AI Methodologist

Job Description

ECS is seeking an AI Methodologist to work in our Fairfax, VA office. Please Note: This position is contingent upon contract award.

ECS is seeking an exceptional Artificial Intelligence (AI) Methodologist to support National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) modernization initiatives in alignment with DoD AI implementation strategy and guidance. This role represents the convergence of cutting-edge artificial intelligence, operational intelligence tradecraft, and strategic impact - all within an organization that genuinely values career growth and contribution to national security.

At ECS, you'll have the mandate to challenge conventional approaches and the authority to drive change. You will partner directly with analytic teams to understand their most pressing intelligence questions, and design and implement AI solutions that others said could not be done. Build the adoption roadmap. Set the strategy. Execute the vision. This is leadership disguised as a technical role, within an organization that empowers, rather than micromanages.

This role demands a talented individual who can navigate the complex landscape of acquisition, security, integration, and operational deployment across both GOTS (Government Off-The-Shelf) and COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) environments. You'll assess when to leverage existing government investments, when commercial solutions offer superior capabilities, and how to architect hybrid approaches that deliver the best of both worlds while maintaining security, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Responsibilities: Transform Intelligence Production Through Smart Integration:

• Support NGA modernization activities in accordance with DoD AI strategy.
• Design AI integration strategies that compress multi-day analytic workflows into hours by intelligently combining GOTS / COTS capabilities.
• Assess the GOTS / COTS landscape to determine optimal solutions for specific intelligence problems: when to leverage NGA's internal investments, when to integrate commercial platforms, and how to architect hybrid solutions.
• Eliminate bottlenecks where automation stops and manual work begins, regardless of whether solutions come from government development or commercial acquisition.

Navigate the Acquisition and Integration Ecosystem:

• Evaluate emerging COTS AI platforms and services for applicability to NGA missions and security requirements.
• Balance the speed and innovation of commercial solutions with the security, reliability, and mission-specificity of government-developed tools.

Enable Analytic Excellence and Training:

• Embed with intelligence teams to deeply understand their Priority Intelligence Questions and operational constraints.
• Develop and implement comprehensive implementation plans that enable analysts to leverage AI-enhanced workflows effectively.
• Conduct on the job training to accelerate adoption of best practices.
• Faciliate leadership briefings and demonstrations.
• Translate analyst expertise into requirements that AI can augment.
• Guide teams in leveraging the full spectrum of available capabilities: government-developed tradecraft tools, enterprise AI platforms, commercial ML services, and emerging technologies.

Drive Strategic Adoption:

• Develop incremental AI implementation roadmaps that build confidence, demonstrate value, and accelerate toward transformation.
• Champion AI integration that enhances tradecraft rather than undermining it, ensuring solutions maintain security and compliance regardless of origin.
• Measure what matters: faster analysis, higher confidence assessments, greater analytic capacity, and return on investment across GOTS / COTS expenditures.

Serve as Technology Advisor and Innovation Scout

• Maintain awareness of emerging COTS AI capabilities, commercial platforms, and industry trends that could benefit NGA missions.
• Advise leadership on technology investment strategies: when to build GOTS, when to buy COTS, and when to partner.
• Build relationships with commercial vendors, government labs, and IC technology organizations to stay at the forefront of AI innovation.

Required Skills

• Active TS/SCI with Counterintelligence (CI) and/or Full-scope (FS) polygraph, and the willingness / ability to obtain a Lifestyle polygraph.
• Ability to work an alternate work schedule (including night shifts) as required.
• Bachelor's Degree and 15+ years of experience in intelligence analysis, with deep understanding of intelligence and operations cycles in a U.S. military or Intelligence Community (IC) environment.
• Demonstrated expertise and actual hands-on implementation experience applying AI/ML to real-world intelligence problems (not just theoretical knowledge).
• Ability to code in PYTHON and HTML.
• Mastery of NGA tools, tradecraft, and analytic methodologies - you'll need credibility with working-level analysts who've seen every "solution" pitch before.
• Experience as an imagery analyst, with expertise in analyzing and exploiting Full Motion Video (FMV).
• Deep understanding of object-based production and GEOINT workflows in operational contexts.
• Fluency with DoD and IC information environments and the multi-source data ecosystem NGA depends on.
• Understanding of both GOTS and COTS acquisition, integration, and operational deployment challenges in classified environments.
• Ability to evaluate commercial AI technologies for applicability, security implications, and integration feasibility in national security contexts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with proven ability to work independently in dynamic, high-tempo operational environments.
• Excellent analytical writing and briefing skills, with experience providing planned and ad-hoc briefings for senior leadership.
• Demonstrated instructional capabilities, to include developing and implementing training plans and curriculum Familiarity with commercial AI platforms (AWS AI/ML services, Azure AI, Google Cloud AI, commercial computer vision platforms, etc.) and their potential integration into government workflows.
• Self-starter mentality with a customer-focused approach to delivering technology in operational environments.

Desired Skills

• Active TS/SCI with Lifestyle polygraph.
• Master's Degree or PhD in intelligence analysis, with deep understanding of intelligence and operations cycles in a U.S. military or Intelligence Community (IC) environment.
• Hands-on experience with NGA AI/MIL platforms.
• Direct operational experience using NGA enterprise systems in production environments and understanding how these systems can be enhanced through AI integration.
• Experience as an imagery analyst with expertise in analyzing and exploiting, High-Altitude Static Imagery, Electro-Optical (EO), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and Infra-Red (IR) imagery from ISR platforms.
• Experience working in Joint Operations Center (JOC) or Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) environments.
• Working knowledge of intelligence tools including Multi-Int Analysis & Archiving System (MAAS), ArcGIS, GETS, DCGS tools, AIMES, Google Earth, and data mining tools (M3, open-source reporting).
• Knowledge of NGA systems and programs of record ad components (AGAIM, ATLAS, GOWK, WATCHMAN, CVDS, GRIP, AGIS, AGCMS), GEOINT Analysis Modeling Environment, and analytic tools (4ACES, SAFEHOSE, MANTIS, SNOOP, MSP, OATS, SMORS, FOLGERS, DOTMATRIX.
• Track record driving technology adoption in skeptical, high-stakes operational environments where failure isn't an option.
• Experience navigating government acquisition processes for both GOTS development and COTS procurement.
• Background in multi-INT fusion and confidence modeling methodologies
• Understanding of cloud architectures, API integration, and hybrid infrastructure approaches that bridge classified and commercial environments.
• Experience delivering or facilitating in-person training in technical education environments.
• Understanding of national level imagery product standards and customer support services.
• Entry-level or higher IT/Systems Administrator/Network Administrator skills and/or scripting and/or coding experience.
• Bachelor's degree in relevant field (Intelligence Studies, Computer Science, IT, Cybersecurity, Geography, Political Science, International Studies, or related technical field).
• Security+ certification or equivalent.
• Knowledge of security accreditation processes, GOTS/COTS risk assessment, and compliance requirements in classified contexts.

ECS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis any characteristic protected by law. 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, or local jurisdiction law.

ECS is a leading mid-sized provider of technology services to the United States Federal Government. We are focused on people, values and purpose. Every day, our 3200+ employees focus on providing their technical talent to support the Federal Agencies and Departments of the US Government to serve, protect and defend the American People.