Massachusetts Institute of Technology

AI/ML Engineer - Technical Staff

Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in a relevant technical field or equivalent experience for candidates with a master's or bachelor's degree.
  • Advanced programming skills in Julia, Python, or similar languages.
  • Proven expertise in AI and machine learning methods, including deep learning and large language models.
  • Ability to address complex technical challenges and lead development efforts.
  • Strong knowledge of applied statistics and experimental design methods.
  • Experience with complex datasets, translating them into actionable insights.
  • Demonstrated leadership skills in multidisciplinary team environments.

Responsibilities

  • Lead AI and modeling development for technology assessment.
  • Translate operational questions into quantitative analyses with government sponsors.
  • Evaluate AI/ML methods and techniques across various applications.
  • Engineer integrated statistical and physics-based models for complex systems.
  • Design and analyze quantitative experiments for operational conclusions.
  • Develop software prototypes and establish software best practices.
  • Mentor junior staff and explore innovative technical approaches.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans.
  • MIT-funded pension.
  • Matching 401K contributions.
  • Generous paid leave including vacation, sick, parental, and military.
  • Tuition reimbursement and opportunities for continuing education.
  • Access to mentorship programs.
  • Flexible work-life balance options.
Full Job Description
Job Description

The Advanced Concepts and Technologies Group is seeking a Technical Staff candidate to develop and apply artificial intelligence, modeling, and data-analysis methods for technology development and assessment. Our team works with government sponsors to understand complex operational and technical problems, develop new capabilities, and quantitatively evaluate emerging technologies and concepts.

The successful candidate will lead efforts spanning problem formulation, algorithm and software development, modeling, experimentation, and analysis. Working with government sponsors, mission subject-matter experts, scientists, and engineers, the candidate will translate open-ended questions into technical approaches and quantitative assessments. Work may involve deep learning, large language models, logic models, reinforcement learning, applied statistics, physics-based modeling, and analysis of complex structured and unstructured datasets. Depending on the problem, these methods may be applied through simulation, interactive environments, experimental prototypes, or other analysis tools.

Responsibilities Include but Are Not Limited to
  • Lead the development and application of AI, modeling, or analysis capabilities for technology development and assessment.
  • Work with government sponsors and subject-matter experts to translate open-ended operational and technical questions into quantitative analyses, technical requirements, and evaluation criteria.
  • Develop and evaluate AI/ML methods using deep learning, large language models, logic models, reinforcement learning, or related techniques.
  • Develop and integrate statistical, physics-based, and data-driven models of complex systems and operations.
  • Design quantitative studies and experiments, analyze complex structured and unstructured datasets, quantify uncertainty, and draw defensible technical and operational conclusions.
  • Develop software prototypes and analysis tools, and establish appropriate practices for software architecture, testing, verification, validation, documentation, version control, and code review.
  • Lead multidisciplinary technical efforts, mentor less-experienced staff, and identify new technical approaches and research directions.

Communicate technical methods, assumptions, limitations, results, and recommendations through clear briefings, demonstrations, and written products for sponsor and technical audiences.

Requirements

Education / Qualifications
  • Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Operations Research, or a related technical field. In lieu of a Ph.D., a master's degree with at least 5 years of directly relevant experience or a bachelor's degree with at least 8 years of directly relevant experience will be considered.
  • Advanced programming ability in Julia, Python, or a similar scientific programming language.
  • Demonstrated technical depth in artificial intelligence, machine learning, or computational decision modeling, including substantial experience in at least one of the following areas: deep learning, large language models, logic models, or reinforcement learning.
  • Demonstrated ability to formulate and solve complex, open-ended technical problems and to lead the development of software, models, algorithms, or analytical capabilities.
  • Strong knowledge of applied statistics, experimental design, and quantitative methods, including experience selecting appropriate methods and interpreting results.
  • Experience analyzing complex, poorly structured, or unstructured datasets and extracting meaningful technical or operational insights.
  • Proven ability to scope technical efforts, establish technical direction, and lead multidisciplinary teams through successful execution.
  • Strong written and oral technical communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
  • Ability to rapidly develop expertise in new technical and mission areas.

Desired Qualifications
  • Software engineering experience, including software architecture, modular and extensible design, automated testing, version control, code review, and technical documentation.
  • Experience applying AI/ML, modeling, or data analysis to technology development, system assessment, or decision support.
  • Experience with formal or logic-based modeling approaches, such as PDDL, signal temporal logic, automated planning, rule-based systems, or related methods.
  • Experience developing visualizations, user interfaces, or interactive tools for complex technical systems, including simulations, analytical applications, or serious games.
  • Familiarity with Department of War missions, operations, systems, or technologies.
  • Background in physics-based modeling, particularly radar systems, sensor performance, detection, tracking, or radio-frequency propagation.
  • Experience with Monte Carlo simulation, experimental design, uncertainty quantification, and/or sensitivity analysis.
  • Experience with agent-based models, decision-support tools, human-machine teaming, or autonomous decision-making systems.
  • Experience with high-performance, parallel, distributed, or GPU computing.
  • Experience mentoring technical staff, leading research and development teams, or working directly with government sponsors.
  • Active Secret clearance.


Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $145,200 - $170,000
Experienced Hiring Range: $145,200 - $220,000

Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including-but not limited to-the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.

At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
  • MIT-funded pension
  • Matching 401K
  • Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
  • Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
  • Mentorship programs
  • A range of work-life balance options
  • ... and much more!

Please visit our Benefits page for more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage of other voluntary benefits, discounts and perks.

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

Requisition ID: 43366

About Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". The university is known for its strong emphasis on scientific and technological research and its engineering programs. MIT was founded in 1861 and has a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship. The university has produced numerous Nobel laureates, Rhodes Scholars, and MacArthur Fellows.
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