Applied AI and Machine Learning Engineer

Applied AI and Machine Learning Engineer – Mid-Level
Huntsville, AL

Who We Are

Aurex is a mission-focused aerospace and defense company building the next frontier of deterrence. From hypersonics and missile defense to hardened networks and orbital systems, we design, test, and deliver the platforms that turn unproven ideas into battlefield-ready capability.

Born in Huntsville and built for speed, Aurex brings together aerospace veterans, combat-tested operators, and forward-leaning technologists to solve problems that matter—fast. We move from whiteboard to warfighter with precision, clarity, and zero tolerance for fluff.

Job Overview

Aurex is seeking a mid-level Applied AI and Machine Learning Engineer to develop and evaluate AI/ML capabilities for engineering and defense applications. This role combines software and model development with applied research, experimentation, and performance analysis. We are looking for a strong technical foundation and the ability to investigate unfamiliar problems, assess research, and turn promising methods into working software.

The engineer will work with senior AI and reinforcement learning engineers, mission engineers, aerospace modelers, and software developers. Projects may include multi-agent and cooperative systems, simulation-based AI development, and system performance assessment. Multi-agent systems and deep learning experience are particularly valuable. Reinforcement learning experience is welcome but not required.

There may also be opportunities to work with sensor data and support deployment or testing on edge computers or physical platforms, depending on project needs and the engineer’s experience.

The Opportunity

• Develop, train, test, and evaluate AI/ML models and supporting software.
• Research technical approaches, implement promising methods, and compare results against appropriate baselines.
• Design reproducible experiments, select useful performance measures, analyze results, and investigate failure cases and limitations.
• Work with mission engineers and analysts to translate mission objectives, scenarios, and concepts of operations (CONOPS) into defined AI/ML development and evaluation tasks.
• Develop or adapt simulation environments, data-processing tools, and evaluation workflows with the modeling and software teams.
• Contribute to multi-agent and cooperative autonomy projects, including coordination and decision making under incomplete information.
• Integrate AI/ML components into the team’s software frameworks and contribute to code reviews, testing, and documentation.
• Plan and complete assigned technical tasks, communicate dependencies and progress, and present findings to teammates, project leads, and customers.

Basic Qualifications

• Active DoD Secret Clearance
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, or a related technical field with at least three years of relevant AI/ML work experience; or a master’s or PhD in a related field with applied AI/ML research or project experience.
• Hands-on experience developing and evaluating machine learning models, demonstrated through professional work or substantial graduate research and projects.
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience with at least one machine learning framework or library.
• Solid foundation in machine learning concepts, mathematics, and statistics, including model validation and performance assessment.
• Strong analytical and research skills, including the ability to evaluate technical literature, compare approaches, and learn unfamiliar methods.
• Ability to diagnose problems involving data, model behavior, software, and interfaces, and explain findings and limitations clearly.
• Experience with version control and collaborative software development, including documentation and review of technical work.
• Ability to carry defined assignments through to completion with reasonable independence and guidance from technical leads.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s with five or more years of relevant work experience, a master’s with two years, or a PhD in a relevant discipline.
• Experience with multi-agent systems, agent coordination, cooperative autonomy, or distributed decision making.
• Experience with deep learning, including developing, training, or evaluating neural network models.
• Master’s or PhD in AI, machine learning, computer science, data science, or a related technical field.
• Missile defense, space systems, or other defense experience, particularly in modeling, analysis, or system and mission performance assessment.
• Experience building simulation environments or experiment tools for AI training and evaluation.
• Familiarity with reinforcement learning or collaboration with reinforcement learning development teams.
• Experience with edge computing, embedded deployment, sensor data, robotics, or testing software on physical systems.

How You Will Be Rewarded

The salary range for this role is $120,000–$170,000 annually. We offer a comprehensive total rewards approach to compensation, providing incentives and benefits that extend far beyond the base salary. Compensation is determined by the candidate’s work experience, education, training, and relevant skills. We offer a competitive benefits package designed to support our employees’ health, well-being, and professional growth.

The posted salary range represents Aurex’s good-faith estimate of the anticipated hiring range for this position. The specific salary offered within this range will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience, education, training, and job-related qualifications.

Location: Huntsville, AL

Aurex is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It prohibits discrimination, retaliation, or any type of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, citizenship, immigration status, or any other legally protected status in employment, including in hiring, firing, and recruiting decisions. All applicants must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States for positions at Aurex. There may be limited circumstances in which a law, regulation, executive order, or government contract would require certain citizenship; only in those limited circumstances would Aurex require certain citizenship status to comply with the relevant law, regulation, executive order, or government contract applicable to that position. For all other positions, Aurex does not consider an applicant’s citizenship but only requires that the applicant be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. If a position is one that falls under export control laws and regulations requiring authorization from the U.S. government to access export-controlled items, any hiring is contingent on the applicant passing the export compliance assessment, which is separate from the I-9 process, for that specific position. A background check will be required prior to any hire.

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