Senior Machine Learning Research Scientist - AI Engineering Team

What We Do:

At the SEI AI Division, we conduct research in applied artificial intelligence and the engineering questions related to the practical design and implementation of AI technologies and systems. We currently lead a community-wide movement to mature the discipline of AI Engineering for Defense and National Security.

As our government customers adopt AI and machine learning to provide leap-ahead mission capabilities, we

- build real-world, mission-scale AI capabilities through solving practical engineering problems

- discover and define the processes, practices, and tools to support operationalizing AI for robust, secure, scalable, and human-centered mission capabilities

- prepare our customers to be ready for the unique challenges of adopting, deploying, using, and maintaining AI capabilities

- identify and investigate emerging AI and AI-adjacent technologies that are rapidly transforming the technology landscape

Are you creative, curious, energetic, collaborative, technology-focused, and hard-working? Are you interested in making a difference by bringing innovation to government organizations and beyond? Apply to join our team.

Position Summary:

As a senior research scientist specializing in machine learning, you will identify, shape, apply, conduct, and lead research that matches critical U.S. government needs.
 

Requirements:

• BS in Computer Science or related discipline with ten (10) years of experience; OR MS in the same fields with eight (8) years of experience; OR PhD with five (5) years of experience.
• Flexible to travel to other SEI offices in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, sponsor sites, conferences, and offsite meetings on occasion. Moderate (25%) travel outside of your home location.
• You will be subject to a background investigation and must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense security clearance.
• Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.
   

Duties:

• Hands-on research: You’ll conduct and lead novel research in applied machine learning and artificial intelligence.
• Solution development: You’ll work with and lead interdisciplinary teams to turn research results into prototype operational capabilities for government customers and stakeholders.
• Strategy: You’ll work with Center leaders and colleagues to plan, develop, and carry out an overall research strategy, and to influence the national research agenda regarding future technology.
• Collaboration: You'll actively participate on teams of software developers, researchers, designers, and technical leads. You'll build relationships and collaborate with researchers, government customers, and other stakeholders to understand challenges, needs, possible solutions, and research directions.
• Mentoring: You'll contribute to improving the overall technical capabilities of the team by mentoring and teaching others, participating in design (software and otherwise) sessions, and sharing insights and wisdom across the SEI Artificial Intelligence Division.
   

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Deep technical knowledge: You have performed extensive research in applied machine learning and artificial intelligence. You have worked with tools, techniques, algorithms, software, and programming languages for deep learning, reinforcement learning, statistics, sensors and sensor fusion, planning, computer vision, or related areas.
• Communication and Collaboration: You have strong written and verbal communication skills and can interact collaboratively and diplomatically with customers and colleagues. You grasp the big picture, direction, and goals of an effort while focusing great attention to detail. You can present complex ideas to people who may not have a deep understanding of the subject area.
• Dedication: You can meet deadlines while multi-tasking–sometimes under pressure and with shifting priorities.
• Creativity and Innovation: You are creative and curious, and you are inspired by the prospect of collaborating with premier researchers and visionaries at Carnegie Mellon and other universities and organizations. You quickly learn new procedures, techniques, and approaches. You are forward-looking and can connect research with practical challenges.
• Knowledge and Learning: You possess broad technical interests along with a deep knowledge of a particular field such as human-computer interaction, data analytics and machine learning, advanced computing, and autonomy and adaptive systems.
   

Desired Experience:

• Research practices and publications: You have a track record of conducting research in machine learning and artificial intelligence. You have a reputation for the highest level of research and technical integrity. You have demonstrated contributions and have published research.
• Familiarity with emerging trends and opportunities: You are familiar with technical challenges and emerging trends in computing and information science, and you are aware of opportunities in industry and government.
• Technical leadership: You have led research projects and have experience collaborating across research teams and mentoring other researchers.
• Proposals: You have formulated and delivered successful research proposals to funding agencies and led the resulting projects.
• Government projects: You have worked or are familiar with DARPA, IARPA, Service Labs, or other government research sponsors.

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