Field Program Manager (Active Secret Clearance)

“In 36 months, agentic AI systems will be an operating reality across major institutions. We intend to be central to it.” — Dr. Jim Rebesco, Cofounder and CEO, Striveworks 

The government’s demand for AI is growing far faster than the systems required to support it. Fewer than 15% of federal AI programs have reached sustained production, despite billions of dollars invested. The models perform in testing, but they degrade in the real world. And when performance drops, trust goes with it.

Striveworks was built to solve that problem.

What you’ll build

Since 2018, we have delivered the most trusted AI systems operating in real-world use cases—providing a layer of assurance underneath hundreds of deployed models that monitors performance, manages drift, and sustains systems long after they leave the lab.

The Field Program Manager (FPM) is a hands-on leader with a US Army Corps HQ, serving as Striveworks’ primary authority for delivery, customer relationships, and program growth. This is a true “ownership” role—designed for someone with deep experience in complex Army environments who understands how multi-level decisions are made and who is driven to ensure that technology successfully lands “the last mile.” Operating autonomously, the FPM leads a small, cross-functional team to drive execution against the program roadmap, steps into operational vacuums, and advocates for the end user with technical specificity. As the primary voice in the room, you will translate customer friction points into actionable technical roadmaps and independently mitigate execution risks. Success in this role is measured by presence, proactive problem-solving, and operational follow-through rather than slide decks. 

What it’s like here

We lead with trust, treat each other with respect, and use candor consistently, kindly, and constructively. We care deeply about our work, and we find genuine satisfaction in doing it well. Above all, we take ownership—because we feel the weight of collective results personally. We are looking for people who share these values and are eager to put them into practice.

What we’re looking for

• Bachelor’s degree and 4–6+ years of experience with Army operations at Division (2-star) level or higher 
• Demonstrated experience planning and directing the execution of complex, multi-stakeholder project activities; proven team leadership in high-accountability environments
• Track record of building and sustaining rapport and trust with senior military and civilian stakeholders across different organizational levels
• Strong written and verbal communication; the ability to operate credibly across soldier-level and executive-level audiences in the same day
• Technical fluency to engage software engineers and data scientists as an informed, non-technical counterpart; the ability to translate customer needs to contractual requirements
• Active Secret (or above) US security clearance and US citizenship

The following isn’t required, but we’d love to see it:

• Former Field Grade Officer or Senior NCO, or similar
• Direct experience implementing or integrating battlefield technology within Army formations; you’ve seen a capability succeed or fail at the unit level, and you know why it happened
• Familiarity with DOD IT, network, and communications infrastructure as an operational reality, not just a technical concept
• Working knowledge of agile software delivery practices; able to hold a technical team accountable to a cadence without micromanaging the engineering
• Meaningful exposure to machine learning/AI capabilities in operational or defense contexts—enough to recognize value, identify misuse, and advocate credibly for the customer
• Aptitude with customer success or account management functions within a defense technology vendor 

This position offers a hybrid/on-site work environment at our office in Vass, North Carolina, and at our customer sites on Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $145,000–$185,000/year. Striveworks’ total compensation package includes a competitive base salary, equity grants, and cash bonuses.

Benefits include:

• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• Voluntary life, long-term disability, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance
• HSA and FSA (including dependent care FSA) plans
• 401(k) plan
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid parental leave

Ready to build systems that work for a mission that matters? Let’s talk.

Striveworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity or expression), national origin, social or ethnic origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. Striveworks will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind.

If you require assistance or a reasonable accommodation in the application process, please contact Operations at [email protected].

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Striveworks is a participating employer in the E-Verify program.