OverviewThe Senior Principal Software Engineer/Developer will serve as a lead enterprise architect and AI engineering authority, responsible for defining and delivering large-scale, mission-critical AI-enabled systems for HUD and the AIR platform. This role goes beyond hands-on development to include enterprise-wide technical strategy, cross-program architecture leadership, executive-level stakeholder engagement, and AI governance and innovation leadership in federal environments.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary technical authority across multiple programs, defining AI and application architecture strategy at the enterprise level
- Establish long-term modernization roadmaps for federal systems, aligning AI adoption with mission outcomes and compliance requirements
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior federal stakeholders (SES-level and above) on AI strategy, system modernization, and technology risk
- Drive technical decision-making across portfolios, ensuring scalability, interoperability, and long-term sustainability
- Own end-to-end enterprise architecture across multiple interconnected systems, platforms, and programs
- Lead design of complex, distributed AI-enabled architectures, including multi-cloud and hybrid environments
- Define and enforce architecture standards, reference architectures, and reusable frameworks across teams
- Lead development of advanced AI solutions, includingRAG systems at scale, agentic workflows and orchestration frameworks, andAI-driven automation across mission workflows
- Establish AIengineeringbest practices and standards across the organization
- Evaluate andleadadoption of emerging AI technologies, guiding pilots into production-ready capabilities
- Drive innovation initiatives tied to AIR platform growth and differentiation
- Oversee multiple concurrent development efforts, ensuring alignment with architecture, security, and delivery goals
- Provide technical leadership across integrated product teams, including architects, engineers, andDevSecOpsspecialists
- Ensure delivery of high-availability, production-grade systems supporting federal missions
- Serve as a subject matter expert in federal AI policy and governance, includingNIST AIRMF,OMB M-24-10, andEO 14110
- Establish and oversee organization-wide responsible AI frameworks, includingmodel evaluation and validation, bias mitigation strategies, and explainability and auditability
- Ensure full compliance across programs withFISMA, FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, privacy, accessibility (Section 508), and security mandates
- Lead large-scale legacy modernization initiatives, includingenterprise COBOL-to-Python transformations, migration to cloud-native,andmicroservices-based architectures
- Define repeatable modernization frameworks and accelerators
- Oversee implementation of enterprise-gradeDevSecOpspipelines and platform engineering practices
- Drive adoptionof,advanced CI/CD automation,Zero-trust architectures, and secure supply chain practices (SBOM, scanning, policy enforcement)
- Mentor senior engineers, architects, and technical leads
- Build and scale high-performing engineering teams
- Lead technical hiring, workforce planning, and capability development
- Play akey leadership role in proposals, captures, andrecompetes
- Serve astechnical lead in client presentations, demos, and strategy sessions
- Contribute tothought leadership(whitepapers, architecture frameworks, innovation roadmaps)
Qualifications
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Initial:
- Proven ability tooperateasanEnterprise architect, chief engineer, or technical director-level leader
- Strong executive communication skills withdemonstratedsuccess influencing C-suite or federal senior leadership
- Deepexpertisein scaling engineering organizations and delivering across complex programs
- Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on technical depth
Qualifications:
- US Citizenship isrequired
- Bachelor's ormaster's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field
- 12 615+ years of software engineering experience, including68+ years in AI-enabled systems (LLMs, generative AI, applied ML in production)(enhanced from 8+ years total)
- Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-scale architecture and multi-team delivery efforts
- Expert-levelproficiencyinPython and modern backend frameworks andFull-stack architectures and modern front-end technologies
- Deep experience inCloud-native platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) at scaleandMulti-environmentdeployments in FedRAMP-authorized environments
- Extensive experience withAI/ML platforms (OpenAI, Bedrock, Vertex AI, etc.)andAdvanced AI architectures (RAG, orchestration, agents)
- Proventrack recordofleading large modernization programs (COBOL-to-modern stack transformation)and delivering mission-critical federal systems
- Deep knowledge ofNIST AI RMF and federal AI governance frameworksand secure software development in federal environments
- Strong experience withMicroservices, APIs, distributed systems designandDevSecOpsand platform engineering leadership
- Prior experience serving asLead Architect, Chief Engineer, or Technical Director on federal programs
- Active clearance (Public Trust, Secret, or higher strongly preferred)
- Prior HUD or federal civilian agency leadership experience
- Experience contributing to organizational AI strategy or product platforms (e.g., AIR-like platforms)
Target Pay RangeThe below listed pay range for this position is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. The final offered salary will be influenced by a host of factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. Our employees value the flexibility at Pyramid Systems that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives. We offer competitive compensation, benefits, to include our Employee Stock Ownership Program, FlexPTO, and learning and development opportunities.
Pyramid MinUSD $166,091.00/Yr.
Pyramid MaxUSD $210,000.00/Yr.
