Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Location: McLean, VA (hybrid); occasional travel to Durham, NC and customer sites 

About CoVar

CoVar is a small AI/ML R&D software company with offices in Durham, NC and McLean, VA, that uses artificial intelligence to solve problems that matter. Our teams build AI/ML solutions that help the DoD detect enemies and threats, help biomedical researchers find new cures, and help monitor machinery to prevent injuries and environmental catastrophes. We are passionate engineers dedicated to pushing the bounds of what AI/ML can do in the real world. 

About the Role

We’re seeking a Senior ML Engineer (Technical Lead) with deep hands-on expertise in machine learning and computer vision, who can also lead DoD-focused programs, own customer engagement, contribute to business development, and help grow and manage a local engineering team in McLean over time. You’ll lead end-to-end technical delivery – from data to deployment – while serving as the primary technical point of contact for our customers. 

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building production-grade ML systems, mentoring engineers, and translating complex technical work into compelling customer outcomes. 

What You’ll Do 

• Lead programs end-to-end: Scope requirements, set technical strategy and milestones, plan resourcing, manage risks, and deliver results for DoD-focused ML/CV projects. 
• Own customer relationships: Run technical discussions, requirement discovery, demos, standing meetings, and briefings with senior stakeholders; turn feedback into clear roadmaps. 
• Stay deeply hands-on (50–70%): 
  • Build data pipelines, train/evaluate CV models, and write production code.
  • Design, train, and optimize detection/segmentation/tracking models and custom computer-vision pipelines; handle imbalanced data, domain shift, and real-world constraints.
  • Deploy models to production (typically on the edge), instrument for monitoring, and iterate with CI/CD.
• Contribute to business development: Write technical sections of proposals/white papers, help shape capture strategy, provide level-of-effort estimates, and present prototypes. 
• Communicate and publish: Present results to high-level DoD and industry customers; author technical reports; publish novel work in classified/unclassified settings when applicable. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: 5+ years designing, building, and deploying machine learning systems in production (8+ preferred). Strong track record leading technical delivery for complex projects. 
• ML/CV expertise: 
  • Deep understanding of ML fundamentals (e.g., gradient descent, cross-validation, ROC/PR curves, confusion matrices, mAP).
  • Computer vision experience with modern architectures (e.g., YOLO family, CenterNet, RetinaNet, Detectron2, ViTs, segmentation networks), augmentation strategies, and evaluation.
  • Experience with data curation/annotation workflows and dataset quality control.
• Software engineering: Python (NumPy, scipy, pandas/polars), PyTorch (preferred) or TensorFlow, git, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and code quality practices. 
• MLOps & deployment: Experiment tracking, Docker, ONNX/TensorRT, deploying inference services to the edge (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson). 
• Communication & leadership: Excellent technical communication, customer-facing experience, and proven ability to lead cross-functional efforts. 
• Education: B.S. in engineering, math, computer science, or related field; M.S./Ph.D. preferred. 
• Clearance: Eligibility for U.S. security clearance. This requires U.S. citizenship. 

Preferred Qualifications (Bonus) 

• Prior Department of Defense project experience, including briefing senior stakeholders and navigating DoD acquisition processes. 
• Active Secret or TS/SCI clearance; experience working in classified environments. 
• Experience managing or mentoring engineers; contributing to hiring and performance development.  
• Experience with proposal writing (SBIR/STTR, RFPs), technical volume authorship, and live demos.  
• Experience with multi-sensor fusion, signal-processing, tracking, synthetic data generation, domain adaptation, or semi/active learning for data-limited environments. 
• Familiarity with edge hardware optimization, and performance profiling.  
• Open-source contributions, publications, or patents in ML/CV.

Why This Role Matters 

You’ll be a key technical leader in our McLean office – setting technical direction, building a local team, and ensuring our DoD partners see tangible mission impact from AI/ML solutions. If you thrive in high-impact environments where you can both build and lead, we’d love to talk. 

Benefits

• Competitive salary, cash bonus, equity structure, and 401k with employer contributions
• Excellent health care coverage, including dental and vision plans
• Parental leave
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible work schedule
• Tuition support
• PTO and paid holidays

Visit us: www.covar.com

Machine Learning Engineer

About CoVar

CoVar is a small AI/ML R&D software company in Durham, NC, that uses artificial intelligence to solve problems that matter. We develop AI/ML tools to help the DoD detect enemies and threats, help biomedical researchers find new cures for diseases, and help monitor machinery to prevent injuries and environmental catastrophes. We are passionate engineers, dedicated to pushing the bounds of what AI/ML can do in the real world.

About this position

You will help CoVar develop software and machine learning algorithms to solve real-world customer problems. You will work with data, develop algorithms, evaluate results, and write the production code that goes onto real-world systems. You will have the opportunity to present your work to high-level customers in the DoD and in the industry. The position includes opportunities to publish novel work in both classified and unclassified settings.

Qualifications

Applicants should have expertise in Python (including NumPy, pandas, and other packages) and either PyTorch or TensorFlow. Deep understanding of machine learning fundamentals (gradient descent, cross-validation, ROC curves, confusion matrices) are necessary. Knowledge of classical machine learning (e.g., support-vector-machines, logistic regression) are valued. Applicants are ideally familiar with computer vision algorithms like object detection networks (e.g., YOLO, CenterNet) and modern image classification techniques. Previous experience with DoD customers is a plus.

Minimum qualifications

• Software expertise: Python and associated numerical and analytics packages (NUMPY, PANDAS, etc.); git; PYTORCH or TensorFlow; CI/CD pipelines and regression testing.
• AI/ML expertise: Machine learning fundamentals; Deep knowledge of state-of-the-art in any of the following: computer vision (preferred), natural language processing, classical machine learning, Bayesian models, etc.
• B.S., preferably M.S. or Ph.D in engineering, math, computer science, or related field
• Excellent technical communication skills
• Ability to work in Durham, NC (relocation assistance available)
• Eligibility for US security clearance (US citizenship is required)

Bonus skills

• Department of Defense project experience
• Active US security clearance (secret or higher)

Benefits

• Competitive salary, cash bonus, equity structure, and 401k with employer contributions
• Excellent health care coverage, including dental and vision plans
• Parental leave
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible work schedule
• Tuition support
• PTO and paid holidays

Visit us: www.covar.com

Signal Processing Engineer

About CoVar

CoVar is a small AI/ML R&D software company in Durham, NC, that uses artificial intelligence to solve problems that matter. We develop AI/ML tools to help the DoD detect enemies and threats, help biomedical researchers find new cures for diseases, and help monitor machinery to prevent injuries and environmental catastrophes. We are passionate engineers, dedicated to pushing the bounds of what AI/ML can do in the real world.

About this position

You will help CoVar develop signal processing algorithms and software to solve real-world customer problems. You will develop novel and advanced algorithms for sense making and sensor decision making for applications in the RF domain to include detection, localization, classification, tracking and EW. You will design and implement simulations for these RF applications as well as evaluate results on real world data. You will have the opportunity to present your work to high-level customers in the DoD and in the industry. The position includes opportunities to publish novel work in both classified and unclassified settings.

Key Responsibilities 

• Algorithm Development: Design, implement, and optimize signal and array processing algorithms for RF applications, detection, localization, tracking, channel estimation, beamforming, and spectral analysis.
• Data Analysis: Process and interpret RF datasets for signal detection, classification, tracking, parameter estimation, and pattern recognition.
• Prototyping & Testing: Develop simulation models (e.g., Python, MATLAB) and implement algorithms on real-time platforms such as FPGAs, GPUs, or SDRs (Software-Defined Radios).
• RF System Integration: Collaborate with hardware engineers to integrate digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms into RF systems and ensure optimal end-to-end performance.
• Performance Evaluation: Conduct laboratory and field testing to validate system performance under various operational conditions.
• Research & Innovation: Stay up to date with emerging RF technologies, advanced signal processing techniques, and industry best practices.
• Documentation: Prepare technical reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders. 

Minimum qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in RF signal processing or a related discipline.
• Strong proficiency in one or more of the following programming languages: Python, C/C++, or MATLAB.
• Experience in the following areas:
  • RF signal processing, electronic warfare, optimization, array processing, machine learning, adaptive signal processing, AI/ML algorithm development, radar modeling, RF propagation
• Ability to work with cross-functional engineering teams and clearly communicate complex technical concepts.
• Ability to work in Durham, NC (relocation assistance available)
• Eligibility for US security clearance 

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with:  
  • Radar signal processing in Department of Defense (DoD) specific applications including electronic warfare (EW) techniques such as electronic support measures, attack, protection, and cognitive EW.
  • AI/ML algorithm design in the areas of computer vision, reinforcement learning (RL), and natural language processing.
  • Spectrum monitoring and signal classification using machine learning techniques.
  • Translating the mission needs of DoD customers into an end-to-end technical solution.
  • Proposal development and proposal writing.
• Familiarity with FPGA or GPU acceleration for high-performance DSP.
• Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded or real-time applications.
• Active U.S. security clearance. 

Benefits

• Competitive salary, cash bonus, equity structure, and 401k with employer contributions
• Excellent health care coverage, including dental and vision plans
• Parental leave
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible work schedule
• Tuition support
• PTO and paid holidays

Visit us: www.covar.com