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Associate Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Design Engineer Associate 1

Tysons, VA · On-site

$75K - $113K/yr

The Engineer provides system programming and management support for large scale networking infrastructures. The responsibilities include the administration and maintenance of high performance ...

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Associate Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$41.1K

$81.9K

$130.9K

How much do associate engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for associate engineer in Virginia is $81,927.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $64,900.00 and $94,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Associate Engineers?

Associate Engineers are entry-level engineering professionals who support more experienced engineers in designing, developing, testing, and maintaining various projects in their field. They typically work under supervision and assist with tasks such as drafting technical documents, conducting research, analyzing data, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Associate Engineers often gain practical experience and training to advance to higher-level engineering roles as they develop their skills.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior engineers in fields such as software, petroleum, and aerospace engineering can earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves working in high-demand industries, holding advanced certifications, or managing large projects and teams.

What can you do with an Associate in engineering?

An associate degree in engineering prepares individuals for technical roles such as engineering technician, CAD drafter, or quality control inspector. These positions often involve supporting engineering projects, using tools like AutoCAD or MATLAB, and may require certification or on-the-job training to develop specialized skills.

What Is an Associate Engineer?

An associate engineer is a lower level engineer in many fields of engineering, including environmental, civil, and mechanical. The title denotes rank and experience level. As an associate engineer, your typical job duties involve analyzing project plans, designing products, maintaining equipment, closely following specifications and procedures, and writing reports. The specific duties vary widely depending upon your field and employer. This career usually requires at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering and obtaining a license in your state. Additional qualifications include relevant work experience, strong technical skills, and a familiarity with your specific industry.

What is the work of an Associate engineer?

An Associate Engineer is an entry-level engineering professional responsible for assisting in the design, development, testing, and implementation of engineering projects. They often work under the supervision of senior engineers, utilize tools like CAD software, and may need relevant certifications or technical skills to perform tasks effectively.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

While most associate engineers do not earn this level of salary, senior engineers in specialized fields such as software, petroleum, or aerospace engineering can reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially with bonuses, stock options, or in high-demand industries. Achieving this income typically requires extensive experience, advanced skills, and often leadership roles or entrepreneurial ventures.

What is the difference between Associate Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectAssociate EngineerMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related field; entry-level certificationsBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering; professional licensure (optional)
Work EnvironmentDesign, testing, and support roles in engineering teams; often in office or lab settingsDesign, analysis, and manufacturing in industrial or construction settings
Employer & Industry UsageEntry-level position across various industries like manufacturing, construction, and techDesign and development roles primarily in manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and energy sectors

The main difference between an Associate Engineer and a Mechanical Engineer lies in experience and responsibilities. Associate Engineers are typically entry-level, focusing on supporting engineering tasks, while Mechanical Engineers have more experience and handle complex design and analysis responsibilities. Both roles require a bachelor's degree, but Mechanical Engineers often pursue licensure for advanced roles. The choice depends on your experience level and career goals within engineering fields.

What are some typical challenges Associate Engineers face when transitioning from academic projects to industry roles?

Associate Engineers often find the transition from academic projects to industry roles challenging due to differences in project scope, teamwork dynamics, and pace. In industry, you’ll likely work on larger, multi-disciplinary teams where effective communication and collaboration are crucial. Additionally, projects often have stricter deadlines and require adherence to established processes and standards, which may be less emphasized in academic settings. Embracing continuous learning and seeking mentorship from senior engineers can help ease this transition and set you up for success.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Associate Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Engineer, you need a solid grasp of engineering principles, problem-solving abilities, and a relevant bachelor's degree. Familiarity with CAD software, industry-specific tools, and basic project management systems is typically required. Strong teamwork, attention to detail, and effective communication set standout candidates apart. These skills and qualities are crucial for delivering accurate technical solutions and contributing effectively to engineering projects.
What are the most commonly searched types of Engineer jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
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What job categories do people searching Associate Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Associate Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Associate Engineer jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Associate Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Associate Engineer jobs in VA? For Associate Engineer jobs in VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Associate Engineer job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 67% Full Time, 30% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,927 per year, or $39.4 per hour.
Associate Machine Learning Engineer - Secure AI Lab

Associate Machine Learning Engineer - Secure AI Lab

Cmu

Arlington, VA

Full-time

Re-posted 19 days ago


Job description

At the SEI AI Division, we conduct research in applied artificial intelligence and the engineering questions related to the practical design and implementation of AI technologies and systems. We currently lead a community-wide movement to mature the discipline of AI Engineering for Defense and National Security.

As our government customers adopt AI and machine learning toprovideleap-ahead mission capabilities, we

  • build real-world, mission-scale AI capabilities through solving practical engineering problems

  • discover and define the processes, practices, and tools to support operationalizing AI for robust, secure, scalable, and human-centered mission capabilities

  • prepare our customers to be ready for the unique challenges of adopting, deploying, using, andmaintainingAI capabilities

  • identifyand investigate emerging AI and AI-adjacent technologies that are rapidly transforming the technology landscape

Are you creative, curious, energetic, collaborative, technology-focused, and hard-working? Are you interested in making a difference by bringing innovation to government organizations and beyond? Apply to join our team.

Overview:As an Associate Machine Learning Engineer,you will specialize in engineering solutions that supportresearchinto the vulnerabilities of AIandML algorithms and securing against those vulnerabilities.

TheSecure AILab within the SEI's AI Division focuses on improving the security and robustness of AI systems. As part of the world-class research community at Carnegie Mellon University, theSecure AILabconducts and appliescutting-edgeresearch toprotectAI systems fromadversaries who aim to manipulatethe systemto learn, do, or revealsomething itisn'tsupposed to.

TheSecure AILab consists of machine learning research scientists, machine learning engineers, and software developers who work together to solve problems in the following areas:

  • Counter AI Research:Study threat modelstargeting AIandML algorithms,understand the behaviors of AI algorithms,identifyweak points, and design novel ways to subvert AIandMLsystems.

  • AIandMLAlgorithm DefenseResearch:Createpractical mitigations and defenses forobservedattacksaffecting AIandML algorithmsand evaluate the effectiveness ofdefensivetechniques.

  • Applied Adversarial Machine Learning:Advance the state of the art in adversarial machine learning by developing and transitioning capabilities to government sponsors.

As an engineer, you will solve problems for government sponsors by analyzing, designing, and building responsible AI systems.

Your day-to-day engineering tasks will include:

  • Identifyingandinvestigatingemerging AI and AI-adjacent technologies.

  • Defining andrefiningprocesses, practices, and tools for working with AI.

  • Designing andbuildingwell-engineered prototypes of AI systems.

  • Transitioning andprovidingguidance onAI capabilities to government sponsors.

Duties

  • Building Machine Learning Models and Systems:You will work with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow,PyTorch, Torch, and Caffe and modern programming languages including Python, C/C++, and Java. You will build and work with datapipelines, ETL processes, and backend systems. You will work with, extend, and implementstate-of-the-artmachine learning methods.

  • Technical Experimentation:You will experiment with modern and emerging machine learning frameworks, methods, and algorithms in application domains that include computer vision, natural language processing,planningand scheduling, robot control, and engineering safe, trusted, and reliable machine learning systems.

  • Testingand evaluation.You'llconduct rapid prototyping todemonstrateand evaluate technologies in relevant environments.You'llevaluate systems for performance and security.You'lltest capabilities using novel testing and analysis techniques.

  • Collaboration.You'llactivelyparticipateon teams of developers, researchers, designers, and technical leads.You'llcollaborate with researchers and our government customers to understand challenges, needs, andpossible solutions.

  • Mentoring.You'llcontribute to improving the overall technical capabilities of the Division by mentoring and teaching others,participatingin design (software and otherwise) sessions, and sharing insights and wisdom across the SEI.

Knowledge andExperience

  • Comprehensiveknowledge ofmachine learning;previousexperiencein adversarial machine learningdesirablebut notrequired

  • A track recordofusingwell-establishedengineering practices to solvedifficult problems

  • An understanding ofhow toconvertresearch resultsintofunctioning prototypesor capabilities

  • Experienceleadingtechnicalprojectsinnovelareaswith limitedpreviouswork to build upon

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills;able to convey complex technical ideasinalayperson's terms

  • Ampleexperience with publishingwritten or technicalartifactsshowcasingyour work

  • Strong collaboration skills for working with colleagues and sponsors

  • Willingnesstoguide andmentorjunior team members

Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree in computer science, statistics, machine learning, electrical engineering, or related discipline with three (3) years of experience; OR MS in the same fields with one (1) year of experience; OR PhD in a relevant discipline.

  • Willingness to work onsite 5 days per week at SEI offices in Pittsburgh, PA or Arlington, VA.

  • You will be subject to a background investigation and must be able to obtain andmaintainan active Department of War security clearance.

  • Willing to travel up to 25% of the time to locations outside of your home location. Travel sites include SEI offices in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., sponsor sites, and conferences.

Location

Arlington, VA, Pittsburgh, PA

Job Function

Software/Applications Development/Engineering

Position Type

Staff - Regular

Full time/Part time

Full time

Pay Basis

SalaryMore Information:
  • Please visit "Why Carnegie Mellon" to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world.

  • Click here to view a listing of employee benefits

  • Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran.

  • Statement of Assurance


CMU logo

About CMU

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Offices of mental health practitioners

Company size

201 - 500 Employees

Headquarters location

Harrisburg, PA, US