Research Engineer – AI/ML

About the role

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is actively seeking a highly qualified Research Engineer for the development of advanced AI/ML algorithms for the Intelligence and Defense communities. Application areas include software tool development, physics-based modeling, machine learning, simulation and optimization, probabilistic modeling, computer vision, and intelligent agents. The scientist / engineer will join a multi-disciplinary collaborative team of engineers and scientists.

Responsibilities

• Apply math/statistics/physics/engineering concepts to solve multi-disciplinary problems
• Translate ideas and proposed solutions into software tools and algorithms
• Improve/optimise/tune existing algorithms and develop new algorithms from scratch
• Software design, software development, and debugging / issue resolution
• Evaluate algorithm and system performance through strong critical thinking, problem solving, and debugging skills

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship (No exceptions; green card holders are not eligible)
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: machine learning, physics-based modeling, simulation and optimization, uncertainty quantification, surrogate modeling and model reduction, computer vision, and intelligent agents
• Strong foundation in software development and experience with Python, Java, and/or C++
• Experience going from problem statement to prototype to production-ready algorithms
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, capable of working effectively in a dynamic, team-oriented environment

Preferences

• PhD or MS in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or a related field
• Experience in cloud-based, parallel, or distributed computing
• Experience developing generative AI, agentic AI, and/or LLM-based systems
• Ability and desire to quickly learn new domains
• Prior / existing DoD security clearance

Who is ARA?

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 2,200 employee-owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice in what happens in the company. We are also very proud of our Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.

To find out more about what the Software Enterprise Division has to offer, visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/benefits/.