Senior AI Architect - Tysons, VA

Pivotal Solutions; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Pivotal Solutions in McLean, VA, seeks a Senior AI Architect to lead AI-driven modernization of enterprise applications and platforms. This hands-on senior IC role focuses on scalable, secure, cloud-native AI solutions across the organization.

You will drive automation, define business KPIs, and collaborate with IT and business leaders to accelerate value realization while ensuring compliance in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in enterprise IT, digital transformation, or architecture roles.

Responsibilities

• Serve as principal architect for AI-driven innovation across enterprise apps and internal platforms.
• Design and deliver extreme automation solutions leveraging AI/ML, agentic workflows, low-code/no-code platforms, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
• Lead modernization of enterprise apps including Microsoft 365/Azure, Salesforce, Atlassian (Jira, Confluence), GitHub, and core internal systems.
• Build cloud-native, AI-first architectures emphasizing scalability, resilience, security, and rapid experimentation.
• Identify measurable gains in productivity, cost optimization, and cycle time reduction through intelligent automation.
• Define and operationalize KPIs and value metrics for AI, automation, and digital initiatives.
• Partner with Engineering, Product, Security, Finance, and Business leaders for seamless IT/business integration.
• Ensure initiatives meet security, data protection, and compliance requirements (SOX, SOC, ISO 27001).
• Act as an internal evangelist for AI adoption and modern digital practices, driving cultural change via hands-on delivery.
• Lay the technical foundation to scale into a formal digital innovation organization.

Skills

AI in enterprise

Cloud-native

Automation & AI

Executive communication

Independent contributor

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering/IS

Master’s degree preferred

Cloud/AI certifications desirable

Tools

Jira

Confluence

GitHub

Salesforce

ServiceNow

Job description

We are seeking a Senior AI Architect to reimagine and modernize how enterprise applications, platforms, and internal services are delivered across a global organization. This is a hands‑on, individual contributor role at inception, designed for a senior technologist and innovator who will directly architect, implement, and scale AI‑first, cloud‑native, and highly automated solutions.

The role sits at the intersection of Enterprise Applications, AI, and Extreme Automation, with a sharp focus on dramatically increasing productivity, lowering operating costs, and improving organizational agility. As success is demonstrated, this role has clear growth potential to build and lead a dedicated digital innovation directorate.

Operating in a highly regulated environment (SOX, SOC, ISO 27001), the Senior AI Architect ensures innovation is delivered securely, compliantly, and at enterprise scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal architect and implementer for AI‑driven innovation across enterprise applications and internal platforms.
• Design and deliver extreme automation solutions leveraging AI/ML, agentic workflows, low‑code/no‑code platforms, APIs, and event‑driven architectures to eliminate manual processes and reduce operational friction.
• Lead modernization of enterprise applications including Microsoft 365/Azure, Salesforce, Atlassian (Jira, Confluence), GitHub, and core internal systems supporting Sales, Customer Support, Operations, HR, Finance, and Corporate functions.
• Build cloud‑native, AI‑first architectures that emphasize scalability, resilience, security, and rapid experimentation.
• Identify and deliver measurable gains in productivity, cost optimization, cycle time reduction, and service quality through intelligent automation and data‑driven operations.
• Define and operationalize KPIs and value metrics that quantify the business impact of AI, automation, and digital initiatives.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Security, Finance, and Business leaders to ensure seamless integration between IT, product platforms, and business workflows.
• Ensure all digital innovation initiatives meet security, data protection, and compliance requirements (SOX, SOC, ISO 27001, privacy regulations).
• Act as an internal evangelist for AI adoption and modern digital practices, driving cultural change through hands‑on delivery rather than governance alone.
• Lay the technical and operational foundation to scale into a formal digital innovation organization, including future team design, operating models, and platform standards.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in enterprise IT, digital transformation, or enterprise application architecture roles, with significant hands‑on responsibility.
• Demonstrated mastery of AI in an enterprise context, including applied use of generative AI, automation platforms, AI agents, and intelligent workflows.
• Deep experience with cloud‑native platforms, particularly Microsoft Azure, SaaS ecosystems, and API‑first architectures.
• Strong track record delivering automation and AI initiatives that materially improved productivity, reduced cost, or increased agility.
• Proven experience modernizing and integrating enterprise applications such as Microsoft 365/Azure, Salesforce.com, ServiceNow, Atlassian, and GitHub.
• Strong familiarity with enterprise data integration and interoperability, including API design and consumption (REST, GraphQL), and integration platforms such as Azure Logic Apps, Azure Data Factory, with emphasis on Azure‑native integration patterns such as Azure Logic Apps, Azure Functions, Azure Event Grid, Azure Service Bus, Microsoft Graph APIs, and direct REST‑based integrations, enabling seamless interaction between enterprise and commercial SaaS applications.
• Solid understanding of security, compliance, and data protection frameworks within regulated environments (SOX, SOC, ISO 27001).
• Experience defining and reporting executive‑level KPIs and value realization metrics.
• Ability to operate independently as a senior individual contributor while influencing across teams and functions.

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• Deliver multiple production‑grade AI and automation use cases with measurable improvements in productivity, cost reduction, or cycle‑time reduction.
• Establish lightweight AI governance, safety, and value‑tracking guardrails that enable rapid experimentation without slowing delivery.
• Create a reusable, cloud‑native automation and integration foundation that scales across teams.

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field required.
• Master’s degree (MS, MBA, or equivalent) preferred.
• Relevant certifications in cloud platforms, AI, automation, or service management (Microsoft, Azure, AWS, ITIL, PMP, or equivalent) desirable.

Core Competencies

AI-First Architecture | Enterprise Automation | Cloud-Native Platforms | Digital Innovation | Productivity Optimization | Cost Efficiency | KPI & Value Realization | Secure & Compliant Design | Executive Influence | Scalable Organizational Design

Please note that sponsorship of new applicants for employment authorization, or any other immigration-related support, is not available for this position at this time.