AI Engineering Lead
CACI Open · verified Oct 22, 2026 At a glance
Senior AI Engineering role at CACI. Washington · full-time · $114,600–$252,100 base.
aimlroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Set the architecture and technical direction for OIGChat, pilot work and enterprise AI services in Azure environments
- Take AI tools for hotline review, eDiscovery and investigative analysis from early design through production
- Manage approved model access, selection, routing and API connections, with controls on use and cost
- Put monitoring, alerts and safeguards in place to govern model use and limit data exposure
- Lead AI and data science staff, coordinating workload needs across infrastructure, data and application teams
What you bring
- A bachelor's degree and fifteen years in AI, machine learning, software engineering or a related field; listed alternatives also qualify
- A track record of guiding teams that design and deliver enterprise-scale AI and machine learning systems
- Deep expertise in LLMs, generative AI, Azure AI services and production model operations
- Strong AI architecture skills covering RAG, routing, APIs, safeguards, monitoring, cost management and enterprise data
- Python skills and experience with AI/ML frameworks such as LangChain, Semantic Kernel or another listed framework
Who this fits
This senior technical lead role suits someone who can guide engineering teams and provide hands-on direction for enterprise AI systems. The work supports DHS OIG oversight, investigative, audit and inspection operations. The role is hybrid in Washington, travel is listed as none, and no clearance is required to start.
From the employer
The Opportunity:
CACI is seeking a visionary AI Engineering Lead to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG). This role offers a unique opportunity to provide technical leadership and strategic direction for an enterprise AI transformation that strengthens national security oversight through investigative, audit, and inspection operations.
As the AI Engineering Lead, you will architect and oversee the implementation of AI capabilities across the DHS OIG enterprise, from OIGChat—a large language model assistant—to mission-specific investigative analytics applications. You will lead technical teams, define AI architecture patterns, establish model governance frameworks, and ensure responsible AI practices across all implementations. You will coordinate access to Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Foundry services, implement cost controls and guardrails, and provide expert guidance on complex AI problem sets from prototype through production. Working within secure government cloud environments, you will shape the technical vision and execution strategy for AI capabilities on a transformational program of national importance. Join us to make a meaningful impact by leading the future of AI-enabled federal oversight.
Responsibilities:
Provide technical leadership and architectural direction for all AI capabilities, including OIGChat, pilot applications, and enterprise AI platform services across Azure Government and Commercial environments
Oversee secure, governed access to Government-approved AI models (Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry, commercial LLM providers), including model selection, routing architecture, API management, and integration patterns
Lead design, development, and architecture of mission-specific AI applications for investigative analytics, hotline analysis, eDiscovery, and oversight use cases from concept through production
Establish and enforce model governance, cost management, and responsible AI frameworks, including usage monitoring, token consumption tracking, dashboards, thresholds, alerts, and guardrails to prevent unauthorized use, excessive cost, and data leakage
Define and implement AI/ML architecture patterns that ensure all model access consumes governed, authoritative datasets from the enterprise data platform in compliance with data governance, classification, and quality policies
Lead solution architecture and prototyping efforts, providing expert guidance on complex AI problem sets, technical feasibility assessments, and level-of-effort estimates
Coordinate AI workload requirements and scalability planning across infrastructure, data, and application layers to support current and future AI use cases
Lead and coordinate AI engineering and data science resources, including surge support for specialized technical analysis, model development, validation, and production deployment
Support model auditing, explainability, bias detection, and compliance with federal AI requirements and DHS OIG data governance policies
Collaborate with Government leadership, platform engineers, security specialists, and product teams to align AI capabilities with mission priorities, Agile delivery processes, and enterprise architecture standards.
Qualifications:
Required –
Bachelor's degree + 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, software engineering, or related field; equivalencies considered (Master's + 12 years; 21 years with no degree; AA + 17 years)
Proven technical leadership experience architecting and delivering enterprise-scale AI/ML solutions, with demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams and coordinate cross-functional efforts
Deep expertise in large language models (LLMs), generative AI, Azure OpenAI/Azure AI services, and enterprise AI platforms with understanding of model governance, responsible AI, and production ML operations
Extensive experience designing AI architectures, including RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), model routing, API patterns, guardrails, monitoring, cost optimization, and integration with enterprise data platforms
Strong background in AI/ML frameworks (LangChain, Semantic Kernel, TensorFlow, PyTorch), Python development, and cloud-native AI services with ability to provide hands-on technical guidance
Desired –
Experience leading AI initiatives in federal government, law enforcement, investigative, or national security environments with understanding of sensitive data handling, ATO processes, and compliance requirements
Hands-on experience with MLOps, model lifecycle management, AI governance frameworks, and production AI monitoring and observability tools
Background in investigative analytics, fraud detection, text analytics, NLP, or mission-driven AI applications supporting oversight, audit, or law enforcement functions
What You Can Expect:
A culture of integrity.
At CACI, we place character and innovation at the center of everything we do. As a valued team member, you’ll be part of a high-performing group dedicated to our customer’s missions and driven by a higher purpose – to ensure the safety of our nation.
An environment of trust.
CACI values the unique contributions that every employee brings to our company and our customers - every day. You’ll have the autonomy to take the time you need through a unique flexible time off benefit and have access to robust learning resources to make your ambitions a reality.
A focus on continuous growth.
Together, we will advance our nation's most critical missions, build on our lengthy track record of business success, and find opportunities to break new ground — in your career and in our legacy.
Pay Range:
There are a host of factors that can influence final salary including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. Our employees value the flexibility at CACI that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives. We offer competitive compensation, benefits and learning and development opportunities. Our broad and competitive mix of benefits options is designed to support and protect employees and their families. At CACI, you will receive comprehensive benefits such as; healthcare, wellness, financial, retirement, family support, continuing education, and time off benefits.
Since this position can be worked in more than one location, the range shown is the national average for the position.
The proposed salary range for this position is:
$114,600-$252,100CACI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.