If you want to accelerate your career growth and are passionate about applying your expertise to solve problems of national importance, then we have the job you are looking for! You will be able to achieve your personal and professional goals in a stable environment that emphasizes and rewards the entrepreneurial spirit. Not only will you solve challenging core problems, you'll grow your career in an exciting environment that promotes teamwork and cross-training in a wide range of related disciplines.
The successful candidate for this position will have a strong passion for Mission Engineering, campaign analysis, the national security domain, strong software engineering skills, and the ability to generate solutions for customers' problems. Ideal candidates understand the current strengths and weaknesses in existing mission and campaign software tools and are passionate about improving the systems engineering process to solve real warfighter problems. You will be a key member of a team that is developing Digital Engineering simulation tools and technologies for the Department of Defense.
The opportunity for career advancement and continued learning at ARA does not stop there. We strive to identify cross-train opportunities and encourage staff to become involved in upcoming R&D efforts as well as interject new ideas into our longstanding operational programs. At ARA, we foster an environment where technical staff are empowered to research and develop their own ideas - with resources and support from a strong internal technical team and external partners. You can expect day to day to have flexibility in choosing the level of autonomy suited to you, while at the same time enjoying a challenging technical career with great opportunity for personal growth.
Principal Scientist Position Requirements:

• US Citizenship (applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information)
• BS with 12-15 years of of relevant work experience OR MS with 9-11 years of of relevant work experience OR PhD with 7-9 years of relevant work experience in engineering, computer science, physics, operations research, applied mathematics, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated experience with at least one modern software development ecosystem (e.g., Python, C , or Java), and comfortable implementing quick-turnaround, proof of concept solutions in that ecosystem
• Experience developing plugins and/or functionality for mission and campaign analysis software
• Team player with excellent communication skills

Principal Scientist Preferences:
Above all, we value passion, a continuous desire to learn, and teamwork. We are confident that if you possess the right attitude, work ethic, and skill set, you will succeed in the role. In addition to the experience and skills above, if you have any of the following, you will be able to accelerate your effectiveness and impact.

• Strong coding skills in a high-level language (Python, C , Java)
• Experience with backend web frameworks and RESTful API development
• Broad understanding of warfare models (engagement, mission analysis, and campaign analysis software)
• Familiarity with cloud technologies and platforms (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, AWS)
• Existing DoD security clearance

Who is ARA?
Do you want to work for a purpose? Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 2,042 employee owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.
ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, "Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit" sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice with what happens in the company. We are also very proud of our Women's Initiative Network (WIN), whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.
To find out more about what the Software Enterprise Division has to offer, visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/benefits/
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)