Senior Computational Scientist/Scientific Programmer

Riverside Research Institute•Fair Oaks, VA

19h•$130,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

Riverside Research’s Applied Mathematics and Physics Solutions group is seeking a Senior Computational Scientist/Scientific Programmer to advance high-impact computational electromagnetics (CEM), scientific computing, and physics-based modeling and simulation capabilities in support of government and defense applications. The role combines technical expertise with independent problem-solving, technical leadership, and business acumen. The successful candidate will lead and contribute to advanced computational methods, guide multidisciplinary technical teams, and translate complex customer problems into effective technical solutions. The position offers the opportunity to shape technical direction, lead research and development efforts, engage directly with customers, and help grow a portfolio of technical programs and capabilities. The successful candidate will operate with substantial autonomy, communicate across technical and business audiences, and take ownership of technical outcomes. The candidate may work at Riverside Research facilities in Fairfax, Virginia, or Dayton, Ohio. All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. citizenship.

Requirements

Active Top Secret/SCI security clearance and consent to CI Poly.
Degree in physics, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, or a related STEM discipline, or relevant years of experience substituted in lieu of a degree.
Bachelor's degree with 8 or more years of experience, master's degree with 6 or more years, or PhD with 3 or more years.
Experience developing, applying, or validating physics-based computational models, numerical methods, or scientific simulation software.
Strong foundation in applied mathematics, numerical analysis, computational physics, or a closely related technical discipline.
Proficiency in scientific computing and programming, including a relevant compiled language such as C, C++, or Fortran and/or an equivalent scientific programming environment.
Ability to independently frame complex technical problems, evaluate approaches, exercise sound technical judgment, and deliver results with limited direction.
Technical leadership experience, such as leading a research task, directing technical work, serving as a technical lead or PI, or owning a significant technical deliverable.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
Ability to collaborate across disciplines, build productive working relationships, and mentor or support other technical staff.
Ability to balance technical rigor with customer needs, practical constraints, and program objectives.
Ability to travel less than 10%.
U.S. citizenship is required for Riverside Research opportunities.

Nice To Haves

PhD in physics, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, computational science, or a related discipline with 8 or more years of experience.
Experience with numerical techniques such as method of moments, surface or volumetric integral equations, finite-difference time-domain methods, finite-element methods, asymptotic methods, domain decomposition, hierarchical Adaptive Cross Approximation (hACA), or multi-level fast multipole methods (MLFMM).
Experience with high-performance scientific computing, parallel algorithms, distributed computing, or performance optimization on large computing systems, including MPI and/or OpenMP.
Contributions to business development, including customer engagement, opportunity shaping, proposal development, technical volume leadership, or development of follow-on work.
Publications, technical reports, patents, or other demonstrated contributions to scientific or engineering advancement.
Active Top Secret/SCI security clearance with CI Poly.

Responsibilities

Provide technical direction and subject matter expertise in computational electromagnetics, applied mathematics, computational physics, and scientific modeling and simulation; formulate approaches to complex problems, evaluate alternatives, manage technical risk, and drive solutions from concept through implementation and validation.
Research, develop, implement, evaluate, and improve numerical methods, computational algorithms, and physics-based models for electromagnetic and related scientific problems.
Serve as a Principal Investigator, technical lead, or equivalent technical authority for research, development, and customer-funded efforts; establish technical objectives, develop execution strategies, manage technical risks, and ensure delivery of high-quality results.
Engage with government and defense customers to understand mission needs, communicate technical approaches, build customer confidence, and identify opportunities for follow-on work and new technical capabilities.
Contribute to technical volumes, cost and schedule estimates, statements of work, multi-year technical roadmaps, and government proposals; help shape fundable R&D concepts aligned with customer needs and organizational strategy.
Contribute to scientific software development through algorithm design, requirements definition, interface specifications, verification and validation planning, code reviews, and performance evaluation; collaborate with software engineers to ensure computational methods become reliable, maintainable, and usable software.
Provide technical guidance and coordinate work across scientists, software engineers, electrical and RF engineers, program managers, and other stakeholders; align technical execution with program objectives, schedules, resources, and customer commitments.
Prepare and present technical reports, research findings, briefings, and recommendations for technical specialists, customers, and senior leadership.
Mentor junior and mid-level staff, promote technical rigor and sound engineering practices, and help develop future technical leaders.
Perform other duties as assigned.