Forward Deployed AI Engineer at Accenture Federal Services

Arlington, VA; Washington, DCFull-time60038781 - AFS APXPosted about 1 month ago

About the Role

<div class="content-intro"><div> <div> </div> <div>At Accenture Federal Services, nothing matters more than helping the US federal government make the nation stronger and safer and life better for people. Our 13,000+ people are united in a shared purpose to pursue the limitless potential of technology and ingenuity for clients across defense, national security, public safety, civilian, and military health organizations. </div> <div> </div> <div>Join Accenture Federal Services, a technology company within global Accenture. Recognized as a Glassdoor Top 100 Best Place to Work, we offer a collaborative and caring community where you feel like you belong and are empowered to grow, learn and thrive through hands-on experience, certifications, industry training and more. </div> <div> </div> <div>Join us to drive positive, lasting change that moves missions and the government forward!</div> <div> </div> </div></div><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">About the APX Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) Program</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335557856":16777215,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">APX (Advanced Partnership Accelerator) is a Center of Excellence under AFS’ Data & AI capability. The APX Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) Program represents a strategic initiative to position Accenture Federal Services at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation in government. This program embeds elite technical talent directly with federal clients to accelerate the adoption and implementation of frontier AI capabilities from leading laboratories including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and other cutting-edge AI partners.</span> <br> <br><span data-contrast="none">As an FDE, you will serve as the critical bridge between breakthrough AI technology and mission-critical federal applications. You'll work hands-on with the most advanced AI models available, translating their transformative potential into tangible value for defense, intelligence, civilian, and public health missions. This is not a traditional consulting role; FDEs are technical practitioners, innovators, and trusted advisors who operate at the cutting edge of what's possible with AI in highly regulated, high-security federal environments. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335557856":16777215,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">What You Will Do</span></span></strong></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">The APX FDE program exists because federal missions cannot wait for slow, siloed development cycles. They need embedded engineers who move with urgency, autonomy, and precision.  As an experienced hire, you will lead the rapid engineering, deployment, and scaling of mission-critical AI native solutions for the federal government. </span><span data-contrast="none">You will </span><span data-contrast="none">shape solution architectures, drive delivery for clients, and serve as the technical anchor embedded at the mission edge. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 4">Lead and Drive </span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 4">Mission</span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 4"> </span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 4">Embedded</span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 4"> Build Teams</span></span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"201341983":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Serve as t</span><span data-contrast="auto">he technical lead</span><span data-contrast="auto"> working within federal client teams, guiding engineering decisions in fast, complex conditions (e.g., autonomous AI at the edge)</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Architect, build, and deploy rapid prototypes using frontier AI tools and frameworks</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Translate complex, ambiguous mission problems into actionable technical roadmaps and implementable designs to build production-grade systems.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Support in</span><span data-contrast="auto">tegration of AI-native solutions into diverse client environments, including legacy platforms, regulated data ecosystems, and classified environments</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Operate across the tech stack, frontend, backend, APIs, orchestration layers, data pipelines, with autonomy and engineering depth</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Drive development of applications and workflows that interact with structured and unstructured enterprise data at scale</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">Lead </span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">AI Native</span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3"> Engineering Practices</span></span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"201341983":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="10" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Leverage advanced GenAI tooling, agentic frameworks, and autonomous workflows as core components of daily engineering delivery</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="10" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Design and implement sophisticated GenAI solutions such as RAG architectures, semantic search systems, and agentic orchestration</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="10" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Evaluate model performance, improve generations and pipelines, and uphold responsible AI practices in mission critical settings</span></li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="10" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Drive fast experimentation cycles, ensuring close operator feedback loops and rapid iteration</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">Delivery Excellence, Leadership, and Collaboration</span></span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"201341983":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Set engineering direction for sprint cycles, mission outcomes, and client facing delivery expectations</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Work on a team of F</span><span data-contrast="auto">DEs on architecture, debugging patterns, quality engineering, and deployment best practices</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Coordinate reach back to broader AFS resources to leverage the deep expertise across the firm on our client’s hardest problems.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Contribute to and refine APX reusable assets, accelerators, templates, and mission deployment playbooks</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Surface mission feedback, field intelligence, friction points, and integrati</span><span data-contrast="auto">on challenges to APX leadership to strengthen future delivery strategies</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Serve</span><span data-contrast="auto"> as a technical rep</span><span data-contrast="auto">resentative in client working sessions, ensuring clarity, trust, and precise communication</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">What You Bring</span></span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"201341983":0,"335559738":246,"335559739":246,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Mission-first Mindset & Relentless Problem Solving: </span></strong><span data-contrast="auto">You move fast because the mission can’t wait. You make smart bets in ambiguous terrain, taking ownership early and giving every challenge your full drive before ever considering stepping back. You push through ambiguity, communicate risks and trade-offs, investigate solutions independently to forge the future, and maintain momentum even when the path forward is unclear.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Grit & Tenacity to Engineer at the Edge</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto">: You remain steady when projects get messy and can keep pushing forward through rapid experimentation cycles. You show up confidently in client working sessions, sup</span><span data-contrast="auto">port</span><span data-contrast="none"> other FDEs at the mission edge, adapt in real time, and help teams operate decisively even in uncertainty.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><strong><span data-contrast="none">Bias for Building: </span></strong><span data-contrast="none">You iterate quickly, communicate plainly across technical and nontechnical teammates, ask sharp questions, and summarize decisions in a way that moves teams forward with confidence and alignment. You build work that adds value for our clients, making bold ideas happen fast. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><strong><span data-contrast="none">Limitless Curiosity & Frontier Learning: </span></strong><span data-contrast="none">You learn rapidly across a wide, rapidly changing technical frontier, from LLMs and agent frameworks to cloud platforms and enterprise AI ecosystems. You approach new tools with curiosity, adaptability, and velocity, and you prefer building and testing over long specification cycles.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">Here’s </span><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 3">What You Need</span></span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"201341983":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="none">Bachelor’s degree or </span><span data-contrast="auto">equivalent professional software engineering experience, including leading the design, build, a</span><span data-contrast="none">nd deployment of production systems</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Working knowledge of platforms from frontier labs (Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, Azure OpenAI, Claude, etc.)</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="none">Experience working with technical engineering teams, providing clear direction, and ensuring smooth delivery in demanding environments across a wide range of mission needs</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Strong proficiency in a general programming language like Python or Rust, with full stack capability across APIs, backend services, frontend interfaces, and orchestration layers</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Demonstrated experience building AI native solutions, LLM applications, agentic workflows, RAG systems, or semantic/knowledge applications</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Strong data engineering foundation with proficiency in database and ontology modeling, data modeling techniques, plus front-end awareness of how data structures shape user-facing functionality</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience developing reliable data ingestion pipelines that gracefully exit, detect and mitigate schema evolution and integrate structured and unstructured data reliably</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="none">Must be a U.S. Citizen and ability to obtain a federal security clearance</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Bonus Points if You Have</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240,"335559991":0}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="none">Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Applied Sciences or a related technical field</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Deep familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and modern tech infrastructure patterns</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience integrating/deploying solutions within constrained or legacy environments</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Demonstrated ability to take concepts from zero to production ready systems independently</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Relevant Google, Anthropic, or OpenAI certifications or training courses</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Ability to travel (up to 100%) depending on business need and client requirements</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Active federal security clearance</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description"><p> </p> <p><span class="TextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8">As required by local law, Accenture Federal Services provides reasonable ranges of compensation for hired roles based on labor costs in the states of <strong>California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia</strong></span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8">. The base pay range for this position in these locations is shown below. Compensation for roles at Accenture Federal Services varies depending on a wide array of factors, including but not limited to office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. Accenture Federal Services offers a wide variety of benefits. </span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW225111203 BCX8" href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/your-future-rewards-benefits" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW225111203 BCX8" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">You can find more information on benefits here.</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225111203 BCX8"> We accept applications on an on-going basis and there is no fixed deadline to apply.</span></span></p> <p> </p></div><div class="title">The pay range for the states of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia is:</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$70,500</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$203,400 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><div> <div> <div> </div> <div><em><strong><span data-contrast="none">What We Believe</span> </strong></em></div> <div><em>As a company wholly dedicated to serving the US federal government, we bring together the best talent to help reinvent how federal agencies operate and deliver greater value for their mission and the American people. We have an unwavering commitment to creating a culture in which all our people are respected, feel a sense of belonging, and have equal opportunity. As a business imperative, every person at Accenture Federal Services has the responsibility to create and sustain a culture where everyone feels welcomed and included. This is grounded in our core values and our experience that hiring and developing great people who reflect different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds is key to driving innovation and delivering the results that our clients and the country count on.</em></div> </div> <div> </div> <div><em><strong><span data-contrast="none">Equal Employment Opportunity Statement</span></strong></em></div> <div><em>We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. Our rich diversity makes us more innovative, more competitive, and more creative, which helps us better serve our clients and our communities. For details, view a copy of the<a href="https://afscommunities.force.com/careers/s/equal-opportunity-annual-policy" target="_blank"> Accenture Federal Services Equal Opportunity Policy Statement.</a></em></div> <div> </div> <div><em>Accenture Federal Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Additionally, as an Affirmative Action Employer for Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities, Accenture Federal Services is committed to providing veteran employment opportunities to our service men and women.</em></div> <div> </div> <div><strong><em><span data-contrast="none">Requesting An Accommodation</span></em></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></div> <div><em><span data-contrast="none">Accenture Federal Services is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or religious observances, including reasonable accommodation when needed. If you are hired by Accenture Federal Services and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you will be asked to participate in our reasonable accommodation process. Accommodations made to facilitate the recruiting process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired.</span></em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><span data-contrast="auto">If you<strong> </strong>are being considered for employment opportunities with Accenture Federal Services and need an accommodation for a disability or religious observance during the interview process or for the job you are interviewing for, please speak with your recruiter.</span></em></div> <div> </div> <div><strong><em><span data-contrast="none">Other Employment Statements</span></em></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></div> <div><em><span data-contrast="none">Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.</span></em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><span data-contrast="none">Candidates who are currently employed by a client of Accenture Federal Services or an affiliated Accenture business may not be eligible for consideration.</span></em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><span data-contrast="none">Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process.</span></em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><span data-contrast="none">The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Additionally, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the Company's legal duty to furnish information.</span></em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><span data-contrast="none">California requires additional notifications for applicants and employees. If you are a California resident, live in or plan to work from Los Angeles County upon being hired for this position, please <a class="external-link" href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/life-at-accenture/e-verify-legal-notices" target="_blank">click here</a> for additional important information.</span></em></div> </div> <p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></div>

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