AI/ML Engineering Director Fellow

Full-time FAS staff

Remote/Hybrid.

Why FAS?

Does FAS sound like an organization that you would be energized to join? Is it aligned to your values?

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) takes quite seriously our role as a beacon and voice for the science community.

FAS has a rich history: after the devastating bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, a group of atomic researchers – deeply concerned about the use of science for malice – created an organization committed to using science and technology to benefit humanity.

The group they created – the Federation of Atomic Scientists – soon became the Federation of American Scientists in recognition of the hundreds of scientists across diverse disciplines who joined together to speak with one voice for the betterment of the world.

Today, we are a group of entrepreneurial, intrepid changemakers, forging a better future for all through the nexus of science, technology and talent. As a collective, we are building an organization focused on being impact-driven, customer-focused, and growth-oriented as a force for good in the world.

The FAS Impact Fellowship is a selective fellowship program that supports the development and placement of emerging scientific and technical talent within high-impact roles across government. From education to wildfire resilience, national security, and housing, Impact Fellows are serving across a variety of government agencies in roles that augment existing government teams as they confront some of the greatest scientific and social challenges of our time.

To Sum It Up…

What’s the “elevator pitch” for the role?

The FAS Talent Hub is seeking an Impact Fellow for a 24-month term to join the Department of

Information Technology within a state government.

This Gubernatorial Administration has an ambitious vision to become a national leader in

responsible, productive use of artificial intelligence (AI). State agencies are eager to explore

how AI can improve public services and deliver better outcomes for residents. To turn that

momentum into impact, the state is building a new AI Innovation Lab to scale responsible,

productive AI across Executive Branch agencies.

To achieve this goal, the state is collaborating with the Federation of American Scientists (FAS)

to recruit an AI/ML Engineering Director who will lead high-impact projects, expand technical

capacity, and help drive the use of AI to modernize public services. This entrepreneurial leader

will support innovation across workforce systems and help position the state as a national model for using AI in the public interest.

Current employees of the state are not eligible for this position.

What will some of your responsibilities entail?

As the AI/ML Engineering Director, you will lead technical strategy, delivery, and

capacity-building to expand the state’s ability to develop and scale AI solutions. Your work will

focus on:

• Identifying areas where state-led AI experimentation can have the greatest impact.
• Identifying systemic barriers – such as gaps in technical expertise, procedural bottlenecks, or infrastructure/architectural limitations – that slow the adoption of AI tools across state government, and developing technical/policy/talent solutions to remove these barriers.
• Shape an emerging accelerator program for agencies starting their AI journeys, shepherding them from business use case definition to helping them deploy to higher environments.
• Collaborate with agencies through AI office hours, solutions architecture sessions, and ongoing guidance to help them find the best fit-for-purpose AI, from models to data patterns.
• Ensure that the AI Innovation Lab's work, from team structure to tech stack, aligns with industry best practices to make sure we offer state agencies the most responsible, productive AI possible.
• Scrub in as needed to build AI solutions alongside agency partners.
• Championing an MLOps strategy for the state’s first AI Innovation Lab, which aims to scale AI pilot projects into ongoing AI products.
• Building longer-term capacity by establishing practices that enable sustained AI adoption, including with and for agentic systems.

Potential Impact

• Design the State’s first AI Innovation Lab, helping to grow a government startup that serves citizens and civil servants alike.
• Increase the State’s ability to run high-priority proofs of concept, evaluate success, and scale into production.
• Expand the State’s ability to deliver AI solutions that improve public services, enhance operational efficiency, and strengthen trust in government.
• Develop a state-wide understanding of platforms, infrastructure, and tooling to build or buy to satisfy the most impactful, requested, and high-ROI GenAI use cases.

Education & Other Requirements

Unfortunately, FAS is unable to consider current employees of the state for the FAS Impact

Fellowship.

Skills and Expertise: Must Haves

What skills do you need to show proficiency (or higher) in order to be a strong candidate?

• 5 - 7 years of engineering leadership, preferably mentoring and growing engineering teams to design/build/ship AI systems.
• Exceptional ability to build strong relationships with cross-functional peers in Design, Legal, Product, and other diverse disciplines.
• Envision the “art of the possible” – you have a strong point of view on where AI is going next and will make a plan to keep our state at the forefront.
• Deep knowledge of the end-to-end AI product lifecycle, from user research to continuous improvement and monitoring.
• Hands-on experience defining and implementing robust frameworks for system orchestration, continuous evaluation, and post-deployment monitoring.
• A holistic approach to building AI: You value its ethics and impact as much as its accuracy.
• A track record building and launching AI systems in highly regulated industries, including the government and healthcare, is preferred but not required.

Work Environment

This position can be a hybrid or remote role. Although we will consider candidates from across the U.S., preference will be given to those who live in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) and can attend in-person events as needed.

Salary Range

This fellowship will provide a salary for the entirety of the fellowship duration at an annual rate of $164,000 per year.

Additional Position Information

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; the employer will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

How To Apply

To apply, please submit your interest here. We strongly encourage candidates from all

backgrounds to apply. Early submission will ensure your application receives full consideration.

About Impact Fellowships

The FAS Impact Fellowship is a selective fellowship program that supports the development and placement of emerging scientific and technical talent within high-impact roles across state

governments and the federal government. From education to clean energy, wildfire resilience,

national security, and food systems, Impact Fellows are serving across a variety of government

agencies in roles that augment existing teams as they confront some of the greatest scientific

and social challenges of our time.

Hiring Statement

Don’t check off every box? Apply anyway! Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every listed qualification. At FAS we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and developing new voices. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway – you might just be the right candidate.

The Federation of American Scientists is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. The Federation of American Scientists prohibits discriminating against employees and job applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose the compensation of the employee or applicant or another employee or applicant. Employment is contingent on successful verification of eligibility to work in the United States.