AI Technologies / Strategic Communications Principal

This role will engage customers and partners to shape AI-driven and communications-focused opportunities, provide subject matter expertise across both the AI and strategic communications portfolios, and support the expansion of our company's presence in these emerging markets. The position is designed to accelerate our AI and Strategic Communications lines of business through a combination of technical leadership, strategic engagement, and market development. This is a unique opportunity to join a rapidly growing company that provides Artificial Intelligence and Strategic Communications systems and software engineering services and solutions to DoD clients. This Principal role is built around a growth model: the person who steps into it is given the latitude to pursue new business across AI and strategic communications, win it, and then own execution of what is won. Rather than a narrowly scoped position, this is a platform for someone who wants to build a business area, whether centered on a key client, a specific technology domain such as military communications at the edge, or an emerging market, and grow it into a durable line of business. This person will work closely with the Vice President of AI Solutions and other company leaders to identify, shape, and capture new AI and strategic communications opportunities, and will then carry those wins forward into delivery, taking responsibility for the programs and teams that result. This dual focus on business development and execution gives the right candidate a clear path to upward mobility: success in growing a business area translates directly into expanded scope, larger teams, and greater leadership responsibility within IDS. Our company AI portfolio spans retrieval augmented generation, constrained large language model (LLM) systems, knowledge graph deployments, explainable AI, and predictive analytics, all delivered within classified and DoD-accredited cloud environments including Azure Government, AWS GovCloud, and Google Cloud. IDS's Strategic Communications portfolio focuses on military communications at the edge, including Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) operations, data links, wideband radios, digital waveforms, military communication networks, military messaging, and C5ISR systems and capabilities. The Principal will advance these capabilities across Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and joint warfighting programs, serving as both a growth driver and a trusted execution leader for the business area they build.

• Ambitious, entrepreneurial individual who sees this role as a growth opportunity, with a strong desire for upward mobility and ownership of a business area over time. • Demonstrated experience building customer relationships and winning new business in the DoD/DoW or federal AI market. • 5 years of experience with strategic communications and/or AI technologies. • 5 years of experience in technology business development, program execution, or technical leadership roles supporting defense applications. • Experience leading program teams and managing budget, schedule, and technical performance for delivered solutions. • Business capture, proposal development, or pipeline management experience within DoD/DoW or federal markets. Desired Qualifications: • Demonstrated experience supporting military communications at the edge, including Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) operations. • Demonstrated experience with large language model (LLM) integration and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) techniques within DoD or classified environments. • Demonstrated experience deploying solutions within DoD-accredited cloud environments such as IL2/IL4/IL5+ platforms (Azure Government, AWS GovCloud, or Google Cloud). • Experience with software development methodologies such as Agile and DevOps.

Program Execution & Delivery: • Take ownership of the successful execution of programs won through business development efforts, capture management, and serving as the accountable leader for delivery. • Oversee staffing, technical direction, schedule, and budget for programs within the business area, ensuring they meet customer expectations and IDS quality standards. • Build and mentor project teams, growing technical and program management talent as the business area expands. Technical Leadership: • Work with the engineering team to provide leadership IDS's portfolio, including familiarity with AI technology (retrieval augmented generation, constrained LLM systems, knowledge graphs, explainable AI, predictive analytics, etc.) and communications technology (military communications at the edge, DDIL operations, data links, wideband radios, digital waveforms, military communication networks, military messaging, C5ISR systems and capabilities, etc.). • Stay current on emerging technologies and advocate for their adoption where they create a competitive advantage for IDS and its customers. Capture Management & Growth: • Identify, qualify, shape, and capture new opportunities with customers and partners that align with IDS's strategic growth areas. • Build and sustain customer and partner relationships that support long-term capture and growth of a defined business area, whether anchored by a client, technology, or market segment. • Develop capture strategies, teaming arrangements, and proposal content that position IDS to win new business. • Represent IDS at industry events, customer forums, and partner engagements to advance the company's reputation and pipeline. Stakeholder Engagement: • Liaise with military, government agencies, and industry partners to understand requirements, present solutions, and gather feedback. • Communicate complex concepts, business case rationale, and program status to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Compliance and Security: • Ensure all development and delivery adhere to security protocols, privacy standards, and ethical use in defense contexts. • Collaborate with security teams to protect systems and data against cyber threats. Required Education and Skills • Minimum 4-year degree in computer science, engineering, business, mathematics, science, or related fields. • Background in software engineering, computer science, software architecture, or electrical/communications engineering, with the ability to speak credibly to AI solution design and/or tactical communications systems. Required Clearance: Secret Clearance