Machine Learning Defense Jobs in Salisbury, NC (NOW HIRING)

AURA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (AURA) is an advanced research and development (R&D) company creating game-changing innovations for the US Department of Defense and the private sector in cutting-edge technology.  If you are a smart, capable, and talented individual who possesses high integrity, thrives in a fast-paced environment, wants to chart your own course based on your capabilities, and is willing to be accountable for failures and successes, then continue reading because you may be the ideal candidate to join our exponentially growing R&D business.

Bigger challenges. Bolder ideas. Global impact. At AURA, we’re on a mission to deliver solutions with the capacity to change the world. We’re a North Carolina company behind some of the world’s most unique technology in government, hi-tech, AI, commercial and healthcare services. Our technology is bridging the digital divide to improve lives for our customers around the globe. By providing powerful new ways for people to connect with one another, we support our clients to gain greater access to data, decision making, medical research, commerce, and much more. Our team is empowering customers worldwide.

The Opportunity

AURA Technologies is seeking a Senior Data Scientist (USA-Remote) to design, build, and ship machine learning systems for various AI/ML applications across our portfolio (defense and commercial sector). This is a hands-on role for someone who has experience with the full data science lifecycle, having taken models from raw data to production (and has ideally sustained them after deployment). You will work alongside a team of data scientists and engineers to frame problems, evaluate what is feasible, and deliver systems that are performant under real-world conditions.

We're looking for breadth as well as depth. The problems we work on cross data types, so we want someone who has done meaningful work in more than one data domain. They should be comfortable applying techniques from different toolkits as a given problem demands.

Due to Department of Defense contract requirements, candidates must be U.S. Citizens to be considered for this position.

What you'll do

• Own data science projects from end to end: problem framing, data acquisition, modeling, evaluation, deployment, and monitoring.
• Build and improve production ML pipelines in partnership with engineering, including data collection, feature development, automated testing, and deployment.
• Translate broad research objectives into well-scoped, defined problems and devise experiments to test and develop potential solutions to them.
• Monitor deployed models for drift and degradation and drive the retraining or redesign work that follows.
• Mentor junior data scientists through code review, design discussion, and pairing.
• Communicate methods and results to technical and non-technical audiences, including customers and leadership.

Minimum qualifications

• Due to Department of Defense contract requirements, candidates must be U.S. Citizens to be considered for this position.
• 5+ years of professional experience as a data scientist, machine learning engineer, or equivalent applied research role.
• Substantive experience working with at least two distinct data domains — e.g., computer vision, time-series, geospatial, NLP, tabular/structured, graph, signal processing, or audio. We're looking for real project depth in each, not coursework exposure.
• Experience working on a team that owned a full ML pipeline: data collection and labeling, feature and model development, testing, deployment, and post-deployment monitoring.
• Strong programming skills in Python and its scientific stack (NumPy, pandas, scikit-learn, and at least one deep learning framework such as PyTorch or TensorFlow).
• Familiarity with MLOps tooling: experiment tracking, model registries, feature stores, CI/CD for ML, containerization and orchestration.
• Comfort with software engineering practices: version control, code review, testing, and reproducible environments.

• Graduate degree (MS or PhD) in a quantitative field such as computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics, engineering, or a related discipline - Equivalent professional experience may be substituted for the degree.
  

Nice to have

• Experience maintaining deployed models (continuous/periodic evaluation, retraining, etc.)

• Experience with either of the following domains: CBM+, digital twins
• Cloud platform experience (Azure, AWS, GCP, etc.)
• Publications, open-source contributions, or competition results that show technical depth
• Edge or embedded AI/ML applications
• Experience mentoring or leading a small team

Benefits

• Fortune 500-level Health Care Coverage
• Unlimited Leave Program after 60 days
• 10 Paid Holidays & Paid Winter Break
• 401(k) Safe Harbor Contributions
• Employee Discount Program

To Apply

Submit your resume/CV in PDF format via instructions at the following link: http://aura.company/careers/

Write a carefully crafted, well-written cover letter that elaborates on your interest in this position and why you think you are the best candidate for the job. Submit your cover letter, CV and three professional references (one of which must be from a current or former supervisor) in PDF format ONLY via BambooHR.

Any attachments must be in PDF format or will not be opened due to virus concerns. No phone calls after submission. We will let candidates know via automated reply that we have received their resumes and will contact them if there is a good fit after the closing date for this job.

AURA Technologies, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are a Drug Free Workplace and thus, all job offers are contingent on successful criminal background check and drug screen. As a US Federal Contractor, AURA uses the Department of Homeland Security e-Verify system to determine eligibility to legally work in the United States.