Assistant Director of AI and Data
Company: Axle
Location: Rockville
Posted on: February 17, 2026
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Job Description:
Job Description Job Description (ID: 2026-1573) Axle is a
bioscience and information technology company that offers
advancements in translational research, biomedical informatics, and
data science applications to research centers and healthcare
organizations nationally and abroad. With experts in biomedical
science, software engineering, and program management, we focus on
developing and applying research tools and techniques to empower
decision-making and accelerate research discoveries. We work with
some of the top research organizations and facilities in the
country including multiple institutes at the National Institutes of
Health (NIH). Benefits We Offer: 100% Medical, Dental & Vision
Coverage for Employees Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays 401K match
up to 5% Educational Benefits for Career Growth Employee Referral
Bonus Flexible Spending Accounts: Healthcare (FSA) Parking
Reimbursement Account (PRK) Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP)
Transportation Reimbursement Account (TRN) Axle is seeking a
visionary and operationally astute Assistant Director of Artificial
Intelligence, Modeling, and Data to lead our charge at the frontier
of biomedical innovation. In this pivotal leadership role, you will
architect the future of AI-driven discovery, bridging the gap
between advanced computational science and life-saving clinical
research. Sitting at the nexus of our Data Science and Biomedical
Research divisions, you will oversee the strategic development and
deployment of high-performance AI/ML solutions that empower federal
health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
(NCATS). You will be the technical conscience and strategic driver
for a diverse portfolio of projects, ranging from the optimization
of our open-source Polus platform to the implementation of
Generative AI pipelines for drug discovery and high-dimensional
data analysis. This is not merely a management role; it is a
mission-critical position for a leader who is passionate about the
"public good" of science. You will galvanize interdisciplinary
teams of PhD scientists, machine learning engineers, and software
architects to solve complex health challenges, such as pandemic
preparedness and rare disease treatment. As an Assistant Director,
you will combine deep technical expertise with executive presence,
serving as a trusted advisor to government stakeholders and a key
architect of Axle's long-term growth in the federal health IT
sector. Core Responsibilities: 1. Strategic Leadership of the AI/ML
Roadmap Visionary Architecture: Architect and execute a
comprehensive AI/ML strategy that aligns Axle's technical
capabilities with the NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science
(2025–2030). You will define the long-term vision for integrating
Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Agentic Workflows
into federal research environments, moving beyond static analysis
to active, AI-assisted discovery. Platform Evolution (Polus):
Spearhead the evolution of the Polus platform, transitioning it
from a robust image analysis tool into a fully integrated,
multi-modal research ecosystem. You will oversee the roadmap for
new feature development, ensuring scalability, security, and
interoperability across cloud environments (AWS/GCP/Azure) using
containerized architectures (Docker/Kubernetes). AI Governance &
Compliance: Establish and enforce rigorous AI Governance
frameworks. You will operationalize the NIST AI Risk Management
Framework (RMF) across all projects to ensure fairness,
interpretability, and compliance with federal ethical standards.
You will lead "Gap Analysis" and "Risk Management" exercises to
ensure all AI deployments are trustworthy and transparent. 2.
Oversight of Complex Modeling & High-Dimensional Data Pipelines
Petabyte-Scale Engineering: Direct the design and implementation of
high-throughput data pipelines capable of ingesting and analyzing
petabyte-scale datasets (genomics, proteomics, EHR). You will
ensure these systems adhere to FAIR data principles (Findable,
Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), facilitating seamless data
sharing across NIH institutes and global research centers.
Translational Science De-risking: Oversee the development of
predictive models for translational science, focusing on
"de-risking" drug discovery and clinical trial design. This
involves guiding technical teams in the application of deep
learning techniques to identify molecular targets, predict
therapeutic outcomes, and simulate clinical scenarios (Digital
Twins). Operational Excellence (MLOps): Optimize MLOps and
DevSecOps processes to ensure the rapid, secure deployment of
models from prototype to production. You will champion a culture of
"automation first," reducing time-to-insight for researchers by
streamlining the transition from Jupyter notebooks to
containerized, cloud-native services. 3. Business Development &
Federal Growth (Capture Support) Lead Solution Architect: Partner
with the Growth and Capture teams to drive new business
acquisition. You will serve as the Lead Solution Architect for
major proposal efforts ($50M), authoring technical volumes,
developing win themes, and creating compelling solution graphics
that demonstrate Axle's technical differentiation. Proposal
Authorship: Personally write key sections of technical proposals,
including the "Technical Approach," "Staffing Plan," and "Risk
Mitigation" volumes. You will translate complex agency requirements
into winning narratives that score highly with federal evaluators.
Client Liaison: Galvanize relationships with key federal
stakeholders (Project Officers, CIOs, Lab Chiefs). You will act as
the primary technical liaison, translating complex agency
requirements into deliverable technical solutions and presenting
these visions in competitive "Black Hat" sessions and oral
presentations. 4. Mentorship of Data Scientists & Engineers
Interdisciplinary Team Building: Cultivate a high-performance,
interdisciplinary team culture. You will manage and mentor a
diverse group of data scientists, bioinformaticians, and software
engineers, fostering an environment of psychological safety where
"expert" scientific knowledge seamlessly integrates with "agile"
engineering practices. Continuous Learning: Drive continuous
learning and upskilling initiatives. You will establish internal
"Communities of Practice" for AI and Data Science, ensuring that
Axle's workforce remains at the bleeding edge of technologies like
Graph Neural Networks and Federated Learning. Democratization of
AI: Democratize access to AI tools within the client environment.
You will lead efforts to create "low-code/no-code" interfaces and
training programs that empower non-technical NIH researchers to
utilize advanced analytics independently. Required Qualifications:
To effectively lead in this high-stakes environment, candidates
must possess a rare combination of advanced academic training and
battle-tested industry experience. Education: Ph.D. in Computer
Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Data Science, or a
related quantitative discipline is highly preferred to ensure
peer-level credibility with NIH scientists. Alternatively, a
Master's degree in one of the above fields with exceptional,
demonstrated leadership experience in a federal or
research-intensive setting will be considered. Experience: 8–10
years of progressive experience in data science, AI/ML engineering,
or computational biology, with a focus on high-dimensional data.
3–5 years of leadership experience managing cross-functional teams
(e.g., managing both PhD researchers and software developers) in a
matrixed organization. Federal Contracting Experience: Demonstrated
experience with Federal Business Development, including writing
technical proposals and supporting capture activities for contracts
valued at $15M. Regulatory Experience: Proven track record of
delivering complex AI/ML solutions in a regulated environment, with
specific familiarity with HIPAA, FedRAMP, or NIST AI RMF
compliance. Technical Skills: The Assistant Director must possess
deep, hands-on technical fluency to command respect from
engineering teams and validate architectural decisions. Core AI/ML:
Expert-level understanding of Deep Learning frameworks (PyTorch,
TensorFlow), Classical Machine Learning (Scikit-Learn), and
Generative AI architectures (Transformers, LLMs, RAG). Languages:
Proficiency in Python (primary) and R (secondary); familiarity with
Java or C++ (for Polus backend optimization) is a strong plus.
Cloud Architecture: Extensive experience with Cloud-Native AI
pipelines on AWS (SageMaker, HealthLake), GCP (Vertex AI,
BigQuery), or Azure. Knowledge of the NIH STRIDES initiative and
cloud economics is essential. Data Engineering: Mastery of big data
technologies (Spark, Databricks) and workflow orchestration tools
(Airflow, Nextflow, Cromwell). MLOps & DevOps: Strong knowledge of
containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines (GitHub
Actions, Jenkins), and model monitoring/governance tools.
Visualization & Platforms: Experience with advanced visualization
tools (DeepZoom, WebGL) and platform development (building APIs,
microservices). Preferred Skills: Candidates with the following
specific experiences will be given immediate priority: NIH
Ecosystem Experience: Direct experience working with NIH, NCATS,
NIAID, or similar federal health agencies. Understanding of the
specific data challenges within the federal health sector is highly
valued. Open Source Leadership: Contributions to or leadership of
open-source scientific software projects. Specific familiarity with
the Polus platform or the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C)
data enclave is a distinct advantage. NIST AI RMF Practitioner:
Demonstrated experience implementing the NIST AI Risk Management
Framework (Map, Measure, Manage, Govern) in a real-world setting.
Domain Expertise: Specialized knowledge in High-Content Imaging,
Cheminformatics, Genomics, or Real-World Data (RWD) analytics.
Disclaimer: The above description is meant to illustrate the
general nature of work and level of effort being performed by
individuals assigned to this position or job description. This is
not restricted as a complete list of all skills, responsibilities,
duties, and/or assignments required. Individuals may be required to
perform duties outside of their position, job description or
responsibilities as needed. The diversity of Axle's employees is a
tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal
opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any
illegal discrimination or harassment based on age, race, gender,
religion, national origin, disability, marital status, covered
veteran status, sexual orientation, status with respect to public
assistance, and other characteristics protected under state,
federal, or local law and to deter those who aid, abet, or induce
discrimination or coerce others to discriminate. Accessibility: If
you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please
contact: careers@axleinfo.com This role has a market-competitive
salary with an anticipated base compensation range listed below.
Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate's experience,
qualifications, skills, and location. IND Salary Range
$150,000—$190,000 USD
Keywords: Axle, Alexandria , Assistant Director of AI and Data, Science, Research & Development , Rockville, Virginia
