Job Description
Applied Research and Development (R D)
Scientist/Engineer:
Signal Processing and Machine Learning (Individual Contributor) ARiA is a specialized research and development (R D) firm where physics, mathematics and machine learning meet real-world deployment. We apply interdisciplinary expertise in acoustics, signal processing, and computational modeling to solve high-consequence challenges that larger, more bureaucratic organizations are often unable to address. At ARiA, we don't just produce research; we build the technical engines that power the next generation of defense and commercial systems. As a lean, 20-person firm, ARiA operates in an environment of extreme freedom and accountability. Everyone on the team has great autonomy coupled with commensurate responsibility to the team and the mission. We seek individuals who thrive on total ownership of a problem and deep commitment to work with their team to see an idea from the initial whiteboard concept through to the final field integration. Whether you are collaborating with the Army on AI assurance or helping Navy leaders transform sonar training through high-fidelity simulation, you and the members of your team are the primary drivers of your mission. We are a small business where making a difference means being part of the team responsible for the solution. ARiA:
Real Research. Real World.
TM For more information, visit www.ariacoustics.com. U.S. CITIZENSHIP IS REQUIRED.
This position supports Department of War (DoW) combat systems and requires eligibility for a security clearance. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) and Visa holders are not eligible. ADVANCED DEGREE REQUIRED.
Applicants must possess a M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant technical field (Acoustics, EE, Physics, or CS). Applications without a graduate-level technical degree will not be reviewed. THIS IS A PRACTITIONER ROLE.
We are not seeking Executives or Project Managers. As an integral and contributing member of a team, you will be expected to formulate the math and write the code that implements it. Position Description:
ARiA is seeking Applied R D Scientists/Engineers who are motivated by technical autonomy and mission impact. We are looking for low-ego/high-agency professionals. This means you have the confidence to defend a novel algorithm in a room of peers, but the resilience to scrap it and start over if the data or your peer prove you wrong. It means you are comfortable having the authority to change an existing process, but the humility to change again when someone else on the team has a better idea. Our commitment is to the excellence of the team, not our own ideas. We are excellent so the whole team wins and the mission is accomplished. If you prioritize your success or relative status in an organizational hierarchy over the team winning and accomplishing the mission, don't apply. If you need a slow-paced, low-intensity routine to function, this is the wrong environment for you. We don't measure success by hours spent at a desk, but by the density of your impact. We seek the mature professional who is disciplined enough to deliver world-class results with high efficiency, respecting that a well-lived life requires excellence in work, but comprises more than work. ARiA is a jazz quartet, not a marching band. We are a SEAL Team, not a colonial-era British regiment. This means we value the quiet professional: the person whose primary instrument/weapon is equal parts innovation and rigor—honed through practice and perfected through solitary deep work—and who remains calm when a field-test fails so they are able to help the team pivot quickly to a new solution. We pay salaries that are at or above market, systematically reward performance through raises and a defined bonus structure, and offer highly competitive benefits, but, ultimately, at ARiA we do it for love, not money. Our approach to work is grounded in our foundational beliefs about the fully orbed and differentiated responsibilities every employee has in life, but we want people who would still be doing this work if they didn't need to earn money. Work that is meaningful is one of the many elements of life that is central to living well. Success at ARiA requires the maturity to self-supervise in a fast-paced R D environment, commitment to support the other members of your team knowing that they'll do the same for you, and the grit to push a prototype through the last mile of field integration. We solve ugly problems where data are sparse, hardware is legacy, and the environment is unforgiving. You aren't just formulating an algorithm or writing code; you are implementing numerical-simulation, machine-learning, and signal-processing algorithms that must survive in real-world environments. We seek individuals who view a technical roadblock as a puzzle to be solved, not a reason to stop. At ARiA, our motivation is solving hard problems that have significant real-world consequences. We don't just meet contract requirements; we adopt the customer's perspective as our own to solve the problems they haven't yet found the words to describe. We succeed when our technology exceeds the operator's imagination of what was possible. As an Applied R D Scientist/Engineer you will have the unique opportunity to work on projects that span from applied research efforts through to development of prototype solutions while working in close coordination with other ARiA scientists and engineers to design, develop, and test: numerical-simulation algorithms and software implementations, scientific-visualization algorithms and software implementations, machine-learning algorithms and software implementations, and signal-processing algorithms and software implementations in support of prototypes and products such as training tools integrated with real-time physics-based simulation and machine learning(ML)/artificial intelligence (AI) tools integrated with tactical systems. Core Responsibilities:
End-to-End Problem Ownership:
Work with other scientists, engineers, and software engineers on the team to translate raw research concepts into robust, field-ready software. The team is collectively responsible for the logic, the implementation, and the ultimate performance of the system. We do not believe in micromanagement. Our customer provides the mission. ARiA provides a robust physical and technical infrastructure. The team works to translate the customer mission need into a real-world solution. And each member of the team holds themselves and each other accountable to that high standard. Algorithmic Resilience:
Design, develop, and test algorithms that are "battle-hardened"—capable of functioning in the messy, high-stakes environments of Department of War (DoW) combat systems. Field Validation:
Work with software and DevSecOps members of your team to shepherd your work through field integration into combat systems. This requires the maturity to troubleshoot in real-time under the gaze of government customers and the resilience to iterate until the mission is successful. You are responsible for ensuring your algorithms survive the transition from the laboratory to a DoW platform. Operational Empathy:
You are responsible for bridging the gap between scientific disciplines and the reality of the user in the field. This requires the maturity to set aside your own technical preferences and view the system through the eyes of the customer. Sample Tasks:
Design, develop, and help deploy cloud-deployed software tools for data-analysis and AI assurance that will be part of a new AI platform to be used across the DoW Develop novel neural-network based detection and classification methods and algorithms for sonar signal and information processing to be integrated in Navy combat systems Conduct research using deep learning and numerical scattering models to understand the relevant physical features in acoustic scattering data for use in a project on remediating underwater sites contaminated by unexploded ordnance Requirements:
Applicants selected for employment will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements, including U.S. citizenship, for access to sensitive information. Master's degree or greater (Ph.D. is desirable) in a relevant technical field (Acoustics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or similar) or equivalent professional experience Appropriate experience working in the field of signal processing in radar or sonar (waveform design, detection and classification, beamforming, etc.) and/or machine learning for acoustic or image data or AI (supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, kernel machines, latent semantic analysis, etc.) Facility designing and developing code in modern programming/scripting languages such as C, C++, Java, Matlab, and Python Exceptional ability and desire to acquire new knowledge and skills to solve challenges A track record of taking a project from concept to delivery with minimal oversight, including examples of overcoming significant technical or resource-based setbacks. Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced professional office environment Ability to communicate technical solutions to colleagues and customers Superior oral and written communications skills Desirable Skills, Qualifications, and Experience:
Knowledge of and experience with signal processing for Navy sonar systems Experience with GPGPU programing (CUDA, TensorFlow) Knowledge of and experience with deep learning and modern deep-learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) Knowledge of and experience with image processing including modern deep-learning methods Job Type:
Full-time Pay:
$125,000.00 - $225,000.00 per year Benefits:
401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Flexible schedule Health insurance Health savings account Life insurance Paid time off Parental leave Relocation assistance Application Question(s): This position requires compliance with Federal drug laws, even if such substances are legal in your state. Will you comply with Federal drug laws? Due to the nature of the information required to perform this job, U.S. Citizenship is required for this position. Are you a citizen of the United States? Education:
Doctorate (Preferred) License/Certification:
U.S. citizenship (Required) Security clearance: Secret (Preferred) Work Location:
In person
