Staff Engineer 2

Looking for a career in an industry focused on designing, developing, and rapidly deploying solutions to problems of national importance? Applied Research Associates (ARA) is seeking excellent scientists and engineers and has opportunities available immediately.

Our work spans basic scientific studies through concept development and productization allowing us to transition our knowledge and prototypes to fulfill critical needs for end users.

This position will initially support ongoing research and engineering projects based on needs. As a part of a collaborative research team, a successful candidate will pursue their passions with the freedom to expand their work to their areas of interest and expertise. As a team, growth in these new and existing areas will further expand our capabilities while serving our customers and end users.

We are seeking a dynamic, highly skilled Engineer/Researcher with a background in uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) to support research, design, and development of solutions for DoD funded programs. Ideal candidates bring a deep understanding of underwater engineering, combined with expertise in underwater sensing and a passion for solving tough technical challenges for novel applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate mechanical, electrical, hardware, software, sensors, and controls for underwater vehicles and instruments
• Designate and calibrate underwater sensors, including acoustic arrays, hydrophones, sonar, and/or inertial sensors
• Develop vehicle autonomy systems, including those leveraging inertial navigation or active heave compensation
• Create custom mechanical components and modify existing components using CAD, FEA, and/or rapid prototyping
• Collaborate across disciplines (software, hardware, science, logistics) to deliver mission-ready technology
• Support the transition from R&D prototypes to field-hardened solutions
• Produce clear, actionable documentation and analysis to support design reviews, integration, and validation

Required Experience and Expertise

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering or relevant field and 5+ years of experience in uncrewed underwater vehicles, ocean engineering, marine robotics, or similar field
• Background in mission-critical for defense, renewable energy, or subsea exploration
• Proficiency with tools such as MATLAB, Python, SolidWorks, and/or Altium
• Hands-on experience integrating navigation, acoustic, and/or real-time sensor data pipelines into complex mechanical platforms
• Driving concepts through iterative prototyping to reliable field deployment
• Preparing research reports, technical proposals, formal presentations, and reading/interpreting data

Preferred Experience

• Experience in federally funded research
• Active DoD Secret security clearance
• Custom vehicle design (UUVs, AUVs, ASVs, ROVs)
• Surface and underwater acoustic sensor use/calibration: sonar, hydrophones, and/or custom transducer arrays
• Familiarity with underwater communications, data logging, or acoustic localization
• Ability to lead small technical teams and mentor junior engineers
• Ability to identify and procure funding for continued research and development