Description

Are you an early-career researcher hoping to invent the future of artificial intelligence (AI)?

Do you have a burning desire for your research to serve a bigger purpose?

Are you concerned about pressing challenges facing our nation’s security and prosperity?

If these questions describe you, you may be the kind of person the Artificial Intelligence Group at JHU/APL is looking for. We are a team within the Research and Exploratory Development Department (REDD) that strives to close the gap between frontier models and our sponsors’ expectations for an AI-dominated future. Our research programs are targeting foundational advances with cross-mission impact, such as:

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

We are seeking new PhD graduates that, in the short-term, can make important contributions to our current research, and in the long-term can grow into a thought leadership role for the Laboratory. We have many opportunities for you to propose your own ideas for internal seedling funding, and our Program Managers can help you grow these into externally-funded projects. Along the way, we will encourage and support publication of your work and engagement with the broader research ecosystem.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you:

Have a PhD or equivalent degree with dissertation work in fundamental AI research.
Have a strong record of peer-reviewed publications in reputable journals and/or conferences.
Are proficient in Python programming with experience using PyTorch and/or Jax, including Hugging Face libraries (transformers, diffusers, datasets, tokenizers, etc.).
Are able to acquire an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately acquire a final Top Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have research experience in any of these areas:

Measuring and increasing alignment between humans and AI agents
Novel techniques for training and/or fine-tuning foundation models
Models or agents for robotic control and problem-solving
Adversarial and/or natural robustness of computer vision and autonomy
Neural rendering techniques for 3D scene reconstruction

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at http://www.jhuapl.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, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accommodations@jhuapl.edu.

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$102,500 Annually

Maximum Rate

$227,500 Annually

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2026 PhD Graduate – Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) Research Scientist