Program directorates and key stakeholders surrounding submarine platform construction. Analysts and engineers supporting Director Submarine Program help continue SPA’s decades of support to the SSBN force, oversee cutting‑edge attack submarine construction, develop design requirements for future SSN platforms, and plan innovative strategies to strengthen the critical submarine shipbuilding industrial base. These are high‑profile acquisition and manufacturing programs of significant importance to the future capabilities of the U.S. Navy amid renewed strategic competition.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) senior advisor to the Direct Reporting Program Manager Submarines (DRPM SUBS), providing expert advice to senior leaders, including the Secretary of the Navy, Under Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and Assistant Secretary for Research, Development, and Acquisition.
• Act as the principal advisor to senior leaders and DRPM SUBS leadership on AI/ML matters, translating complex technical concepts into strategic implications and actionable policy.
• Serve as the DRPM SUBS foremost technical authority on the current and future state of AI/ML, covering deep learning, generative AI, reinforcement learning, and AI assurance.
• Provide expert guidance to major acquisition programs on the integration of AI/ML into weapon systems, autonomous platforms, and command‑and‑control systems.
• Offer counsel on the global AI/ML landscape—including adversarial capabilities and intentions—to inform DoD defensive and offensive postures.
• Develop new paradigms for the test, evaluation, verification, and validation of AI‑enabled systems to ensure robustness, reliability, and security.
• Assess and advise on the AI‑readiness of the defense industrial base and provide strategies for fostering innovation and partnership with non‑traditional technology companies.

Qualifications

• Recognized authority in AI/ML with a minimum of 15 years senior‑level experience leading cutting‑edge research and/or large‑scale application development.
• Demonstrated success providing strategic counsel on AI/ML to C‑suite, flag officers, senior executive service, or equivalent leadership in a large, complex organization (e.g., FAANG‑level tech company, national lab, or major research university).
• A portfolio of significant accomplishments, such as pioneering widely adopted AI/ML models, publishing seminal research papers, holding key patents, or leading a major AI/ML product or division.
• Deep, technical, state‑of‑the‑art knowledge across multiple AI/ML domains.

Desired Experience

• Experience as a Chief Technology Officer, Chief Scientist, or senior research fellow at a leading technology firm or research institution.
• Experience applying AI/ML to defense, intelligence, or national security problems (e.g., ISR data analysis, autonomous navigation, cybersecurity, logistics).
• Familiarity with the DoD acquisition process and the unique challenges of deploying software‑intensive systems in a military environment.
• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a related field.

Clearance

• Must be able to maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.