Chief Scientist – Artificial Intelligence Research

Chief Scientist – Artificial Intelligence Research

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Description

Are you a senior AI researcher with a burning desire to serve a bigger purpose? Are you motivated by challenges facing our nation’s security and prosperity? Does the challenge of pioneering AI research with mission intent excite you? If so, we’re looking for someone to be the Chief Scientist for the Artificial Intelligence Group at JHU/APL!

Our Team works at the intersection of AI research and national defense, tackling problems that few other institutions are trusted to solve. Current work includes:

• Improving alignment of AI agents used in human-machine teaming and wargaming
• Training multimodal foundation models on language and sensor data
• Intelligent robots that use agentic AI to perform complex tasks in a self-directed way
• Assessing, mitigating, and exploiting vulnerabilities of frontier models
• Mission-driven test and evaluation (T&E) of novel research

As Chief Scientist, you will be recognized as a thought leader while stewarding APL’s AI research strategy. You’ll manage the group’s Independent Research and Development (IRAD) portfolio, ensuring projects led by early- and mid-career staff are of the highest quality and aligned with national priorities. Role also includes representing APL in the AI community via publishing, presenting, and collaborating with peers.

You’ll mentor colleagues, guide proposals to government sponsors, safeguard technical rigor, and translate research into real-world applications at national scale.

Qualifications

• Have a PhD in a field related to AI.
• Have 10+ years of experience in AI research and development.
• Proficient in Python programming with experience using PyTorch and/or Jax, including Hugging Face libraries.
• Strong record of peer-reviewed publications in reputable journals and/or conferences.
• Experience writing and winning proposals for research funding.
• Successfully led a research agenda for a team.
• Obtain an Interim Top Secret level security clearance by start date and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret level clearance. Eligibility requires U.S. citizenship.

You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have

• Skilled at mentoring and developing early-career researchers.
• Effective communication of research findings to non-expert audiences.
• Formal experience in project management or technical supervision.
• Worked in government labs, research agencies, or frontier AI companies.
• Already hold a Top Secret/SCI clearance.

About Us

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. APL offers a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere, generous benefits, and a healthy work/life balance. Learn more apl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or other protected characteristics under applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.

• Executive

• Full-time

• Research, Analyst, and Information Technology