Scientific Applications & Research Associates (SARA), Inc. · 2 hours ago
AI Architect - 1545
Colorado Springs, CO, US
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$145K/yr - $180K/yr
8+ years expScientific Applications & Research Associates, Inc. (SARA) is a world-class Defense Research and Development enterprise, with a charter to create new and emerging technological innovations in support of Commercial & Government organizations. They are seeking an experienced AI Architect to architect and implement organization-wide AI capability, focusing on secure onsite/private LLM deployments and enterprise data integration.
ConsultingMarket Research
No H1B
Security Clearance RequiredU.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Serve as internal AI program owner for all enterprise AI initiatives
Define AI strategy, roadmap, and success metrics aligned to business goals
Lead requirements definition for onsite and private LLM deployments
Oversee external AI consultants and vendors; ensure delivery accountability
Evaluate and select AI tools, LLMs, platforms, and architectures
Design and oversee RAG pipelines, model hosting, and inference workflows
Ensure AI systems meet security, privacy, and governance standards
Partner with IT, cybersecurity, and technical teams
Drive AI pilots into production-ready solutions
Develop AI usage guidelines and guardrails
Lead internal AI training and adoption efforts
Monitor AI performance, risks, and ROI over time
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field
8 – 10 years of professional experience in AI, data science, or related field
5+ years of experience leading complex technical initiatives
Demonstrated experience deploying and maintaining AI systems
Experience managing external consulting partners
Proven ability to deliver systems beyond proof-of-concept
Strong understanding of LLMs and generative AI concepts
Experience with: LLM deployment (open-source and/or proprietary)
Experience with: RAG architectures and vector databases
Experience with: AI infrastructure (on-prem, private cloud, or hybrid)
Experience with: enterprise data systems (SQL databases, etc.)
Experience with: authentication/authorization methods and implementation
Experience with: evaluation/monitoring tools for LLM's and accompanying hardware
Familiarity with AI tooling ecosystems (e.g., Open WebUI, LangChain, LlamaIndex)
Familiarity with Model Context Protocol (MCP) and client-server architecture
Familiarity with Model and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Management
Familiarity with authentication and security (JWT, OAuth, LDAP, API Key Mgmt)
Understanding of GPU infrastructure and cost tradeoffs
Strong data governance and security awareness
Light physical effort, involving standing, sitting and use of hands while performing duties, carrying or lifting up to 50 pounds
Working environment is indoor, moderately quiet, reasonably clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated; moderate physical hazards may exist
US Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance
Preferred
Master's degree or higher in related field
10 – 12 years of professional experience in deploying and maintaining AI systems
Experience deploying onsite or air-gapped AI systems
Background in Government Contracting and/or IP-sensitive environments
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Experience with high-level IT network and systems architecture
AI product management or AI platform ownership
PMP, Agile, or similar program management certification
Benefits
Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, and other supplemental programs
A generous PTO program
Tuition & certification reimbursement
Flexible work schedules
Employee bonuses
401(k) match
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Company
Scientific Applications & Research Associates (SARA), Inc.
SARA’s talented team of engineers and scientists innovate cutting-edge and customized solutions for our defenders and providers at home and abroad.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Bob McCord
Chief Financial Officer
Company data provided by crunchbase