AI Research Engineer Jobs in North Carolina
AI Research Engineer jobs in North Carolina are active and growing, concentrated in university research corridors, life sciences, and enterprise software, with openings at every level from entry-level applied ML roles through senior research scientist positions. The largest hiring metros are the Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), Charlotte, and Greensboro, where employers such as IBM, SAS Institute, and Duke Health maintain substantial research and engineering operations. The most in-demand specialties include large language model development, computer vision, and reinforcement learning applied to biomedical and financial domains. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 18+ AI Research Engineer jobs
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience or equivalent combination. Master's degree in Health Administration, Business Administration or related field preferred. Three years' experience in project management, program management development, administration or supervisory experience required.
LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION: N/A
WSSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Manages and oversees the planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation of major projects. Assumes major responsibility for coordinating the successful and timely completion of the tasks within projects.
- Manages and/or implements all operational policies and procedures related to the functioning of the program.
- Prepares periodic analyses and reports reflecting progress and trends of on-going projects/programs. Identifies and anticipates potential issues and risks. Makes suggestions for improvement and implements as appropriate.
- Tracks, evaluates, and interprets collected financial data. Manages the preparation of progress reports and quality control monitoring. Participates in the analysis of study data and the writing of sponsor progress and financial reports. Drafts financial, statistical, narrative, and/or other reports as requested. Makes recommendations based on these findings
- Assists in the administration of the departmental budget by tracking expenditures and performing other financial tasks. Verifies deduction authorizations to ensure correct input.
- Assumes responsibility for the outcome of the program(s). Assists and supervises support personnel. Manages data for applicable databases to produce outcomes information for quality reporting and operational initiatives.
- Provides guidance to others. Designs forms, newsletters, web pages and other tools as appropriate to ensure the success of assigned projects.
- Serves as the program liaison, spokesperson and representative.
- Arranges, implements, and facilitates team meetings to achieve results. Attends meetings with appropriate staff and faculty as necessary to provide and gather information. Promotes a cooperative work environment by utilizing communication skills, interpersonal relationships and team building.
- Ensures that all aspects of the projects are conducted in accordance to the sponsor requirements, study contract and timelines.
- Ensures compliance with institutional and sponsor regulations and guidelines.
KILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Previous supervisory experience
Solid interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships with business partners across departments and facilitate work among teams
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
Strong PC background in computer spreadsheets systems and presentation packages
Skilled problem solver who can work independently
Ability to manage special projects, work under pressure, meet deadlines
Customer service orientation
Strong presentation skills to effectively persuade and influence in order to achieve desired outcomes with diverse clientele
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Clean, well-lit, comfortable office setting
#WFUSM
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience or equivalent combination. Master's degree in Health Administration, Business Administration or related field preferred. Three years' experience in project management, program management development, administration or supervisory experience required.
LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION: N/A
WSSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Manages and oversees the planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation of major projects. Assumes major responsibility for coordinating the successful and timely completion of the tasks within projects.
- Manages and/or implements all operational policies and procedures related to the functioning of the program.
- Prepares periodic analyses and reports reflecting progress and trends of on-going projects/programs. Identifies and anticipates potential issues and risks. Makes suggestions for improvement and implements as appropriate.
- Tracks, evaluates, and interprets collected financial data. Manages the preparation of progress reports and quality control monitoring. Participates in the analysis of study data and the writing of sponsor progress and financial reports. Drafts financial, statistical, narrative, and/or other reports as requested. Makes recommendations based on these findings
- Assists in the administration of the departmental budget by tracking expenditures and performing other financial tasks. Verifies deduction authorizations to ensure correct input.
- Assumes responsibility for the outcome of the program(s). Assists and supervises support personnel. Manages data for applicable databases to produce outcomes information for quality reporting and operational initiatives.
- Provides guidance to others. Designs forms, newsletters, web pages and other tools as appropriate to ensure the success of assigned projects.
- Serves as the program liaison, spokesperson and representative.
- Arranges, implements, and facilitates team meetings to achieve results. Attends meetings with appropriate staff and faculty as necessary to provide and gather information. Promotes a cooperative work environment by utilizing communication skills, interpersonal relationships and team building.
- Ensures that all aspects of the projects are conducted in accordance to the sponsor requirements, study contract and timelines.
- Ensures compliance with institutional and sponsor regulations and guidelines.
KILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Previous supervisory experience
Solid interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships with business partners across departments and facilitate work among teams
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
Strong PC background in computer spreadsheets systems and presentation packages
Skilled problem solver who can work independently
Ability to manage special projects, work under pressure, meet deadlines
Customer service orientation
Strong presentation skills to effectively persuade and influence in order to achieve desired outcomes with diverse clientele
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Clean, well-lit, comfortable office setting
#WFUSM
See All 18 AI Research Engineer Jobs in North Carolina
Find roles in North Carolina that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find AI Research Engineer JobsAI Research Engineer Jobs by City in North Carolina
Where North Carolina roles are concentrated, by current openings.
AI Research Engineer Job Market in North Carolina
A snapshot from current North Carolina openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Manufacturing
What North Carolina Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in AI research engineer jobs across North Carolina.
- Master's or PhD in computer science, machine learning, or a closely related field
- Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
- Proficiency in Python and experience with ML pipelines and model training at scale
- Demonstrated research output such as peer-reviewed publications or open-source contributions
- Experience deploying and monitoring models in production cloud environments
- Strong communication skills for presenting findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders
AI Research Engineer Jobs in North Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a ai research engineer in North Carolina?
Most ai research engineer roles in North Carolina require at least a master's degree in computer science, machine learning, statistics, or a related field, and many senior positions expect a PhD. There is no state-issued license for this role, so candidates build their credentials through graduate study, research projects, and published work. North Carolina universities such as NC State, Duke, and UNC Chapel Hill are common pipelines into the state's research and industry positions.
How much do AI research engineers make in North Carolina?
AI research engineers in North Carolina earn a median of about $128,370 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $82,410 for the lowest 10% to over $182,050 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire ai research engineers in North Carolina?
Employers hiring ai research engineers in North Carolina right now include Lenovo, Alliance Health Plan, and Rivet, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. North Carolina's Research Triangle concentration of university spinouts, federal contractors, and established technology firms makes it one of the Southeast's most consistent markets for this role.
Which North Carolina cities have the most ai research engineer jobs?
Charlotte, Morrisville, and Raleigh have the most ai research engineer openings in North Carolina. The Research Triangle pulls the largest share because of the density of research universities, federal agencies such as EPA and NIH offices, and companies like SAS Institute and IBM that use the area as a research base, while Charlotte's growing fintech and data analytics sector drives demand in the western part of the state.
Are there remote ai research engineer jobs in North Carolina?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 78% of ai research engineer openings tied to North Carolina are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of the work involves model development, experimentation, and code review that can be done distributed. The parts of the role most likely to require on-site presence are hardware-adjacent research, lab collaboration, and early-stage team work at startups.
How can I get hired as a ai research engineer in North Carolina with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a research assistant or junior ML engineer role tied to a North Carolina university lab or a company's early-career program. NC State's Industry Expansion Solutions and Duke's research computing teams regularly bring in graduates for applied research support roles. Candidates without experience strengthen their position by building a public portfolio on GitHub, completing a graduate certificate in machine learning from UNC or NC State, and targeting companies in the Research Triangle that partner directly with universities for talent pipelines.
Where can I find and apply to ai research engineer jobs in North Carolina?
You can find and apply to ai research engineer jobs in North Carolina on Migrate Mate, which lists current North Carolina openings. Search the listings, find roles that fit your background and location preference, and apply directly to each one.
See All 18 AI Research Engineer Jobs in North Carolina
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