Research Engineer I/II/III/IV/V/VI - Washington D.C.

This position will be located in Washington D.C.

The Charles D. McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University seeks an experienced Research Engineer with Artificial Intelligence development experience to support applied research and national security initiatives. The role focuses on contributing to the security of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), initially. The engineer will play a critical role in supporting current and emerging Artificial Intelligence research and the development of new capabilities. AI/ML and systems engineering is a capability that spans Army, DOE CESER, and FTA. This position is based in the Institute’s Washington D.C. office and reports to the Deputy Director of Applied Research & Services and Edge Lab Director.

Why Join McCrary?

The McCrary Institute defends the systems that power our national and economic security, our communities, and our way of life. Through its Edge Lab, McCrary integrates research, policy, and real-world operations to deliver practical cybersecurity solutions.

Special Instructions

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter

Combine into one document and upload your cover letter and resume under the “Resume Upload” section (maximum file size: 5 MB).

• Understand Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Model training, fine-tuning, and evaluation.
• Utilize Large Language Models (LLMs), prompt engineering and optimization, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).
• Utilize and incorporate web service APIs.
• Build software using web service APIs.
Build AI-powered applications (chatbots, copilots, automation tools), design and integrate APIs, design microservices architectures, develop data pipelines and ETL workflows, and understand vector databases.
• Execute model deployment and monitoring.
• Understand SQL and NoSQL databases, data preprocessing and cleaning, and working with structured & unstructured datasets.
• Build AI agents and autonomous workflows, front-end frameworks (React, Next.js), security & privacy in AI systems, and scaling AI products to production.
• Understand embeddings and semantic search.
• Ability to work in either AWS or MS cloud.
• Understand how to build and deploy applications into Department of War environments.
• Document technical findings, vulnerability reports, and operational assessments in clear, actionable formats for internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Collaborate with researchers across the AI labs.
• Serve as the co-principal investigator (co-PI) on selected research proposals and funded efforts, supporting technical vision, work plan development, budget inputs, and execution oversight.
• Contribute to technical content for grant proposals, sponsor briefings, and future research opportunities.
• Utilize strong communication and presentation skills.
• Recognize, analyze, and solve a variety of problems.
• May require travel to Huntsville and Auburn.
• Ensure issues, risks, and changes are communicated promptly to both sponsors and internal leadership.
• Ensure issues, risks, and changes are communicated promptly to both sponsors and internal leadership.

Level I:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering that is relevant to the area of research

Level II:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering that is relevant to the area of research
• 2 years of Experience in engineering and research practices and principles

Level III:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering that is relevant to the area of research
• 4years of Experience in engineering and research practices and principles

Level IV

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering that is relevant to the area of research
• 6 years of Experience in engineering and research practices and principles

Level V:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering that is relevant to the area of research
• 8 years of Experience in engineering and research practices and principles

Level VI

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering that is relevant to the area of research
• 10 years of Experience in engineering and research practices and principles

Substitutions Allowed for Education: 
Substitution allowed for Education: When a candidate has the required experience, but lacks the required education, they may normally apply additional relevant experience toward the education requirement, at a rate of two (2) years relevant experience per year of required education.

Substitutions Allowed for Experience:
Substitution allowed for Experience: When a candidate has the required education, but lacks the required experience, they may normally apply additional appropriate education toward the experience requirement, at a rate of one (1) year relevant education per year of required experience..

• Effective communicator and presentation experience.
• Customer service experience.
• Ability to work effectively with a team.
• Ability to explain technical problems and solutions to non-technical clientele.
• Proficiency in scripting and programming languages.
• Experience using Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Project management experience.
• Effective communication skills for technical documentation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in defense, intelligence, or critical infrastructure sectors.
• Prior work with RAG systems at scale.
• Experience briefing senior government or industry leaders.
• Familiarity with MITRE ATT&CK, cyber threat intelligence, or DIB programs.

• Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
• Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
• We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
• Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
• A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
• Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!