Back to jobs

Applied Scientist

Remote

About Us

Red Cell Partners is an incubation firm building and investing in rapidly scalable technology-led companies that are bringing revolutionary advancements to market in three distinct practice areas: healthcare, cyber, and national security. United by a shared sense of duty and deep belief in the power of innovation, Red Cell is developing powerful tools and solutions to address our Nation’s most pressing problems. 

About DEFCON AI 

DEFCON AI, an insights company, is developing a next-generation Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis toolset tailored for mobility and logistics operations across various environments. Leveraging our extensive expertise in Artificial Intelligence, mathematical optimization, and software engineering, we are poised to revolutionize the industry. Our technology provides key insights that empower our customers to formulate strategies for mobility, sustainment, and logistics operations - equipping them with tools to visualize, assess, and mitigate the impacts of disruptions in their networks. 

About the Applied Scientist  

Are you passionate about driving innovation through advanced mathematical modeling? Does working in a multi-disciplinary team that addresses a diverse range of complex problems get you excited? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you as an Applied Scientist in the Tech Development and Analytics team at DEFCON AI.   

We’re currently looking for creative, smart, and humble teammates who want to join our group of world-renowned researchers as we push the boundaries applying AI to complex problems. As an Applied Scientist, you will be at the forefront of driving the development and deployment of our Reinforcement Learning models. If you're a forward-thinking, technically adept individual with a passion for mathematical modeling and optimization, this role is for you. 

Responsibilities: 

  • Integrate with an interdisciplinary team of experts in optimization and simulation to design, build, and optimize models that deliver high-quality, real-world insights.   
  • Design and implement novel Reinforcement Learning algorithms and approaches to solve sequential decision problems, ensuring efficiency and scalability. 
  • Stay up to date with the latest advancements in reinforcement learning and implement best practices to enhance our ML infrastructure.   
  • The communication of complex technical concepts and findings to non-technical stakeholders clearly and concisely.   
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and translate them into actionable solutions.   

Qualifications:  

  • Demonstrated expertise in building mathematical models for complex real-world problems 
  • The ability to write efficient, clean, and maintainable code in one or many programming languages with the ability and willingness to learn more (Python, Java, Rust, C++, etc.) 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills - with emphasis on the ability to effectively communicate highly technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences alike 
  • An advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field. Alternative to traditional educational pathways, a well-documented portfolio of projects you could share and speak to is acceptable. 
  • U.S. citizenship is required    

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Leadership experience driving Reinforcement Learning system development  
  • Experience implementing Reinforcement Learning in complex domains – preferably with collaborative multi-agent systems 
  • Experience with cloud-based SAAS products and pipelines 
  • A Ph.D. with a focus on Reinforcement Learning or a relevant area (Markov Decision Processes, Sequential Decision Analytics, Approximate Dynamic Programming, Robust Optimization, etc.)  
  • Publications in scientific journals and/or conferences are preferred 

Benefits:  

  • 100% employer paid, comprehensive health care including medical, dental, and vision for you and your family. 
  • Paid maternity and paternity for 14 weeks at employees' normal pay. 
  • Unlimited PTO, with management approval. 
  • A fully remote, results-based work environment. 
  • Opportunities for professional development and continued learning. 
  • Occasional travel to our offices in Washington D.C or alternative locations to collaborate with your team in person. 
  • Optional 401K, FSA, and equity incentives available. 

Salary Range: $150,000-$400,000. This represents the typical slary range for this position based on experience, skills, and other factors.

 

#LI-RCP

We’re an Equal Opportunity Employer: You’ll receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Red Cell Partners’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.