Associate Cognitive Systems Engineer

Join Our Innovative Team at Mile 2!

Are you into solving tough problems and building cool tech? Do you thrive in a team where your ideas are heard and your creativity is encouraged? If you're nodding along, Mile 2 might be the place for you.

We're all about creating advanced solutions that really make a difference for our government partners. Our team uses the latest technologies to make a tangible impact, creating seamless integrations between human expertise and machine capabilities to tackle complex challenges.

Our core values guide everything we do: Supported Autonomy: We trust you to take initiative and make decisions, but we've always got your back. Humble Expertise: We respect everyone's knowledge and skills, creating an environment where we can all learn and get better together. Success is a Team Effort: We believe that we can only achieve great things when we work as a team. Tangible Results: We're motivated by the desire to create real, measurable impacts through our work.

When you join us, you'll work on meaningful projects that challenge you and help you grow. We offer a supportive and inclusive environment, competitive benefits, and plenty of opportunities to advance your career. If you're ready to level up your career and be part of something special, check out our current openings and apply today.

This position is contingent upon Mile Two being awarded a specific government contract.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Mile Two Cognitive Systems Engineers must analyze and optimize complex, fast-moving, and human-centric technical environments. This position is for the AFRL/IZ Digital Enablement Portfolio. Our core mission is to bridge complex technical tools with human workflows, ensuring that the organizations we work with can seamlessly adopt and leverage advanced data and software tools to make better decisions. We do this by utilizing a multidisciplinary, human-machine systems approach to eliminate operational friction and context-switching bottlenecks. Our Cognitive Systems Engineers ensure we achieve our mission by utilizing their skills to:

• Fully Own End-to-End Adoption: Take complete operational ownership of the rollout and workforce integration of AFRL IZ/IZX digital products, driving user engagement and minimizing friction across the broader AFRL workforce.
• Analyze Workflows & Friction: Apply core Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) methodologies to analyze human-workflow friction, interface directly with complex technical product teams, and design seamless human-machine adoption strategies.
• Manage Clients & Stakeholders: Act as the dedicated, trusted operational partner to the client lead, absorbing daily logistics and execution to transition client leadership from hands-on tasks to high-level strategy.
• Feed the Cross-Spoke Pipeline: Proactively engage with the workforce to identify tool struggles and organizational skill gaps, collaborating directly with the Digital Upskilling lead to feed the pipeline with clear targets for new course creation and marketing materials.

Drive Strategic Agile Alignment: Collaborate closely with the PM and the broader Digital Enablement team to foster a fluid, responsive resource ecosystem that easily adapts to shifting client needs.

Requirements

Required

• Ability to obtain a Security Clearance at Secret level, USG CAC, NIPR Access
• Experience: 1 year of professional experience as a Cognitive Systems Engineer, Human Factors Engineer, Engineering Psychologist, or in a closely related technical/operational role.
• Core Specialty: Strong foundational background in Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE), data collection methods, and analytical techniques. Proven ability to map complex mental models, assess cognitive workload, and analyze context-switching friction.
• Product & Training Strategy: Experience bridging the gap between highly technical product development teams and non-technical end-users (determining where marketing, training, or workflow redesign is needed).
• Consultative & Communication Skills: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to confidently embed with client stakeholders, manage operational expectations, and proactively drive projects without heavy supervision.
• Defense/Federal Space Familiarity: Familiarity with the Department of Defense (DoD), specifically the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) or similar scientific/research defense environments is highly preferred.

Desired

• Defense Sector Experience: Prior experience working within or supporting DoD clients, specifically AFRL or similar military scientific and research environments.
• AI & Advanced Tool Ecosystems: Familiarity with or exposure to emerging artificial intelligence toolsets, large language model interfaces, or modern defense data environments (e.g., Genai.mil Agents, Envision, or equivalent platforms).
• Technical Skills: Advanced degree in CSE, Human Factors, Engineering Psychology or a closely related field. Experience with technical writing.
• Cross-Functional Agile Collaboration: Experience working within an integrated digital enablement ecosystem alongside distinct project spokes like technical training/upskilling pipelines and specialized AI development teams.
• Contract & Program Growth Support: Understanding of federal contracting environments, with the ability to identify operational alignment opportunities that support long-term contract consolidation strategies.

Leadership

• Ability to foster growth in individuals and teams. Effectively communicate orally and in written documentation up, down, and laterally across the organization and to external stakeholders.

Defense Work

This role supports U.S. Department of Defense customers. Employees may be assigned to different projects over time, including projects involving defense operations.

Our Approach to AI in Hiring

At Mile 2, applications are reviewed by real people—not filtered out by bots. Authenticity matters more than keyword tricks.

We know you're probably using AI tools to help draft or polish your resumes, and that's fine! We're using AI to write this blurb about AI! But we expect you to make it your own. Resumes that feel copy-pasted—repetitive, oddly phrased, "too perfect" matches to our job description—may hurt your chances. Adding personal touches and real examples of your work will make your application stronger.

We look forward to meeting the real you!