About the job
Location: McLean, VA (U. S. based). U. S. citizenship is required for all programs. All work must be performed within the continental United States.
Role overview
The Principal Engineering Lead works directly with Intelligence Community clients and acts as the primary technical liaison to the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). This position leads a cross-disciplinary team, guiding both architecture and delivery for software and data platforms that support critical missions. The role shapes technical direction, influences design patterns, recommends tools, and provides advice on AI and machine learning strategies across several teams.
What you will do
- Lead a cross-functional engineering team delivering solutions for Intelligence Community clients.
- Serve as Raft’s main technical representative to the NRO.
- Architect, build, and deploy software applications and data platforms at scale.
- Advise on design patterns, technology selection, and AI/ML approaches across teams.
- Work closely with problem solvers to address complex technical challenges.
Requirements
- U. S. citizenship (required for all programs).
- Ability to work within the continental U. S.
- Extensive experience leading engineering teams and architecting large-scale solutions.
- Background in software application and data platform development, preferably for government or defense clients.

