Intern - Research Computer Scientist

Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc., (AMA) is looking to hire a Computer Scientist Intern to support the Formal Methods group at AMA’s Hampton, VA branch.
AMA is currently accepting applications for a motivated intern to support the AMA Formal Methods team at NASA Langley Research Center. The selected applicant will contribute to the development of features for the NASA-developed static analyzer PRECiSA (https://github.com/nasa/precisa). These new features will target the estimation of the round-off error that may occur in quantized neural networks (NN) due to the use of reduced finite precision arithmetic.
Quantization converts a neural network into a low-bit fixed-point computation that can be carried out efficiently in integer-only hardware, typical of embedded systems such as the ones present in self-driving cars, autonomous robots, and aerial vehicles. The quantization process may introduce numerical errors that affect the robustness and fairness of the original network. In a safety-critical context, it is essential to ensure numerical errors do not affect the safety of the system. Thus, an estimation of the error introduced during the quantization process helps to assess the quality of the final network.
The qualified candidate will be an undergraduate or graduate student. Specific tasks will include extending the capabilities of the static analyzer PRECiSA with support for handling the analysis of quantized neural networks.
The pay rate for this position will be $21.00-$29.00 per hour and is commensurate with experience and education.
Responsibilities :
The successful applicant will assist AMA’s Formal Methods team at NASA Langley Research Center with the development of new software modules for the PRECiSA static analyzer, which will include the following tasks:
Identify and document the design changes needed to analyze the round-off error of a quantized NN in PRECiSA. Implementing the new software modules necessary in PRECiSA.
Presenting and communicating technical data to an internal team.
Specific responsibilities will be dependent on the strengths and interests of each intern ranging from:
Software engineering tasks such as source code implementation, documentation, and testing.
Investigating the literature on formal verification of quantized neural networks.
Research and implementation of new ideas related to the analysis of finite-precision computations related to the AI/NN field.
Technical writing and documentation of project milestones.
Requirements :
Completion of at least three years of an undergraduate degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Experience or exposure to functional programming languages such as Haskell.
Technical writing experience with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to a diverse team.
Self-starter attitude and strong organizational skills.
Desired Qualifications :
Not all desired qualifications are necessary or expected from applicants. Tasks will be assigned based on applicant’s interests, niche skills, and strengths.
Completion of a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
The ideal candidate would be a graduate student or have several years of graduate level education and research.
Project experience working with interdisciplinary teams on software verification systems and static analysis.
Published proposal, research/professional scientific article, paper, or conference presentation.
Experience or exposure to proof assistants such as PVS.
Experience using GIT, Haskell, and LaTeX.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident.
On-site presence at NASA Langley Research Center is required.
Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA) is proud of our customer relationships, our diverse and dynamic work environment, and our employees' career satisfaction. AMA is a small business with a wide reach; headquartered in Hampton, VA, AMA has operations in Greenbelt, MD; Huntsville, AL; Dallas and Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Mountain View, CA; and Edwards Air Force Base, CA. With over 60 years of experience, AMA specializes in aerospace engineering, science, analytics, information technology, and visualization solutions. AMA combines the best of engineering, science, and mathematics capabilities with the latest in information technologies, visualization, and multimedia to build creative solutions. We offer competitive salaries and a substantial benefits package, including but not limited to paid personal and federally recognized holiday leave, salary deferrals into a 401(k)-matching plan with immediate vesting, tuition reimbursement, short/long term disability plans, and a variety of medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
AMA is committed to the professional growth of every employee, understanding that the successes of our employees drive our success. We provide a work environment that is engaging, collaborative, and supportive. To learn more about our company, please visit our website at www.ama-inc.com and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
AMA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws.

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