Applied AI/ML Researcher

Group 51 develops advanced Cyber-Electromagnetic Warfare capabilities and supports their acquisition, integration, and operational transition across the Department of War and Intelligence Community. The Group conducts research and development at the intersection of cyber operations, RF systems, and artificial intelligence to address challenging national-security mission needs. The Group invents and applies novel RF machine-learning techniques to challenges in signal, protocol, and emitter identification and characterization. Our work combines electromagnetic theory, signal processing, statistical inference, experimental methods, and modern AI to extract actionable information from complex RF environments; characterize communications, sensing, and electronic systems; and enable cyber-electromagnetic capabilities in contested and operationally relevant settings. A central element of the Group’s mission is transitioning advanced technology into operational use. This includes developing and evaluating prototype capabilities; integrating them with other non-kinetic effects; conducting laboratory, field, and operationally relevant tests; and supporting larger acquisition, integration, and operationalization programs. The Group collaborates closely with sponsors, operational users, acquisition organizations, and partners across the Laboratory, government, industry, and academia to ensure that technical innovations address real mission needs and can be effectively deployed. Job OverviewMIT Lincoln Laboratory Associate Staff provide critical multi-domain and expert multi-domain innovative research supporting the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype state-of-the-art technology solutions and engage in many steps of a program lifecycle with increasing independence and responsibility. As an Associate Staff member, you will contribute independently to multidisciplinary efforts, contribute to sponsor briefings, write test plans and reports, and apply complex and creative solutions to solving technical problems. You may own discrete project/program components or lead complex workstreams and small teams. As a successful candidate, you will bring solid to strong technical depth, broaden your understanding across adjacent disciplines, and adapt approaches where precedent is limited. You will integrate technical inputs, contribute to program documentation and reporting, and collaborate with interdisciplinary project/program teams supporting projects that may range from rapid, high-risk efforts to longer-term mission programs. Your work will include multiple activities such as hardware and software development, systems analysis, data analysis, component fabrication, system integration, testing, and documentation. Additional Job Overview DetailsGroup 51 is seeking an Associate Staff member with a concentration in artificial intelligence and machine learning to support the development, evaluation, and transition of advanced Cyber-Electromagnetic Warfare capabilities. The successful candidate will work as part of multidisciplinary teams applying AI, machine learning, RF signal processing, and data science to challenging national-security problems. The candidate will contribute to research and prototype development involving RF machine learning, including signal, protocol, and emitter identification and characterization. Responsibilities may include preparing and analyzing RF and other sensor datasets; developing, training, and evaluating machine-learning models; implementing data-processing and signal-processing pipelines; conducting experiments; and assessing model performance in realistic, noisy, and dynamic operating environments. The candidate will work with experienced technical staff to translate AI research concepts into usable prototype capabilities. This may include supporting software development, model integration, test and evaluation, documentation, demonstrations, and field experiments. The candidate will also contribute to technical reports, presentations, and discussions with collaborators, sponsors, and operational stakeholders. This position is well suited for an early-career candidate who has a strong foundation in AI, machine learning, computer science, physics, electrical engineering, or a related discipline; is interested in RF and cyber-electromagnetic applications; and is motivated to apply technical skills to high-impact national-security mission problems. The Group will provide opportunities for mentorship, technical growth, hands-on experimentation, and exposure to the full lifecycle of advanced technology development and transition. Job Duties & ResponsibilitiesOwn or lead design, development, data analysis, programming, modeling, simulation, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and technical evaluation activities within broader project or program efforts. Apply technical depth and judgment to less-defined and complex problems, identifying appropriate methods, adapting established approaches, and evaluating trade-offs. Contribute to or lead system-, subsystem-, or component-level work spanning multiple disciplines, mission needs, products, or technical focus areas. Develop, review, and integrate technical documentation, analyses, design materials, program reporting, presentations, papers, and other deliverables. Coordinate milestones, assumptions, dependencies, quality expectations, and risks and present findings, recommendations, and alternatives to appropriate audiences. Provide technical guidance, review, feedback, and mentorship while continuing to deepen mission-aligned expertise. Additional Job Duties & ResponsibilitiesThe Associate Staff member will have opportunities to: Develop expertise in RF machine learning and AI applications for cyber-electromagnetic operations. Work with RF data, signal-processing systems, software-defined radios, simulation environments, and operationally relevant datasets. Participate in prototype development, laboratory tests, field demonstrations, and technology-transition activities. Receive mentorship from experts in AI, RF systems, physics, cyber operations, and electronic warfare. Contribute to technical reports, sponsor briefings, and research publications. Build an understanding of how advanced technical capabilities move from research through acquisition and operational deployment. Minimum QualificationsCandidates will be considered for the appropriate level based on their education, experience, demonstrated technical capabilities, leadership responsibilities, and the scope and complexity of their prior work. Level 3 – Associate Staff Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 0+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Solid technical depth in a primary engineering, research, or other technical domain, with the ability to apply knowledge independently. Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and manage components of project work. Experience contributing to technical documentation, analyses, reports, presentations, or project deliverables. Ability to collaborate across project teams and communicate technical information clearly to appropriate audiences. Emerging ability to guide less experienced colleagues and contribute to team capability development. Level 4 – Associate Staff Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 4+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; a PhD may be considered; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Strong technical depth in a primary domain with emerging breadth across related engineering, research, technical disciplines, or mission areas. Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and lead components of projects or technical workstreams. Experience managing milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables for assigned project areas. Ability to communicate complex information to varied audiences and collaborate with project teams, sponsors, and internal partners. Demonstrated ability to mentor others, review work, and contribute to team technical capability. Additional Minimum QualificationsCoursework, research, internship, project, or other demonstrated experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, statistical analysis, or signal processing. Proficiency in Python and familiarity with scientific-computing and machine-learning libraries and frameworks, such as NumPy, SciPy, pandas, PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, JAX, or similar tools. Familiarity with core machine-learning concepts, including supervised and unsupervised learning, model training and validation, feature representation, performance evaluation, and overfitting mitigation. Ability to analyze complex datasets, identify meaningful patterns, and communicate analytical findings clearly. Ability to learn new technical areas rapidly and apply knowledge effectively to challenging research and mission problems. Ability to communicate technical concepts, results, and recommendations clearly and concisely in written and verbal formats. Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary technical team. Ability to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the position. Preferred QualificationsExperience or demonstrated interest in one or more of the following areas is desirable: Deep learning, including convolutional, recurrent, transformer-based, generative, or self-supervised models. Machine learning for time-series, sensor, communications, RF, or other high-dimensional scientific data. RF machine learning, including modulation recognition, signal classification, anomaly detection, emitter identification, spectrum sensing, waveform analysis, or signal characterization. Digital signal processing, including Fourier analysis, time-frequency methods, filtering, detection and estimation, communications, or statistical signal processing. Applied electromagnetics, RF systems, antennas, wireless communications, radar, remote sensing, software-defined radio, or electronic warfare. Data engineering, dataset curation, data labeling, data provenance, reproducible workflows, or large-scale data processing. Model evaluation and AI assurance, including robustness, uncertainty quantification, explainability, domain adaptation, distribution shift, adversarial machine learning, or trustworthy AI. Software-engineering practices, including version control, automated testing, continuous integration, containerization, Linux development, or collaborative software development. Experience using high-performance computing, cloud computing, graphical processing units, or distributed training systems. Experimental research, instrumentation, test and measurement, laboratory work, or field data collection. Cyber operations, protocol analysis, embedded-system security, cyber-physical systems, network security, or cyber mission engineering. Technical writing, research publications, project documentation, or presentations to technical audiences. Associate Staff 3 Hiring Range: $114,000 - $148,000Associate Staff 4 Hiring Range: $124,000 - $164,000Disclaimer: 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 plansMIT-funded pensionMatching 401KPaid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programsMentorship programsA 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.MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.Requisition ID: 43566