About this role
Directing technical delivery for a major public sector program, this role involves shaping how products integrate, deciding when to build custom solutions from scratch, and guiding a team of technical program managers through ambiguous challenges. Working alongside engineering and delivery leads, the selected candidate plans release sequences, translates operational needs into actionable engineering decisions, and builds AI-enabled planning tools for Department of War commands.
The public sector customer base at Scale AI is expanding rapidly, creating a distinct need for someone who can navigate complex government requirements and transition machine learning technologies into working operational products. Ideal candidates bring a strong technical background, a track record of structured problem-solving, and the ability to mentor staff while maintaining clear delivery goals.
What you will do
- Lead and mentor a team of technical program managers by allocating scope, raising technical standards, and unblocking direct stakeholder interactions.
- Determine the technical architecture for deliveries by combining existing products, extending them, or deciding when custom builds are necessary.
- Collaborate with engineering to plan release schedules, evaluate technical risks, and frame trade-offs for stakeholders.
- Act as the primary technical voice for users, translating operational requirements into executable delivery plans.
- Drive innovation by solving undefined technical challenges and turning machine learning research into functional public sector solutions.
- Build capabilities with an eye toward generalization, identifying reusable work for the product team while protecting delivery timelines.
What you need
- Hold an active TS/SCI clearance.
- Accumulate at least seven years of experience succeeding in stakeholder management or customer-facing roles.
- Demonstrate prior experience leading or mentoring other program managers, engineers, or technical staff.
- Prove ownership of technical delivery for complex, multi-workstream programs involving senior government or enterprise stakeholders.
- Possess a technical background through education or professional experience in computer science, economics, statistics, or engineering.
- Maintain a deep understanding of machine learning operations processes and working knowledge of software delivery pipelines and DevOps principles.
- Show a track record of structured, analytics-driven problem-solving paired with strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Display a willingness to travel between twenty-five and fifty percent of the time for on-site client visits.
Nice to have
- 10+ years of professional experience, often in a customer-facing technical program management role in industry or government
- Experience in a Department of War or Intelligence Community operational environment, or supporting a combatant command
- Experience delivering a technical platform or product that other teams build on top of, with a feel for the integration, versioning, and support burden that creates
- Enough hands-on fluency with Python, SQL, and modern AI/ML tooling to interrogate data and prototypes directly, rather than relying on an engineer to answer every question
Benefits
- Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage
- Retirement benefits
- Learning and development stipend
- Generous PTO
- Commuter stipend
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the salary range for this role?
The base salary range for this full-time position in Washington, DC is $199,200 to $249,000 USD. Compensation packages also include equity and benefits, determined during the interview process based on work location, experience, and qualifications.
What are the travel requirements for this position?
The role requires a willingness to travel twenty-five to fifty percent of the time. This typically involves spending one to two weeks per month on-site with CONUS and OCONUS customers.
What security clearance is required to apply?
Candidates must have an active TS/SCI clearance to qualify for this position.
What is the policy on reapplying if previously rejected?
Scale AI requires a ninety-day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This policy ensures a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants.