Principal Research Scientist/Engineer Huntsville I/II/III/IV/V/VI/VII
Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University, AL · Posted October 1, 2026
Just laid off? Start here: a plan for the first weeks
More in Alabama job market · Education & EdTech · Engineering jobs
More roles at Auburn University at Montgomery
- TES Research Associate
- Web Developer (Graphic Designer) · Montgomery, AL
- Principal Research Scientist/Engineer- Huntsville (Pool) · Huntsville, AL
- Radiation Effects Systems Engineer-Huntsville (Pool) · Huntsville, AL
- Associate Director - Agricultural Research/Extension Center · Crossville, AL
- Working Warhawk - Research Assistant · Montgomery, AL
Similar jobs
- Senior AI Test Automation Engineer · Genuine Parts Company · BIRMINGHAM, AL
- Senior AI/ML Engineer · Caci NSS · Aurora, CO
- Forward Deployed Data & AI Engineer – Generative AI & Azure · Publicis Groupe · Houston, TX
- AI Engineering Lead · Caci NSS · Washington, DC
- Senior Analyst, Digital Product Management – AI · Publicis Groupe · New York, NY
- Senior Software & AI Engineer · Applied Materials · IL
Engineering jobs in the rankings
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among computer and information research scientists, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks. Measured exposure for computer and information research scientists: 34% (high).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
Say which you have and which you want to build. We use it to match you to jobs like this one.
About the job
Overview
This position will be located in Huntsville, AL
The Charles D. McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University seeks an experienced Principal Research Scientist/Engineer. This position will provide strategic and technical leadership for the design, development, deployment, and sustainment of advanced artificial intelligence, machine learning, software engineering, and solution architecture capabilities across the organization's research and technology portfolio. This position is responsible for overseeing AI/ML engineering, software delivery, enterprise solution architecture, DevSecOps practices, and secure technology deployment while ensuring scalable, reusable, and mission-focused solutions.
The role leads the development of innovative AI-enabled capabilities supporting government, defense, and applied research initiatives, including AI-powered malware analysis, open-source intelligence (OSINT) platforms, maritime and rural health technology solutions, and other emerging technology applications. The position serves as a key technical leader in building internal engineering capacity, advancing software and AI modernization efforts, and transitioning critical architecture and development knowledge from external professional service providers to sustainable employee-owned capabilities. Through strategic planning, technical oversight, and team development, this role ensures the delivery of secure, high-quality solutions that support current and future mission requirements while strengthening the organization's long-term technical maturity and operational effectiveness.
Responsibilities
Set and maintain the technical roadmap for AI, data, and software capabilities across Edge Lab programs.
Lead multidisciplinary research and development projects from problem framing and experimental design through prototype, validation, deployment, and transition.
Design and review software architectures, APIs, data pipelines, model-serving patterns, user-facing applications, and integration approaches.
Establish engineering practices for source control, automated testing, CI/CD, secure software development, documentation, code review, and release management.
Develop responsible AI and MLOps practices covering data governance, evaluation, model risk, monitoring, reproducibility, privacy, and lifecycle management.
Provide hands-on technical contributions in appropriate programming languages, cloud/on-premises platforms, AI frameworks, and data technologies.
Guide selection and integration of foundation models, machine-learning methods, retrieval systems, agents, and other AI techniques based on mission need and evidence.
Partner with the Technology Architect’s and Senior Cybersecurity Analyst's to ensure solutions are resilient, secure, observable, and deployable in customer environments.
Mentor engineers, researchers, students, and technical staff; assign work, review technical quality, and expand bench strength.
Develop technical concepts, proposals, budgets, schedules, demonstrations, reports, publications, and executive/customer briefings.
Lead knowledge transfer from software and AI consultants and assume ownership of reusable code, platforms, and technical decisions.
Qualifications
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Focus of Education : PhD from an accredited institution Engineering, Science, Management Information Science (MIS), or related technical field.
Scope of Expereince: Experience for Levels II-VII should be in engineering and research practices and principles or science-based programs.
Level I: No experience required
Level II: 2 years of professional experience
Level III: 4 years of professional experience
Level IV: 6 years of professional experience
Level V: 8 years of professional experience
Level VI: 10 years of professional experience
Level VII:12 years of professional experience
Substitutions for Experience: Candidates with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree may substitute relevant experience toward the PhD requirement at the rate of two (2) years relevant experience per year of required education.
Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of research principles, laboratory techniques, and safety procedures.
Fully competent in all conventional aspects of subject matter or functional areas of assignments.
Contract Type
Limited Term Why Work at Auburn
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!
Equal Opportunity Compliance Statement
It is our policy to provide equal employment and education opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance's website to learn more. Posted Date
10/1/2026
Set and maintain the technical roadmap for AI, data, and software capabilities across Edge Lab programs.
Lead multidisciplinary research and development projects from problem framing and experimental design through prototype, validation, deployment, and transition.
Design and review software architectures, APIs, data pipelines, model-serving patterns, user-facing applications, and integration approaches.
Establish engineering practices for source control, automated testing, CI/CD, secure software development, documentation, code review, and release management.
Develop responsible AI and MLOps practices covering data governance, evaluation, model risk, monitoring, reproducibility, privacy, and lifecycle management.
Provide hands-on technical contributions in appropriate programming languages, cloud/on-premises platforms, AI frameworks, and data technologies.
Guide selection and integration of foundation models, machine-learning methods, retrieval systems, agents, and other AI techniques based on mission need and evidence.
Partner with the Technology Architect’s and Senior Cybersecurity Analyst's to ensure solutions are resilient, secure, observable, and deployable in customer environments.
Mentor engineers, researchers, students, and technical staff; assign work, review technical quality, and expand bench strength.
Develop technical concepts, proposals, budgets, schedules, demonstrations, reports, publications, and executive/customer briefings.
Lead knowledge transfer from software and AI consultants and assume ownership of reusable code, platforms, and technical decisions.
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Focus of Education : PhD from an accredited institution Engineering, Science, Management Information Science (MIS), or related technical field.
Scope of Expereince: Experience for Levels II-VII should be in engineering and research practices and principles or science-based programs.
Level I: No experience required
Level II: 2 years of professional experience
Level III: 4 years of professional experience
Level IV: 6 years of professional experience
Level V: 8 years of professional experience
Level VI: 10 years of professional experience
Level VII:12 years of professional experience
Substitutions for Experience: Candidates with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree may substitute relevant experience toward the PhD requirement at the rate of two (2) years relevant experience per year of required education.