Senior Defense AI Leader: Agentic ML & Secure Systems

McKinsey & Company; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 243,000 - 249,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company in the United States is seeking a senior leader to shape and deliver agentic AI and machine learning solutions for defense clients across public and private sectors. You will guide client service teams, set technical direction, and ensure delivery in secure environments.

You’ll apply deep defense-domain expertise to lead engagements, architect scalable AI foundations, and mentor teams while partnering with government program offices and industry partners to realize measurable

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience applying data science, AI, and analytics in client-facing or senior stakeholder settings.
• Experience designing and scaling modern AI solutions, including agentic AI systems and production-grade ML.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across government program offices, senior leadership, and industry partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI implementation engagements for defense clients, defining aspirations and required impact.
• Architect and lead teams to deliver agentic AI systems securely from design to deployment.
• Apply ML, generative AI, and multi-agent approaches to meet defense-grade standards.
• Collaborate with government and industry to align priorities and drive value.
• Build secure AI foundations for classified and unclassified programs.

Skills

Defense sector experience

Data science & AI

Cloud platforms

Leadership of multidisciplinary teams

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Tools

SQL

Python

LLM tooling

Knowledge graphs

Job description

McKinsey & Company in the United States is seeking a senior leader to shape and deliver agentic AI and machine learning solutions for defense clients across public and private sectors. You will guide client service teams, set technical direction, and ensure delivery in secure environments.

You’ll apply deep defense-domain expertise to lead engagements, architect scalable AI foundations, and mentor teams while partnering with government program offices and industry partners to realize measurable