Machine Learning Engineer - Advanced AI and Cognitive Systems

HRL Laboratories • Calabasas, CA

67d • $132,765 - $165,983

About The Position

Join a dynamic research team pushing the boundaries of intelligent systems. This role offers the opportunity to make an immediate impact on high-profile, mission-driven projects involving machine learning, generative AI, cognitive modeling, and human-machine teaming. You will support shaping the future of adaptive software systems through cutting-edge R&D and prototype development.

Requirements

• Research or development experience in Software Engineering: Experience building scalable systems, APIs, and containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Deep understanding of transformer architectures, prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) in LLMs & NLP.
• Familiarity with cognitive architectures, user modeling, and explainable AI (XAI) in Human-Machine Interaction.
• Strong skills in data wrangling, feature engineering, and statistical modeling using Python in Data Analytics.
• Expertise in supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning; hands-on experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX in Machine Learning & AI.
• Strong interdisciplinary communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, exploratory research environments.
• Curiosity-driven mindset with a passion for solving complex problems.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with government-funded R&D programs (e.g., DARPA, IARPA, ARPA-H) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to research, engineering, and software development efforts in the following areas: Design and implement algorithms for sensor data processing, system adaptation, and intelligent decision-making.
• Develop and fine-tune large language models (LLMs) and multimodal AI systems to reason over software, documentation, and human feedback.
• Apply cognitive science principles to enhance explainability, trust, and collaborative performance in human-AI systems.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to test and refine solutions in realistic operational scenarios.
• Stay current with emerging trends in ML, AI, and cognitive systems.
• Solve complex customer challenges and contribute to technical proposals.
• Authorize invention disclosures, research publications, and customer briefings.
• Demonstrate prototypes and support marketing of organizational capabilities.

Benefits

• Base salary range of $132,765 - $165,983 + bonus + benefits.
• EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V.
• Drug-free workplace with pre-employment substance abuse testing.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees