Description
Research Engineer - Mission Planning & Artificial Intelligence (Ph.D.)Apply Your Research to Advance National DefenseAre you ready to apply your Ph.D. research to some of the nation's most challenging engineering problems?Do you want your work to influence the next generation of mission planning technologies that help the U.S. Armed Forces make informed decisions in complex operational environments?
Are you excited to combine your expertise in engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, modeling and simulation, or artificial intelligence with multidisciplinary teams to develop capabilities that strengthen homeland and theater ballistic missile, hypersonic, and air defense, enable multi-domain operations, accelerate warfighting capabilities, and enable space operations?
If you are completing a
Ph.D. and are looking for an opportunity to transition innovative research into operational capabilities with real-world impact, we encourage you to apply.
What You'll DoAs a member of our team, you'll collaborate with nationally recognized engineers, scientists, mathematicians, software developers, and military subject matter experts to solve challenging technical problems.
Depending on your interests and expertise, you may:
- Lead technical efforts that advance next-generation mission planning and decision-support capabilities.
- Apply your research to develop innovative algorithms, analytical methods, modeling and simulation frameworks, and artificial intelligence techniques.
- Design, evaluate, and improve mission planning architectures that support multiple mission areas and military services.
- Conduct engineering and operational analyses that evaluate current capabilities, identify opportunities for improvement, and inform future system development.
- Assess the fidelity and effectiveness of modeling and simulation tools used to evaluate operational performance.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to transition research into deployable operational capabilities.
- Work directly with military operators and mission experts to understand operational challenges and translate those needs into innovative technical solutions.
- Publish technical findings internally, present recommendations to sponsors and stakeholders, and help shape future technical strategy.
- Mentor junior engineers and contribute to an environment that values technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Qualifications
Minimum QualificationsYou meet our minimum qualifications if you:
- Have earned or will earn a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Mathematics, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
- Have demonstrated excellence conducting independent research and solving complex technical problems.
- Have experience developing analytical models, simulations, optimization methods, algorithms, or artificial intelligence solutions using MATLAB, Python, or similar technical computing environments.
- Have experience leading collaborative research or technical projects.
- Communicate complex technical concepts effectively through written reports, presentations, and technical discussions.
- Enjoy working in multidisciplinary teams while taking initiative to solve challenging engineering problems.
- Are interested in collaborating with military operators to understand operational challenges and develop practical engineering solutions.
- Are able to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by your start date and ultimately obtain a Secret security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required, and selected candidates will be subject to a government security clearance investigation.
Preferred QualificationsYou'll stand out if you have one or more of the following:
- Dissertation or research experience directly related to mission planning, systems engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning, optimization, modeling and simulation, decision science, autonomy, or defense applications.
- Experience developing production-quality software using C++, Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
- Experience with distributed computing, cloud computing, high-performance computing, DevSecOps, containerization, CI/CD pipelines, or modern software development practices.
- Experience developing algorithms for optimization, resource allocation, decision support, operations research, or multi-agent systems.
- Previous internship, postdoctoral, industry, government laboratory, or research experience applying advanced technical research to real-world engineering challenges.
- Experience working with or supporting U.S. Department of Defense programs, operational analysis, or military systems.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams or mentoring junior researchers and engineers.
- An active Final Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
Minimum Rate
$105,000 Annually
Maximum Rate
$245,000 Annually
