Data Scientist / AI Engineer

Data Scientist / AI Engineer Location:

• Norfolk, Virginia Employment Type: Full-time, On-site Security Clearance: Active NATO or U.S.

National SECRET clearance required Citizenship:

• Must be a citizen of a NATO member nation The Role Ironclad is seeking an experienced Data Scientist / AI Engineer to support the development and implementation of advanced data science, artificial intelligence, and large language model capabilities within the NATO enterprise.
• This position requires a technically versatile professional who can bridge data engineering, software development, machine learning, and operational mission requirements.
• The selected candidate will design scalable data architectures, build and optimize data pipelines, develop API-based infrastructure, and support the secure deployment of AI and machine learning solutions in cloud-based and hybrid environments.
• The role requires strong hands-on experience with generative AI, large language models (LLMs), distributed systems, microservices, containerized applications, and modern software engineering practices.
• The successful candidate must also be able to translate complex operational challenges into practical technical solutions for military and civilian stakeholders.
• Key Responsibilities Develop and implement scalable data science and AI capabilities supporting NATO initiatives.
• Design, build, and maintain data pipelines for structured and unstructured data.
• Prepare, cleanse, transform, and optimize data for LLM training, fine-tuning, inference, and analytics.
• Develop API-based infrastructure that integrates LLMs and machine learning models with operational systems.
• Design and support microservices and containerized AI/ML applications.
• Build distributed data storage and processing solutions using cloud-based or hybrid architectures.
• Develop real-time data processing and streaming capabilities for operational decision support.
• Automate data engineering processes and improve the scalability, efficiency, and reliability of AI infrastructure.
• Implement monitoring, logging, traceability, and performance-optimization tools for data pipelines and APIs.
• Support the secure deployment of AI and LLM solutions in Microsoft Azure, AWS, or comparable environments.
• Develop tools that improve data accessibility for data scientists, analysts, engineers, and operational users.
• Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, system architects, and other technical stakeholders.
• Support federated learning, cross-domain data sharing, and secure collaboration across NATO nations.
• Develop proofs of concept for LLM-based and advanced analytics applications.
• Evaluate operational requirements and recommend appropriate AI, software, and data-engineering solutions.
• Create dashboards, reports, and visual analytics for senior and non-technical stakeholders.
• Provide technical briefings, mentoring, and training in AI engineering, data science, API development, and digital literacy.
• Research emerging developments in generative AI, distributed computing, data architecture, and software engineering.
• Promote responsible, secure, and ethical AI practices throughout solution development and deployment.
• Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or higher from a nationally recognized university in data science, data analytics, artificial intelligence, mathematics, physics, computer science, software engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• At least four years of professional experience as a Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, Data Engineer, Software Engineer, or in a closely related role.
• Demonstrated experience developing operational AI or machine learning solutions.
• Experience with distributed systems and cloud-based or hybrid architectures.
• Experience designing API-based infrastructure and microservices architectures.
• Hands-on experience developing and deploying containerized applications using technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes.
• Demonstrated experience with generative AI and large language models.
• Experience preprocessing data and supporting the fine-tuning and deployment of LLMs in secure, scalable environments.
• Experience with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, or comparable technologies.
• Strong programming experience with Python, Java, Scala, or similar languages.
• Experience with version control, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern software engineering practices.
• Experience building and optimizing ETL processes, data pipelines, and real-time streaming solutions.
• Familiarity with Apache Airflow, Kafka, Spark, or comparable data-engineering technologies.
• Experience architecting or maintaining data lakes, data warehouses, distributed storage systems, or NoSQL solutions.
• Knowledge of platforms such as Delta Lake, Snowflake, Hadoop, or comparable technologies.

Experience applying AI to operational decision support and the analysis of unstructured data, including text or imagery.

• Strong understanding of data security, privacy, sovereignty, and responsible AI practices.
• Experience developing dashboards, visual reports, and analytics using Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, Kibana, or comparable tools.
• Ability to translate operational problems into practical AI and machine learning solutions.
• Demonstrated success working with multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Ability to mentor or train personnel in AI engineering, data science, or software development concepts.
• Preferred Qualifications Familiarity with NATO processes, organizational structures, operational culture, and decision-making procedures.
• Experience supporting military, defense, government, or international organizations.
• Experience developing AI or data-engineering solutions using open-source frameworks and publicly available datasets.
• Familiarity with military staff workflows and operational planning processes.
• Experience with federated learning and privacy-preserving collaboration across multiple organizations or nations.
• Experience supporting cross-domain data sharing and API-driven interoperability.
• Familiarity with agile project-management methods and tools such as JIRA, Trello, or Microsoft Loop.
• Experience briefing senior leaders and presenting actionable, data-driven recommendations.
• Knowledge of ethical AI principles, including bias mitigation, responsible data handling, transparency, and secure deployment.
• Why Join Ironclad Ironclad supports complex defense and international missions by providing experienced professionals who combine technical expertise with an understanding of operational requirements.
• This position offers the opportunity to contribute directly to secure, scalable, and mission-focused AI capabilities while working alongside military, civilian, and technical stakeholders across the NATO enterprise.
• Clearance This position requires an active NATO or National SECRET (or higher) security clearance.
• Applicants who do not possess the clearance specified above cannot be considered at this time. Compensation Compensation for this position ranges from $115,000 - $130,000 annually.

Final salary will be based on factors such as experience, education, skills, qualifications, contract requirements, and overall affordability. Eligible full-time employees may also receive a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, and professional development opportunities. How to Apply Email your resume to jobs@idw.inc with the subject line:

• Data Scientist / AI Engineer - (Your Name) Application" or respond to this job posting via the included web application.
• Ironclad Defense Works is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Powered by JazzHR