Expression is seeking a Director Platform Engineering to lead the architecture, development, and scaling of VOR, our flagship platform that unifies data, workflows, and AI agents to drive decision-making in complex, high-stakes environments.
This is not a management-only role. You will write code, review pull requests, debug production issues, and make hands-on architectural decisions alongside the team you build. You will own VOR's technical direction end-to-end from system design and infrastructure to adoption and mission impact while personally contributing to the codebase in meaningful ways.
You will lead cross-functional teams to deliver a platform that integrates seamlessly into client environments, operationalizes AI, and drives measurable outcomes across government and enterprise programs.
Location- Hybrid in the DMV area with visits to our HQ office and clients' offices as needed.
- Secret or TS/SCI preferred.
Key ResponsibilitiesHands-On Engineering & Architecture- Personally architect and code critical platform components you set the technical standard by building, not just directing
- Own system design decisions across VOR's data integration, workflow orchestration, and AI agent layers
- Conduct code reviews, set engineering standards, and establish patterns that scale across the platform
- Debug and resolve complex production issues spanning cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, and AI pipelines
- Maintain deep technical fluency in the full stack: Python, NodeJS, Go, cloud-native services (AWS GovCloud), container orchestration, data pipelines, and LLM/agent frameworks
Platform Strategy & Execution- Own the end-to-end strategy, roadmap, and delivery of the VOR platform
- Drive the evolution of VOR across data integration, workflow orchestration, and AI/agent capabilities
- Ensure alignment between product vision, engineering execution, and mission needs
- Make build-vs-buy decisions grounded in hands-on technical evaluation, not slide decks
Productization & Scale- Lead the transition from services-driven delivery to a scalable, repeatable platform model
- Define deployment models across hybrid cloud, enterprise, and edge environments
- Establish platform standards for interoperability with systems like Palantir, Databricks, and Snowflake
- Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, testing infrastructure, and release processes that support rapid, reliable delivery
AI Operationalization- Drive the "last mile" of AI ensuring models and data systems are embedded into real workflows, not just prototyped
- Architect and implement human-in-the-loop systems that balance automation with control, explainability, and trust
- Oversee VOR Agents development, ensuring mission alignment and compliance through auditable, explainable, and traceable actions.
- Drive the implementation of evaluation frameworks, agent behavior monitoring, and red-teaming to ensure agentic systems behave safely and predictably within mission constraints.
- Stay current with and personally evaluate emerging AI/ML frameworks, tools, and techniques
Customer & Mission Delivery- Partner with program teams and clients to implement VOR in real-world environments
- Translate complex mission requirements into platform capabilities
- Ensure successful deployment from pilot to production, personally engaging at breakdown points when needed
Team Leadership- Build and lead a high-performing team of engineers, architects, and product leaders
- Foster a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and shipping - lead by example at the keyboard
- Mentor engineers through pairing, code review, and architectural guidance
- Align cross-functional teams across engineering, delivery, and business units
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline
- 10+ years of experience in platform engineering, data systems, or AI/ML delivery, with progressive leadership responsibility
- Currently hands-on: you write production code today, not five years ago
- Proven track record of building and scaling platforms not just managing teams that do
- Deep proficiency in Python, Go, NodeJS and modern cloud-native development (AWS required; Azure/GCP a plus)
- Experience with containerization, orchestration (Kubernetes/ECS), and infrastructure-as-code
- Working knowledge of data platforms (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, Spark) and workflow orchestration frameworks
- Experience with AI/ML lifecycle and operationalization - MLOps, model serving, LLM integration, agent architectures
- Experience working in complex, regulated, or mission-driven environments (government, defense, or national security preferred)
- Ability to bridge deep technical execution with executive communication and client engagement
- Experience in client-facing roles including pre-sales and delivery engagements
Preferred Qualifications- Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- Experience with FedRAMP, IL4/IL5+, or ATO processes
- Hands-on experience with generative AI, multi-agent systems, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
- Contributions to open-source projects or a visible engineering track record
- Relevant certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, Kubernetes, etc.)
- Working knowledge of Agentic AI frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph, CrewAI, or similar).
- Familiarity with retrieval and context engineering systems and vector search systems/vector database integration.
BenefitsExpression offers competitive salaries and benefits, including:
- 401(k) matching
- PPO and HDHP medical/dental/vision insurance
- Education reimbursement
- Complimentary life insurance
- Generous PTO and holiday leave
- Onsite office gym access
- Commuter Benefits Plan
