Job Description Summary

Organization's Summary Statement:
The Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) at the University of Maryland, College Park, is seeking qualified candidates with expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data science to join our multidisciplinary team of research professionals. This is an evergreen requisition we invite applicants at all experience levels whose research interests, skills, and backgrounds align with ARLIS’s mission to support national security through trusted AI and human-machine teaming.
Successful candidates will contribute to a portfolio of government-sponsored projects addressing emerging challenges in areas such as autonomy, decision support, cyber operations, AI ethics and governance, computer vision, and natural language processing. Positions may include a focus on research development, prototyping, experimentation, systems integration, or field deployment. Final appointment title and responsibilities will be based on qualifications and matched to programmatic needs.

Roles and Responsibilities will vary by project and candidate expertise and may include:

• Conducting applied research in AI/ML, data analytics, and computational modeling
• Designing, developing, and evaluating algorithms, models, and prototypes
• Applying ML to structured and unstructured data sources, including multimodal or real-time streams
• Supporting research on AI assurance, interpretability, adversarial robustness, or policy implications
• Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams including behavioral scientists, domain experts, and systems engineers
• Preparing technical deliverables and briefings for government stakeholders
• Contributing to the preparation of research proposals and technical work plans

Must be able to obtain a U.S. security clearance. If selected, you must meet the requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to a government security clearance investigation that includes criminal and credit history checks, as well as verification of U.S. citizenship, birth, education, employment, and military history.

Research Specialist Qualifications:

Entry Level:
Bachelor’s degree. Preference is given to degrees in Psychology, Linguistics, Foreign Language, Business, Social Sciences, Data Science, Computer Science, or related field
~2 years of demonstrated experience in organizing and managing projects through volunteer, extracurricular, or work activities
Demonstrated potential for excellence in the execution, administration, and/or management of research or academic programs
Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary opportunity team in a matrixed organization with a collaborative and team-centric culture
Strong oral and written communication skills
Excellent analytical and deep dive skills

Mid-Level:
Master’s Degree. Preference is given to degrees in Psychology, Linguistics, Foreign Language, Business, Data Science, or Computer Science and 3+ years of experience in a technical role or project management position for defense or intelligence R&D programs with experience in technology assessment, systems design, system analysis, executing on multiple technical programs with scheduled deliverables, and communicating and interfacing with government customers; or Bachelor’s Degree and 5+ years of relevant experience in a role of equivalent responsibility
Superior ability to administer research or academic programs
Knowledge of DoD appropriations and requirements processes
Ability to engage key client stakeholders to effectively support tasks
Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary opportunity capture team in a matrixed organization with a collaborative and team-centric culture
Excellent analytical and deep dive skills

Senior Faculty Specialist Track:
Master’s Degree. Preference is given to degrees in Psychology, Linguistics, Foreign Language, Business, Data Science, or Computer Science and 3+ years of experience in a technical role or project management position for defense or intelligence R&D programs with experience in technology assessment, systems design, system analysis, executing on multiple technical programs with scheduled deliverables, and communicating and interfacing with government customers; or Bachelor’s Degree and 5+ years of relevant experience as a Faculty Specialist, or roles of equivalent responsibility
Superior ability to administer research or academic programs
Knowledge of DoD appropriations and requirements processes
Ability to engage key client stakeholders to effectively support tasks
Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary opportunity capture team in a matrixed organization with a collaborative and team-centric culture
Excellent analytical and deep dive skills