Senior Research Scientist - Advanced Systems

Peraton Labs is seeking a poly cleared Senior Research Scientist to support cleared research and development efforts for a Maryland-based IC customer. This role will focus on designing, developing, integrating, and enhancing advanced research prototype systems across mission-focused application, analytics, real-time processing, data, and software-enabled environments.

The ideal candidate for this role is a senior hands-on software researcher or prototype engineer who can translate customer needs into working capabilities, develop complex software prototypes, integrate existing systems, and help guide technical execution across small research teams. Candidates should be comfortable working in fast-moving R&D environments where requirements evolve, technical approaches must be tested quickly, and prototypes must be built with enough rigor to demonstrate operational value.

This position requires full-time on-site work at a customer site near College Park, MD.

Key responsibilities may include

• Design, develop, test, and enhance advanced software prototypes for mission-focused research programs
• Analyze customer requirements and translate them into prototype architectures, performance standards, software designs, and technical implementation plans
• Develop new software or modify existing software to improve functionality, performance, reliability, and usability
• Build prototype applications involving analytics, real-time systems, data processing, workflow tools, mission applications, or business/operational management systems
• Develop complex algorithms, database interfaces, APIs, data queries, and backend services to meet functional and performance requirements
• Integrate existing software, COTS/GOTS tools, open-source components, and custom research prototypes into new or modified operating environments
• Debug software, resolve defects, improve system performance, and support prototype demonstrations
• Develop and execute test procedures to validate prototype components against design and mission requirements
• Collaborate with system engineers, hardware engineers, researchers, subcontractors, and customer stakeholders to refine requirements and ensure operational specifications are met
• Provide input on system design decisions, including hardware/software tradeoffs, software reuse, COTS/GOTS integration, scalability, maintainability, and deployment approach
• Support software development workflows using tools such as GitHub/GitLab, Jenkins, CI/CD pipelines, Agile processes, issue tracking, and code review
• Create and maintain technical documentation, development standards, test plans, interface documentation, and prototype user guides
• Lead small technical teams, delegate tasks, monitor progress, and help ensure project objectives are met

*This position may be eligible for an increased sign-on bonus. Eligibility, bonus amount, and applicable terms and conditions will be discussed during the recruiting process*

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Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 12+ years of experience with a Bachelors degree, 10+ years of experience with a Masters degree, or 8+ years of experience with a PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field. In lieu of a Bachelors, an additional 4 years of experience is required for a total of 16+ years relevant experience.
• Strong application, software, or prototype development experience in R&D, mission, defense, intelligence, or similarly complex technical environments
• Programming experience in one or more languages such as Python, C, C++, Java, Go, or similar languages
• Experience designing and implementing algorithms, backend services, APIs, database interfaces, or complex data queries
• Experience integrating software components, data sources, COTS/GOTS tools, open-source software, or prototype systems
• Experience debugging, testing, troubleshooting, and improving software prototypes
• Familiarity with modern software development practices, including GitHub/GitLab, Agile methods, Jenkins or other CI/CD tools, code review, and issue tracking
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with internal teams, subcontractors, and customer teams
• Ability to communicate technical concepts, prototype status, design decisions, and research outcomes to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to lead or mentor small technical teams
• US Citizenship is a requirement for this position
• This position requires an active/current TS/SCI w/ Polygraph

Desired Additional Qualifications

• Experience supporting classified research and development programs or IC/DoD mission customers
• Experience developing prototypes for analytics, data processing, real-time systems, decision-support tools, cyber systems, networked systems, or operational workflow applications
• Experience with modern application architecture, including microservices, REST APIs, event-driven systems, distributed systems, or cloud-native applications
• Experience with databases and data technologies such as PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch, Redis, Kafka, SQL/NoSQL, or graph databases
• Experience with containers, virtualization, or deployment environments such as Docker, Kubernetes, VMware, KVM, OpenStack, or cloud platforms
• Experience with automated testing, quality control, software assurance, performance testing, or prototype validation
• Experience with requirements analysis, system design, interface definition, and hardware/software tradeoff analysis
• Experience integration COTS, GOTS, open-source, and custom-built software into mission or research environments
• Experience with DevOps tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Ansible, Terraform/OpenTofu, or similar tools
• Experience contributing to technical proposals, whitepapers, research briefings, architecture diagrams, or customer demonstrations
• Strong technical leadership, adaptability, and ability to rapidly learn new technologies in support of emerging mission needs

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can’t be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we’re keeping people around the world safe and secure.