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Research And Development Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Nwis

Windows Vulnerability Research

Sterling, VA

$122K - $253K/yr

Nightwing is seeking a highly skilled Windows Vulnerability Research (VR) Engineer to support advanced research, development, and exploitation efforts on Windows platforms. The ideal candidate will ...

Nightwing

Windows Vulnerability Research

Sterling, VA · On-site

$122K - $253K/yr

Nightwing is seeking a highly skilled Windows Vulnerability Research (VR) Engineer to support advanced research, development, and exploitation efforts on Windows platforms. The ideal candidate will ...

Umd

Proposal Development Manager

College Park, MD

$116K - $140K/yr

PhD or graduate work in engineering, applied sciences or relevant proposal development fields. Evidence of success in contributing to writing, editing, and/or managing large collaborative research ...

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All JobsResearch And Development Engineer JobsResearch And Development Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Research And Development Engineer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$22.6K

$109.3K

$171K

How much do research and development engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for research and development engineer in Washington, DC is $109,336.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $87,700.00 and $132,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Research And Development Engineer vs Product Development Engineer?

AspectResearch And Development EngineerProduct Development Engineer
Primary FocusInnovating and exploring new technologies or conceptsDesigning, developing, and improving specific products
Work EnvironmentLabs, research facilities, early-stage projectsManufacturing, testing, and product launch phases
Required CredentialsEngineering degree, research experience, possibly advanced degreesEngineering degree, practical product design experience

Research And Development Engineers focus on creating new technologies and exploring innovative ideas, often working in labs and research settings. Product Development Engineers concentrate on transforming concepts into market-ready products, working closely with manufacturing and testing teams. Both roles require engineering backgrounds, but their core objectives and work environments differ significantly.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a research and development engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Research and Development Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering principles, problem-solving abilities, and often an advanced degree in a relevant field. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and project management systems is typically required, along with knowledge of industry-specific standards. Creativity, effective communication, and collaboration are crucial soft skills for innovation and teamwork. These skills enable R&D Engineers to design cutting-edge solutions, efficiently manage projects, and drive technological advancements in their industry.

Is research and development engineer a good career?

A research and development engineer is a valuable role focused on innovating and improving products or processes, often requiring strong technical skills and knowledge of engineering principles. It can offer good job stability, opportunities for advancement, and involvement in cutting-edge projects, making it a promising career choice for those interested in innovation and problem-solving.

What is a research and development engineer?

A research and development engineer is responsible for conducting experiments and analyzing processes to determine better approaches to solving problems or product building. You can have this career in industries such as petroleum, aerospace, and mechanics. Your job duties include analyzing processes to find areas of improvement, conducting experiments to determine better approaches, and documenting findings so they can be shared with others. You may be required to use sophisticated tools such as computer-aided design software to create simulations and advanced microscopes for observing chemical reactions.

How does a research and development engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during the product development cycle?

Research and Development Engineers often work closely with teams such as product management, quality assurance, and manufacturing throughout the product development process. They contribute technical expertise during brainstorming sessions, share progress updates in regular meetings, and incorporate feedback from other departments to refine prototypes. Effective communication and teamwork are key, as R&D Engineers must ensure that their designs align with project requirements, regulatory standards, and production capabilities. This collaborative environment helps facilitate innovation while maintaining project timelines and product quality.

What does a research and development engineer do?

A research and development engineer designs, develops, and tests new products, processes, or technologies to improve existing offerings or create innovative solutions. They often work with scientific principles, use tools like CAD software, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to bring concepts from idea to prototype or production. Strong problem-solving skills and knowledge of engineering fundamentals are essential in this role.
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What job categories do people searching Research And Development Engineer jobs in Washington, DC look for? The top searched job categories for Research And Development Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
Research And Development Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Research And Development Engineer job openings in Washington, DC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 77% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $109,336 per year, or $52.6 per hour.

Software Development Engineer in Test

Research Innovations

Alexandria, VA

$53.50 - $69/hr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 22 days ago

Job description

Position Title: Software Development Engineer in Test 

Location: Alexandria, VA

Clearance Requirement:Candidate must have the ability to obtain a clearance

Travel: Less than 25%

Employment type: Full Time

Research Innovations, Inc. (RII) is breaking through the big, slow status quo with transformative technology that fundamentally improves the world. We build advanced software solutions for government and military missions, applying agile development and user-centered design to solve complex, mission-critical problems.

Dragonfly is RII's next-generation electromagnetic spectrum operations platform, combining advanced sensor integration, GPU-accelerated signal processing, artificial intelligence, and autonomous spectrum operations to deliver real-time spectrum awareness, passive target detection, electronic warfare support, and mission-focused analytics across man-portable, vehicle-mounted, maritime, and airborne environments.

We are seeking a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to ensure the quality, reliability, and operational readiness of Dragonfly's software across its full mission capability set. In this role, you will design and execute test strategies spanning controlled lab environments and live outdoor RF collection scenarios, validating everything from core signal processing pipelines and direction finding accuracy to partner system integrations and the browser-based tactical UI. You will work closely with software engineers, systems integrators, and program teams to define acceptance criteria, build automated test frameworks, and drive defects to resolution. The ideal candidate brings a strong software testing foundation combined with a genuine interest in RF systems, electronic warfare, or defense technologies, and thrives in a hands-on environment where the lab is just as likely to be a parking lot with an antenna as it is a bench in an office.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

Automated Test Development & Validation

  • Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks supporting Dragonfly's microservices-based software architecture, browser-based tactical user interface, RF signal processing pipelines, and REST/GraphQL APIs.

  • Develop and maintain comprehensive test plans, test procedures, test cases, and requirements traceability matrices aligned with system-level requirements, customer objectives, and mission use cases.

  • Collaborate with software, hardware, and systems engineering teams to define acceptance criteria, identify defects early in the development lifecycle, and support quality assurance activities within CI/CD pipelines.

  • Maintain automated regression test suites to ensure software stability, performance, and repeatability across product releases.

System Integration & Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing

  • Perform hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing across the complete Dragonfly platform, including processing units, direction-finding antennas, software-defined radios, and associated peripherals.

  • Validate subsystem and end-to-end system integrations, ensuring interoperability between Dragonfly, external partner systems, and command-and-control (C2) platforms.

  • Verify system functionality, data flow integrity, and operational performance across integrated hardware and software environments.

  • Support verification activities for new hardware configurations, software releases, and system enhancements prior to operational deployment.

RF Performance & Mission Capability Verification

  • Execute structured laboratory testing of RF detection, direction finding, geolocation, EMCON monitoring, and spectrum awareness capabilities against documented requirements and performance specifications.

  • Validate GPU-accelerated digital signal processing functions, including multi-channel direction finding, signal correlation, emitter characterization, and machine learning-based antenna calibration algorithms.

  • Verify wide-band survey operations, signal classification, direction finding accuracy, and real-time signal processing performance across representative operational scenarios.

  • Conduct RF performance assessments to ensure mission systems meet accuracy, responsiveness, and operational effectiveness requirements.

Field Testing & Operational Evaluation

  • Plan and execute outdoor field testing activities involving live RF signal collection and operational system employment.

  • Evaluate system performance under realistic environmental conditions, validating signal detection, geolocation accuracy, direction finding performance, and spectrum monitoring capabilities.

  • Document environmental variables, test configurations, and operational conditions to ensure repeatable and defensible test results.

  • Support customer demonstrations, operational assessments, and field validation events as required.

Test Documentation & Continuous Improvement

  • Document test results, anomalies, defect reports, regression outcomes, and corrective actions with clear reproduction steps and supporting technical evidence.

  • Maintain detailed testing records, quality documentation, and verification artifacts supporting system acceptance and product readiness reviews.

  • Analyze test results and performance trends to identify reliability issues, software defects, integration risks, and opportunities for system improvement.

  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by refining test methodologies, expanding automation coverage, and improving overall product quality and mission readiness.

WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

  • 3+ years of SDET or software QA engineering experience, ideally within defense, RF, or embedded systems domains

  • Developed and maintained automated test suites using Python, Rust, or similar languages against REST or GraphQL APIs

  • Written and executed test plans covering both functional and integration testing for complex, multi-component systems

  • Performed field or outdoor hardware/software validation testing, with comfort operating in varied environments including vehicle-mounted or field-deployed configurations

  • Worked with Linux-based systems (RHEL/Rocky or equivalent) and have familiarity with Docker containerized environments

  • Tested or operated software-defined radio (SDR) systems or spectrum analysis tools

  • Used defect tracking and test management tools (Jira, Gitlab) to manage test coverage and report quality metrics

  • Collaborated within Agile/Scrum development teams alongside engineers, product owners, and program managers

EVEN BETTER
  • Hands-on experience with RF signal collection, spectrum analysis, or electronic warfare / SIGINT systems
  • Familiarity with direction finding concepts, geolocation techniques (LOB, TDOA), or signal characterization workflows
  • Experience testing AI/ML inference pipelines or GPU-accelerated compute (NVIDIA CUDA)
  • Background testing military or government systems against MIL-STD compliance requirements (MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, etc.)
  • Exposure to JICD 4.2, ISA, or similar defense data standards and interoperability testing
  • Experience with performance and stress testing of real-time data processing systems
  • Active DoD security clearance (Secret or above)
  • Prior work with unmanned systems (UAS), vehicle-mounted sensor platforms, or field-deployed tactical equipment
#LI-TC1

At RII, we believe that diversity in our workforce is critical to our success. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes us stronger. We work to help your intellectual passions and creativity thrive. It's one of our core values: Let your geek flag fly.
 
We also offer all employees comprehensive benefits including: flexible work schedules, health insurance coverage, paid time off, 401k with a company match, paid parental leave, access to wellness programs and much more. You get this all from day one, and all paid for by RII.
 
It's all part of another of our core values: Stay human. It's why our comfortable and colorful offices such as our headquarters, include a community game room, pantry, massage chair, and an escape room, among other amenities. It's why we have community ambassadors and regular community events.
 
Research Innovations Incorporated is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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