Charles Ott is Vice President of Applied Field R&D at Maximus, where he leads mission-focused innovation for defense customers across AI, data, cloud, tactical edge, mission integration, and acquisition transition. In this role, he helps turn emerging technologies into operational advantage, guiding solutions from rapid prototyping and experimentation through to field-ready deployment.
With more than 20 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, Charles brings deep expertise spanning enterprise IT, DevSecOps, geospatial systems, and advanced data architectures. A former U.S. Marine, he combines technical depth with mission insight to deliver capabilities that enhance decision-making and operational effectiveness.
Charles is also a leader in advancing collaborative innovation across the defense ecosystem. He chairs NDIA’s Hackathon Subcommittee and co-leads the annual Global Defense Hackathon, convening warfighters, government, industry, and academia to rapidly develop and transition solutions for real-world mission challenges. His work reflects a strong focus on accelerating acquisition pathways and bridging the gap between prototype and adoption in federal environments.
