Research Scientist/Engineer

About the role

ASRC Federal Data Solutions (AFDS) supports NASA's High Performance Computing Services program at the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. The program operates 4 on-site supercomputers, 18,000+ nodes, and 17+ combined petaflop supercomputer systems, providing HPC services throughout the lifecycle — computational requirements, architecture, acquisition, and operations — for federal government customers. The team also supports the Human-Systems Integration (HSI) Division, enabling development of complex aerospace systems through analysis and modeling of human performance and human-automation interactions.

The Research Scientist/Engineer supports tool and application development for NASA projects and systems at Ames Research Center. Responsibilities include using traditional and advanced techniques to design and develop software systems that advance the state-of-the-art for aeronautics research. The role collaborates with other software programmers/developers to design, develop, and sustain core capabilities while creating new capabilities when appropriate. It requires frequent interaction with government leaders and technical staff, the ability to mentor junior staff, troubleshoot complex issues, and align development efforts with mission priorities. This position supports the mission of the Human-Systems Integration Division and the research portfolio of the Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL), which focuses on operator-centric advanced aeronautics concepts and conducts research through prototyping, simulations, and flight evaluations.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop custom visualizations of real-time and non-real-time data.
• Define and implement the necessary components for data visualization applications.
• Maintain and enhance existing data visualization applications (JavaScript, React, QT/QML, HTML, CSS, Java, C++, Python, etc.).
• Design and develop custom systems for generating simulation scenarios.
• Design and develop custom systems for data analysis and post-processing.
• Define and implement the necessary components for data analysis and post-processing systems.
• Maintain and enhance existing data analysis and post-processing systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL, InfluxDB, etc.).
• Provide technical guidance and recommendations for new features, services, and best practices.
• Lead, support, and define internal processes for code reviews and collaborative software development.
• Troubleshoot code, participate in collaborative testing processes (QA/QC) that help maintain a standard level of quality and support software requirements.
• Support onboarding and mentoring of new and early-career developers throughout the development process, giving valuable feedback during code reviews, and engaging in collaborative coding sessions.
• Support data collection efforts in laboratory settings and flight test activities.
• Design and develop custom systems that leverage AI/ML techniques for aerospace research.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in aerospace engineering, computer science, information technology, or a related field, or equivalent years of experience.
• Ten (10) or more years of software development experience.
• Ten (10) or more years supporting aeronautics research and development activities.
• Experience with modern languages (e.g., Java, .NET, Python, C++, JavaScript, QT/QML, React), Agile/Scrum frameworks, and DevSecOps pipelines.
• Five (5) or more years creating custom data visualizations.
• Able to work within time constraints and under pressure.
• Able to work and communicate effectively on a team.