Technical Program Manager (Software Systems)

TORCH.AI; Leawood (KS); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Quarterly performance bonuses

Equity participation

Unlimited PTO + 11 paid holidays

Medical options (PPO/HSA)

Dental and vision plans

401(k) plan

Employer-paid life insurance

Disability coverage

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Torch.AI is seeking a Technical Program Manager to drive cross-functional delivery of mission-critical AI and data platforms for DoD and IC customers from our Leawood, KS HQ and via hybrid arrangements across government networks.

You will translate mission needs into executable plans, coordinate multi-team deployments, and maintain rigorous program artifacts to ensure operational readiness and accreditation alignment.

Qualifications

• B.S. in engineering/CS or equivalent experience.
• 6–10+ years in technical program management or similar.
• Experience delivering complex programs in defense/high-security environments.
• Strong technical fluency across software lifecycles, cloud, APIs, deployment.
• Excellent communication across stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Drive planning and execution of mission-critical technical programs for DoD/IC customers.
• Translate mission needs into delivery milestones and acceptance criteria.
• Maintain execution rhythm across sprint planning and milestones.
• Coordinate deployment planning and go-live across environments.
• Communicate risks and tradeoffs clearly to stakeholders.
• Support accreditation and compliance activities.

Skills

Technical program management

Systems engineering

Solutions delivery

Defense/high-security

Cloud & APIs

Deployment processes

Communication

Cross-functional coordination

SIPR/JWICS/NIPR familiarity

AI/ML platforms familiarity

Education

B.S. in technical field

Tools

Azure/AWS cloud environments

Security accreditation processes

Job description

The world’s most consequential systems need the world’s best builders.A new era is taking shape. AI is no longer confined to models or interfaces. It is becoming the foundation of how decisions are made across governments, industries, and real-world environments. What matters now is not just access to capability, but how it is applied, controlled, and sustained over time.Torch.AI builds a government-owned reasoning infrastructure which creates a Reasoning Layer to enable machine reasoning at scale, in environments where it is hardest to achieve and least tolerant of failure. This is not incremental software. It is long-term infrastructure designed to endure, integrate, and evolve alongside the systems it supports.Not another dashboard. Not another workflow app. Not another black-box model glued to a PowerPoint.The Reasoning Layer is a modular architecture where data is connected, governed, transformed, represented, fused, reasoned over, and delivered into mission applications and operational workflows. It does not replace systems of record. It enables them to function better together.The Reasoning Layer is comprised of: ORCUS (ingestion, orchestration, governance), NEXUS (semantic representation, vectorization), HALO (graph-based fusion and reasoning) and various product and capability components deployed for specific customer use cases.We are seeking candidates who approach problems creatively, are comfortable operating without full clarity, and take responsibility for outcomes, not just implementation.If you’re driven to strengthen U.S. defense readiness and protect national interests, Torch.AI offers meaningful impact at national scale.What Makes Torch.AI DifferentTorch.AI was founded on a simple operational insight: better use of data leads to better decisions. As data volumes increased across commercial, enterprise, and national security environments, the limiting factor was not collection, storage, or user interface design. The missing layer was machine understanding. And an infrastructure that could operate and reason between layers, preserve context, reconcile meaning, and make data useful for decisions in real time.We believe the government must own its data and decision environment. In mission and operational environments, the layer where data becomes context, context informs models, models support decisions, and decisions shape action cannot be controlled entirely by private technology vendors.Ownership does not mean the government must build every component itself. It means the government maintains stewardship and authority over the mission and operational layer. Commercial software, models, and services can contribute to the environment, but they should not capture the mission.We are craftsmen.We build with intention.We ship with discipline.You’ll collaborate with engineers, data experts, veterans, and mission practitioners. You’ll own meaningful work, move quickly, and see your systems deployed in production, often within weeks.We are fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven. Every day is a new puzzle.The Type of Candidates Who ThrivePeople who do well here tend to approach problems similarly.They are comfortable operating without full clarity.They pay attention to what actually happens, not just what was intended.They are willing to be wrong, adjust quickly, and improve based on real feedback.They take responsibility for outcomes, not just implementation.This is not a good fit for someone who needs tightly defined problems or prefers distance from how their work is used.Security ClearanceSome roles require an active Secret, Top Secret, or Top Secret/SCI clearance. Where required, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate clearance level.U.S. citizenship is required for all positions. Torch.AI does not sponsor employment visas.If you do not currently hold a clearance but are eligible, sponsorship may be available depending on role and mission requirements.Work LocationMost roles are based at our headquarters in Leawood, KS. Some hybrid/remote positions across the Arlington, VA, Washington, DC, and Maryland (DMV) region are available. Limited travel (<10%) may be required for some roles.Compensation, Benefits, IncentivesWe offer competitive, performance-aligned compensation tied to technical depth, clearance level, and mission impact.Total Rewards Include:Competitive base salaryQuarterly performance bonusesEquity participation within the first 12 monthsUnlimited PTO + 11 paid company holidaysProfessional development in a high-growth, mission-driven environmentWeekly in-office catering at HQBenefits:401(k) plan (no current employer match, but under consideration)PPO, HSA, and TRICARE Supplement medical optionsAbove-market HSA contributionsHSA, FSA, and Dependent Care FSA optionsDental and vision plans above national averagesEmployer-paid life insurance (1× salary)Employer-paid Short-Term and Long-Term DisabilityVoluntary Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity coverageUp to $300/month in tax-advantaged commuter benefitsTorch.AI is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer committed to building a team that reflects the mission we serve.If you want to build AI systems that move from ingestion to actionable insight and know exactly why they produced the answer they did, we should talk.Role OverviewThis role blends program execution, technical fluency, and deployment coordination to deliver mission-critical AI and data platforms across classified and unclassified environments. You will drive cross-functional execution, align engineering delivery with mission objectives, and ensure customer deployments meet operational readiness requirements.This is not a software engineering role, but previous software development in Java, Python, or other languages is a preferred. The TPM must be technically fluent and able to:Translate mission needs into executable delivery plans and technical requirementsTrack delivery across engineering teams and validate technical deployments and code, environments, and security domainsCommunicate program status, technical risk, and delivery tradeoffs to stakeholdersCoordinate deployment readiness, cutovers, and stabilization activitiesThis role is accountable for delivery outcomes and mission readiness across multiple environments. The TPM does not build automation frameworks, own CI/CD pipelines, or serve as the primary implementer of software or infrastructure.ResponsibilitiesWhat You’ll DoDrive planning and execution of mission-critical technical programs supporting DoD and IC customers.Conduct code Peer Reviews for your team.Translate mission needs into executable delivery plans, milestones, and measurable acceptance criteria.Maintain execution rhythm across sprint planning, readiness reviews, and milestone delivery.Track dependencies, risks, and delivery status across engineering, security, and deployment teams.Coordinate deployment planning and go-live execution across multiple environments and security domains.Communicate program status, technical risks, and tradeoffs clearly to internal and customer stakeholders.Support accreditation and operational approval activities by ensuring delivery alignment with compliance requirements.Maintain program artifacts including roadmaps, RAID logs, schedules, and customer-facing execution plans.Core Skills & QualificationsB.S. in in a technical discipline (engineering, computer science, information systems) or demonstrated equivalent experience delivering complex technical programs.6–10+ years of experience in technical program management, systems engineering, solutions delivery, or similar roles.Demonstrated experience delivering complex technical programs in defense or high-security environments.Strong technical fluency across software development lifecycles, cloud environments, APIs, and deployment processes.Strong organizational discipline and ability to manage competing priorities in high-tempo environments.Excellent communication skills and ability to drive alignment across cross-functional stakeholders.Additional Valuable ExperienceExperience supporting deployments across SIPR/JWICS/NIPR or isolated cloud domains.Familiarity with AI/ML-enabled platforms and data fusion workflows.PMP, Scrum, SAFe, or DoD 8570/8140 certifications.Prior military or operational mission experience.Success MeasuresPrograms deliver on time with proactive risk and dependency management.Engineering execution stays aligned through clear requirements, priorities, and acceptance criteria.Deployments and cutovers run smoothly with repeatable readiness and stabilization processes.Customer stakeholders trust execution through consistent communication and transparent reporting.Cross-functional teams remain aligned through disciplined execution rhythms and timely decisions.