AI/ML Research Associate

Job Description

* Overview

The AiTHENA Program supports NASA researchers by pairing high-impact technical projects with AIML talent to accelerate mission-relevant capability development. We are seeking an AIML Research Associate to contribute to applied machine learning, data workflows, and prototype development across NASA research projects (e.g., digital twin enablement, predictive analytics, automation, and decision support tools).

This role is designed for someone who can operate in a research environment: translate ambiguous technical needs into tractable AIML tasks, build reproducible prototypes, and communicate results clearly to technical stakeholders.

Salary range for this role is $$87,000-$105,000 commensurate with education and experience. Remote position.

What You’ll Do

+ Collaborate with NASA project mentors and technical teams to define AIML problem statements, success metrics, and validation plans. + Develop and evaluate ML models (e.g., regression/classification, time series, anomaly detection, NLP, computer vision—based on project needs). + Build reproducible data pipelines for ingestion, cleaning, feature engineering, labeling, and dataset versioning. + Prototype and deliver proof-of-concept tools (scripts, notebooks, small applications, dashboards, or APIs) that can be transitioned to the mentor team. + Apply sound practices for experimentation: baselines, ablation studies, cross-validation, and uncertainty/error analysis. + Document methods, assumptions, limitations, and recommendations in clear technical writeups. + Contribute to best practices for trustworthy/robust ML (data leakage prevention, bias checks, model monitoring considerations, and traceability). + Participate in AiTHENA technical exchanges, demos, and closeout deliverables.Required Qualifications

+ Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Computer Science, Engineering, Applied Math, Data Science, Physics, or a related field—or equivalent de