Research Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Research engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense, aerospace, cybersecurity, and biomedical research, with openings from entry-level associate positions through senior principal roles. Northern Virginia, the Hampton Roads corridor, and the Charlottesville area account for the largest share of hiring, anchored by employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Northrop Grumman. The most sought-after specialties include systems research, RF and signal processing, and applied machine learning. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 17+ Research Engineer jobs
- 537329
- Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
- Virginia, United States
- Advanced Research Computing
- Information Systems / Technology
- Faculty (Salaried)
- Virginia Tech
Job Description
Advanced Research Computing (ARC) provides Virginia Tech researchers with access to high-performance computing systems, data storage, visualization facilities, and expert support. We help faculty and students across all disciplines get the most out of HPC and advanced computing tools.
The Research Software Engineer, AI/ML builds and supports the software that makes AI and machine learning accessible to our researchers. This is a hands-on, generalist role where you'll tackle varied challenges across AI services, grow your skills alongside the team, and progressively own our LLM infrastructure. You will work directly with faculty, Computational Scientists, and the rest of the ARC team to make AI tools useful for research. The role also involves leading workshops and training to help more people use AI effectively.
Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this position. This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. While some remote work flexibility may be available, the role is expected to be performed primarily on-site.
Required Qualifications
- Master's degree, or a combination of education, training, and progressive experience that equates to a Master's degree
- Demonstrated professional experience working natively in a Linux environment (shell, scripting, package management, and system-level troubleshooting)
- Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining software and/or web services
- Experience with containerization technologies for deploying scalable workloads
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience deploying and managing LLMs in production, including GPU computing in HPC environments
- Experience with LLM inference serving frameworks (vLLM, SGLang, llama.cpp) for high-throughput, low-latency deployment
- Experience using or building AI-driven applications and agent workflows (e.g., tool-calling, orchestration, integration into existing services)
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, observability, and monitoring (Grafana, Prometheus) for production systems
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
$110,000 - $130,000
Hours per week
40
Review Date
9/3/2026
Additional Information
Sponsorship is not available for this position.
This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. While some remote work flexibility may be available, the role is expected to be performed primarily on-site.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact IT Human Resources at ithr@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
- 537329
- Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
- Virginia, United States
- Advanced Research Computing
- Information Systems / Technology
- Faculty (Salaried)
- Virginia Tech
Job Description
Advanced Research Computing (ARC) provides Virginia Tech researchers with access to high-performance computing systems, data storage, visualization facilities, and expert support. We help faculty and students across all disciplines get the most out of HPC and advanced computing tools.
The Research Software Engineer, AI/ML builds and supports the software that makes AI and machine learning accessible to our researchers. This is a hands-on, generalist role where you'll tackle varied challenges across AI services, grow your skills alongside the team, and progressively own our LLM infrastructure. You will work directly with faculty, Computational Scientists, and the rest of the ARC team to make AI tools useful for research. The role also involves leading workshops and training to help more people use AI effectively.
Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this position. This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. While some remote work flexibility may be available, the role is expected to be performed primarily on-site.
Required Qualifications
- Master's degree, or a combination of education, training, and progressive experience that equates to a Master's degree
- Demonstrated professional experience working natively in a Linux environment (shell, scripting, package management, and system-level troubleshooting)
- Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining software and/or web services
- Experience with containerization technologies for deploying scalable workloads
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience deploying and managing LLMs in production, including GPU computing in HPC environments
- Experience with LLM inference serving frameworks (vLLM, SGLang, llama.cpp) for high-throughput, low-latency deployment
- Experience using or building AI-driven applications and agent workflows (e.g., tool-calling, orchestration, integration into existing services)
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, observability, and monitoring (Grafana, Prometheus) for production systems
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
$110,000 - $130,000
Hours per week
40
Review Date
9/3/2026
Additional Information
Sponsorship is not available for this position.
This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. While some remote work flexibility may be available, the role is expected to be performed primarily on-site.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact IT Human Resources at ithr@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
See All 17 Research Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Engineer JobsResearch Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research
- Transportation & Logistics
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, physics, or a closely related technical field
- Experience with research design, experimental testing, and technical documentation
- Active or obtainable security clearance, required by most Virginia defense and government contractors
- Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or simulation tools relevant to the engineering subdiscipline
- Ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on funded research programs or sponsored projects
- Familiarity with federal acquisition regulations or government research reporting standards
Research Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research engineer in Virginia?
Most research engineer roles in Virginia require at least a bachelor's degree in engineering or a closely related field, with a master's or doctorate preferred for positions tied to funded research programs. Virginia does not require a state license specifically for the research engineer title, but roles involving professional engineering sign-off may require a Professional Engineer license issued through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. A security clearance is a practical requirement for much of the Virginia market.
Which companies hire research engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring research engineers in Virginia right now include Clarity Innovations, Ofinno, and Genex Systems, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's concentration of defense primes, federal research agencies, and university-affiliated research centers means hiring tends to be consistent across the year rather than seasonal.
Which Virginia cities have the most research engineer jobs?
Herndon, McLean, and Reston have the most research engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia dominates because of its dense cluster of defense contractors and federal agencies, while Hampton Roads draws from Navy and Air Force research commands, and Charlottesville benefits from University of Virginia research programs and affiliated tech spin-offs.
Are there remote research engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical fields because much research engineer work involves lab access, classified facilities, or hardware testing. About 67% of research engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with the remote share concentrated in modeling, simulation, and data analysis roles that don't require physical presence at a test facility or cleared site.
How can I get hired as a research engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a government contractor internship or a university research assistantship that converts to a full-time associate engineer role. Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Northrop Grumman each run structured new-grad hiring programs tied to Virginia program offices. Candidates who enter from adjacent roles like test technician, research assistant, or systems analyst and hold a current or pending security clearance move into research engineer positions faster than those without clearance eligibility.
Where can I find and apply to research engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to research engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across defense, biomedical, and technology research sectors. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 17 Research Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Engineer Jobs