AI Research & Engineering Director:

The Opportunity:

Frontier Research is a division of Booz Allen that operates at the edge of what’s possible to convert breakthrough capabilities into real-world impacts. Frontier Research functions as both a strategic radar and an execution engine, turning frontier AI capabilities into differentiated IP, new product directions, and transformational business opportunities.

The Director role is a hands-on builder position for a technical leader who wants to prototype the future. In this role, you will lead a highly technical team responsible for scanning the global AI landscape, rapidly building full-stack prototypes, and demonstrating what’s possible to executive audiences. We’re looking for a leader who is hands-on, technically deep, and comfortable moving from frontier models to multi-agent architectures to C-suite demonstrations in the same week.

If you are equally comfortable designing distributed AI systems, building agentic applications, and demoing live prototypes to customers, this role is for you. Due to the nature of work performed within this facility, U.S. citizenship is required.

What You’ll Work On:

• Continuously evaluate emerging advancements across hyperscalers, leading AI labs, academia, and venture-backed companies.

• Distill signal from noise and convert technical breakthroughs into clear business implications for leadership.

• Lead rapid development of end-to-end AI systems spanning infrastructure, frontier LLMs, agentic and multi-agent applications and physical AI pipelines and deliver working systems—not slideware.

• Work with business units to support hands-on integration of emerging AI technologies in complex customer environments, including cloud, hybrid, edge, or disconnected.

• Ensure production rigor without sacrificing innovation speed.

• Partner with business unites and commercial industry to mature prototypes into revenue-generating offerings.

• Define technical differentiation, roadmap pathways, and competitive positioning.

• Recruit and mentor a highly technical team recognized across the company and industry for technical acumen, rigor, and velocity.

• Establish Applied Research as the destination for breakthrough AI thinking.

Join us. The world can’t wait.

You Have:

• 10+ years of experience with technical engineering

• Experience leading technical exchanges, conducting evaluations, and developing technical roadmaps with commercial companies and executive leadership

• Experience authoring research publications

• Knowledge of how to convert research into scalable, revenue-generating businesses

• Ability to display high creativity, intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm for demonstrating the art of the possible

• Ability to attract talent and grow excitement for AI

• Ability to build advanced AI systems, including existing products, past prototypes, or keynote demonstrations

• Doctorate degree

Compensation

At Booz Allen, we celebrate your contributions, provide you with opportunities and choices, and support your total well-being. Our offerings include health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, work-life programs, and dependent care. Our recognition awards program acknowledges employees for exceptional performance and superior demonstration of our values. Full-time and part-time employees working at least 20 hours a week on a regular basis are eligible to participate in Booz Allen’s benefit programs. Individuals that do not meet the threshold are only eligible for select offerings, not inclusive of health benefits. We encourage you to learn more about our total benefits by visiting the Resource page on our Careers site and reviewing Our Employee Benefits page.

Salary at Booz Allen is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements. The projected compensation range for this position is $185,700.00 to $345,000.00 (annualized USD). The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of Booz Allen’s total compensation package for employees. This posting will close within 90 days from the Posting Date.

Identity Statement

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

AI is a part of our daily work at Booz Allen, and we are committed to the responsible and ethical use of AI tools. However, we want to ensure a fair candidate process based on your own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or other tools to assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is prohibited unless permission is explicitly provided.

Work Model
Our people-first culture prioritizes the benefits of collaboration, whether it occurs in person or virtually. To support engagement and effective communication, employees working virtually are generally expected to have their cameras on during meetings.

• Remote: If this position is listed as remote, there may still be occasions when you are required to work in person at a Booz Allen or customer facility.

• Hybrid: If this position is listed as hybrid, you will be expected to work from a Booz Allen facility frequently, in alignment with leadership expectations and the needs of the role. You may also be required to work from or visit a customer facility.

• Onsite: If this position is listed as onsite, work will primarily be performed at a Booz Allen office or customer facility, where employees will collaborate directly with colleagues and customers as required by the role.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.