{"id":1620529,"url":"https://alion.io/job/ara-staff-engineer-scientist-1","title":"Staff Engineer / Scientist 1","company":{"id":2028479,"name":"Applied Research Associates","domain":"ara.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/ara-com","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"UltiPro","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":17,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-10-02T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Science & Research","role_family":"Science & Research","seniority":"staff","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Littleton, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":80000,"max":null,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":80000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-31T16:41:35Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-31","last_verified_at":"2026-10-03T01:01:54Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":32,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":32},"description":"Applied Research Associates (ARA) is seeking a highly capable Staff Engineer/Scientist to join a multidisciplinary team advancing mission critical technologies for U.S. Government and defense customers. The position will support active contracts in ballistics, physics-based modeling, and development of software tools. As part of a collaborative research environment, the successful candidate will help fulfil customer needs, contribute to scientific innovation, and support technical areas aligned with their expertise and interests.\nPrimary Role and Responsibilities\nSupport modeling and simulation through data analysis, model development, verification and validation, and writing documentation.\nExercise physics-based models and compare results to experimental data. Quantify model performance and evaluate modeling methodology.\nStudy relevant materials to understand differences in physical properties and failure mechanisms.\nCollaborate with other engineers and scientists to understand complex dynamic interactions.\nCommunicate technical insights clearly through reports, briefings, and customer interactions.\nContribute to new research directions, proposal development, and R&D thrusts within the division.\nEducation\nDegree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.\nRequirements\nB.S. + 3 years, M.S. + 1 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination.\nU.S. Citizen.\nAbility to obtain and maintain a security clearance.\nDemonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within a 3-5 person, multidisciplinary team.\nStrong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey advanced technical concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.\nLocation\nOn-site work at ARA’s Littleton, CO facility, with periodic travel to customer sites, partner locations, and other ARA offices.\nPreferred Skills and Experience\nExperience with micro-to-macro material failure mechanisms and/or dynamic material behavior.\nStrong understanding of ballistics and/or dynamics.\nExperience with physics-based modeling.\nFamiliarity with verification and validation of engineering tools.\nFamiliarity with reactive materials, mechanical shock, and/or blast.\nAbility to interpret mathematical expressions representing physical mechanisms and translate knowledge of physics/material science/chemistry into mathematical expressions.\nAbility to find relevant information in available literature sources and apply the information as necessary on projects.\nProficiency with programming languages such as MATLAB, Python or something similar.\nExperience writing technical reports, publications, and proposals. Comfortable delivering briefings.\nAbility to support multiple projects, adapt to new technical areas, and work effectively in fast paced research settings.\nFor best consideration, please apply by September 30, 2026.\nExpected salary for this position will range from $80,000 - $100,000 depending on education and experience.\nAbout ARA:\nARA is an employee-owned research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2,200 professionals and continues to grow.\nARA offices throughout the country provide expertise across a broad range of engineering and science technologies. At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. We realize that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit,” along with the ARA values (Freedom, Passion, Service, Growth), sums up the ARA experience.\nARA offers competitive benefits that address our employees' needs now and in the future. Learn more about each of our benefits at https://www.ara.com/benefits/.","description_format":"text","description_chars":4299,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Design & Creative","Industrial Design","IT Help Desk & Service Desk"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-01T20:42:43Z"}],"liveness":{"score":37,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.487,"p_room":0.75,"age_days":31,"expected_fill_days":38,"reasons":["conf:9","stale_co","win:late"],"computed_at":"2026-10-02T05:45:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":80000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/ara-staff-engineer-scientist-1","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/ara-staff-engineer-scientist-1.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-03T04:02:19Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":4070,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":930,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-04T00:00:00Z"}}}