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Applied Research Associates Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is actively seeking a highly qualified engineer/scientist for the development of data analytic tools and techniques for the Intelligence and Defense ...

The Research Associate will assist with applied transportation safety research, technical assistance, and implementation support activities. In supporting the development and implementation of ...

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is seeking professionals with a background in Information Technology support for an exciting opportunity as a Senior Cloud Systems Administrator/Helpdesk ...

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Applied Research Associates information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$15

$31

$45

How much do applied research associates jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average hourly pay for applied research associates in Raleigh, NC is $31.63, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $25.48 and $35.96 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Applied Research Associates vs Research Scientist?

AspectApplied Research AssociatesResearch Scientist
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in engineering, science, or related fields; often requires security clearancesTypically holds a Master's or Ph.D. in a specialized scientific field
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, government agencies, defense contractors, fieldworkAcademic institutions, research labs, government agencies
Employer & IndustryPrimarily defense, aerospace, government, and industrial sectorsUniversities, research institutions, government agencies
Common Search & ComparisonApplied Research Associates vs Research Scientist

Applied Research Associates and Research Scientists both conduct research but differ mainly in their focus and work environment. Applied Research Associates often work on applied projects in defense and industry, requiring practical solutions, while Research Scientists typically focus on fundamental research in academic or government labs. Credentials and work settings also vary, with applied roles emphasizing engineering and security clearances, and research roles emphasizing advanced degrees in scientific fields.

What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for Applied Research Associates jobs?

Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most Applied Research Associates job openings:

Infographic showing various Applied Research Associates job openings in Raleigh, NC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 72% Full Time, 25% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $65,792 per year, or $31.6 per hour.

Mid Research Scientist - Artificial Intelligence Engineer

Raleigh, NC โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 3 days ago


Job description

The Analytical and Spatial Intelligence Research Team (ASIRT) atย Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA)ย is seeking scientists/researchers interested in developingย artificial intelligenceย (AI), machine learning,ย and computer vision software to solve challenging problems for the US defense and intelligence communities.ย We perform fundamental and applied research in many open areas, including GenAI,ย Agentic AI Systems,ย Large Language Models (LLMs), Vision Language Models (VLMs),ย backbone fine tuning,ย AI explainability,ย adversarial attacks and World Models. We are aย close-knitย team of creative thinkers from diverse backgrounds who collaborate to find non-standardย solutions to challenging problems.ย We encourage candidates with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit who seek a research career within a stable industry to apply.ย ย 

Mid Research Scientist โ€“ Artificial Intelligence Engineer Position Highlights:ย 

  • Research, develop,ย testย and deploy artificial intelligence, machineย learningย and computer vision software.ย ย 
  • Process and integrate data fromย different sources, includingย satellites,ย unmanned aerial vehicles, ground vehicles, human-wearables, and smart devicesย ย 
  • Enjoy a challenging technical career with opportunities for personal growthย ย 
  • Team player able to communicate technical results effectively to othersย ย 
  • Positionย is located inย the Raleigh, NC metropolitan areaย ย 

Mid Research Scientist โ€“ Artificial Intelligence Engineer Position Required Experience & Skills:ย ย 

  • US citizenshipย required(green card holders are not eligible for this position)ย ย 
  • Eligibility to apply for and hold a U.S. security clearance (selected applicants will undergo a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements at the time of employment)ย ย 
  • BS Degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or similar technical field along with 5-7 years of experience OR MS degree with 3-5 years of experienceย 
  • Strong foundationย and experience using AI/MLย frameworksย (TensorFlow,ย PyTorch)ย and software librariesย (jax,ย scikit-learn, hugging-face,ย ollama,ย langchain,ย langgraph, or similar)ย ย 
  • Experienceย in software developmentย in Pythonย andย C/C++ย ย 
  • Solid mathematical background in linear algebra and probability theoryย ย 
  • Experience working withย AWSย cloud computingย ย 
  • Experience with collaborative software development and version controlย (Git)ย ย 
  • Proficiencyย in one of the following areas: mathematics, physics, robotics, sensor fusion,ย machine learning, computerย visionย or signal processingย 

Staffย Research Scientist โ€“ย Artificial Intelligence Engineer Positionย Desirableย Experience & Skills:ย ย 

  • Experience working with AWS, S3, Docker and Kubernetesย ย ย 
  • Experienceย developing software for execution on edge devices (GPUs, mobile phones, deployed CPU)ย ย 
  • Experience working with and flying Class I unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)ย ย 
  • Experience writing technical proposalsย ย 
  • Experience working on intelligence and DoD programsย ย 

Who is ARA?ย 

Do you want to work for a purpose? Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 2,226 employee-owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.ย 

ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, โ€œEngineering and Science for Fun and Profitโ€ sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice in what happens in the company.ย 

To find out more about what the Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division has to offer, visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/benefits/ย