Overview:

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.   

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do: 

1. Students are our top priority.
2. We strive for excellence.
3. We thrive on diversity.
4. We celebrate collaboration.
5. We champion innovation.
6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
8. We act ethically.
9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Project/Unit Description

The Signals and Systems Division (SASD) in the Advanced Concepts and Technologies Laboratory (ACT) seeks an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Engineer in Atlanta, GA and/or Dayton, OH. The division's mission is to shape the development of next-generation technical capabilities and strengthen our national defense through leading-edge research and analytic support, informed by a deep knowledge of operational capabilities, current intelligence, and the related information environment.

ACT develops tailored solutions for a broad range of national security challenges through the application of physics- and effects-based modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A), augmented with prototype development and testing. Domains include optical systems, lidar, sensing and seekers, photonic devices and microelectronics, mission engineering analysis, traditional and asymmetric threat analysis, and ground maneuver warfare.

The AI/ML Engineer works with research, development, and testing teams to design, develop, and deploy reliable AI/ML solutions. Responsibilities include integrating AI/ML concepts into computer simulations, implementing MS&A environments and infrastructure to train AI agents, conducting simulation experiments to predict system behavior, delivering solutions to stakeholders, and improving processes through generative AI research and application.

The engineer should understand current AI/ML concepts and techniques and remain familiar with emerging tools, languages, and frameworks. Relevant technologies may include PyTorch, TensorFlow, FastAPI, OpenAI Codex, and containerized or cloud infrastructures. The engineer will apply software engineering and MLOps practices to ensure solutions are maintainable, reproducible, secure, and observable, monitor model performance, identify data and system issues, and continuously improve systems. The role also supports responsible AI practices, including fairness, security, explainability, and appropriate data use.

Job Purpose

The Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Engineer develops AI/ML algorithms, cloud computing, and/or heterogeneous distributed computing infrastructures to support the deployment of AI/ML applications. The AI/ML Engineer also researches the mathematical foundations and frameworks for nonlinear systems characterized by time-varying and emerging dynamics of evolving or adaptive systems. The AI/ML Engineer develops technical solutions at the leading edge of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Genetic Programming, Computer Vision, and advanced data processing, filtering, and fusion techniques in high-performance computing and distributed heterogeneous computing environments. The AI/ML Engineer writes parallel processing programs to deploy ML models developed by data scientists into more complex systems. The AI/ML Engineer has familiarity with state-of-the-art, open-source software frameworks and high-performance computing accelerators for machine learning. When conducting research, the AI/ML Engineer leverages the most recent advances in statistical analysis of large data sets to advance state-of-the-art automated sensor and data processing for a broad range of intelligent and sensor-enabled systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design complex system architectures (e.g., high-performance computing clusters, networks, chipsets, GPUs) based on available hardware (e.g., embedded systems, cloud, on-premise, etc.)
• Lead a team of engineers responsible for system deployment
• Develop novel algorithms and methodologies
• Engage with sponsors to understand and meet system requirements
• Serve as the primary author on technical reports and proposals

Additional Responsibilities

• Directly support Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) efforts by developing and training new models, implementing AI/ML technologies into a modeling and simulation environment, and assessing the performance of AI/ML technologies in the context of a military conflict
• Integrate with study planning, mission modeling, and data analysis functional teams
• Lead by example, establish best practices and coding patterns, and mentor others to produce extensible and maintainable code
• Advise senior government and industry stakeholders in strategy related to operations analysis
• Lead technical projects based on operational analysis of advanced systems of systems
• Capture external funding for future projects that involve operational scenarios and architecture analysis
• Contribute to the innovative, cutting-edge software research using Independent Research and Development (IRAD)
• Develop skills and training as part of the greater GTRI workforce using professional development funding

Required Minimum Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline
• At least two years of experience with at least one of the following languages:
  • C, C#, C++
  • Python
  • Java
  • MATLAB
  • Rust
• Experience with artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) foundational research and developing AI/ML solutions
• Good verbal and written communication skills. Able to convey technical material in a clear, concise manner to a nontechnical audience
• Able to act in varied roles as both a technical resource and in leadership positions
• Ability to work in a secure space without access to the internet or personal electronic devices
• Able to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret Security Clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI Clearance
• MS or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline
  • Candidates currently enrolled in an accredited degree program relevant to this position will be considered. The candidate must have a graduation date of no later than May 2027
• Experience with generative AI and large language models, including prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, model evaluation, fine-tuning, and responsible AI practices
• Experience deploying and operating ML systems in cloud or containerized environments, using technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, along with MLOps tools for experiment tracking, model versioning, monitoring, and reproducibility
• Experience with reinforcement learning, autonomous systems, or multi-agent modeling, including training AI agents, designing reward functions, conducting simulation experiments, and analyzing agent behavior
• Depth of knowledge of defense-related business and technical priorities
• Experience writing successful proposals as part of a cross-functional team

Travel Requirements

10% - 25% travel

Education and Length of Experience

This position vacancy is an open-rank announcement. The final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty Extension Professional ranks as outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook

• 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline
• 3 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline
• 0 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, Physics, Mathematics, or related discipline

Please refer to our Research Faculty Technical Level Guidelines for minimum requirements at the higher levels.

U.S. Citizenship Requirements

Due to our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be U.S. Citizens.

Clearance Type Required

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.

Benefits at GTRI

Comprehensive information on currently offered GTRI benefits, including Health & Welfare, Retirement Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Time Off, and Professional Development, can be found through this link: https://benefits.hr.gatech.edu/.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (“USG”) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual’s race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.