Job Description

At ARA we are driven by a passion for developing innovative solutions to challenging problems of national importance. Our culture rewards autonomy and initiative and we foster a stable environment where personal and professional growth is prioritized.

For this position, we are looking for highly skilled software engineers to join our augmented reality team. ARA’s ARC4 augmented reality technology is used by the US Army and others to improve the situational awareness of our soldiers on the battlefield. ARC4 provides accurate, timely information so that teams can make the right decisions and operate with enhanced safety and speed. It is not an overstatement to say that this capability will save lives, by improving coordination, decisiveness, and communication.

Specifically, we need engineers and scientists who have the ability or interest to design and implement defense-grade augmented reality software. The software you develop will be fielded on a wide range of Army systems, including night-vision goggles, ground vehicles, and far target locators.

Our Technology

• C++17 application software built for Windows, Linux, and Android (heavy use of Android NDK) using Qt, OpenGL, Eigen, libUSB, and ZMQ
• Kotlin application software built for Windows and Android using JavaFX
• Microcontroller software built-in Rust and C
• Embedded web server software built with Node.js and React
• CI build and package management system built with Jenkins, CMake, Gradle, and Conan
  

Our Team’s Interests

• Low-latency inter-device communication and high-performance inter-process data sharing. We write software that moves inertial sensor data and video data between embedded systems as fast as possible
• Extensible software. We write applications for customers who want to build their own add-ons and plug-ins, so we think about APIs, data protocols, and how to hot-load 3rd-party code
• Safe concurrency. Knowing patterns for working with concurrent code safely is critically important for our applications
• Cross-platform code. Our customers use many different platforms, so we know the difference between compiling with GCC vs Clang vs MSVC and when to utilize the JVM or web technology
• Our code runs on devices that people work with and wear in heterogeneous processing hardware under unique resource constraints. This also means we employ multiple strategies to test our code from automated unit testing to device emulation and field testing
• Putting math to work. Our products are often born from research projects which means learning and applying advanced math is how we deliver to our customers
  

Mid-level Augmented Reality Software Engineer Candidates Must Have

• The nature of work (i.e. interactions with the intelligence community and DoD programs) requires the eligibility to apply for and hold a US security clearance; selected applicants will undergo a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements at the time of employment
• One of the following:
• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related STEM field with 5-7 years of professional experience. Talented candidates who will complete a Bachelor's Degree within a year of hire will also be considered
• A Master’s degree in Computer Science or related STEM field with 3-5 years of professional experience
• A Ph.D. degree in Computer Science or related STEM field with 1-3 years of professional experience
• A strong understanding of either C++17, Kotlin, or Rust
• Strong experience in at least one of our technologies or interests
• A desire to learn at least one of our other technologies or interests
  

About Us

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company known for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. We were founded in Albuquerque, NM in 1979 as the disco era was, thankfully, closing out and the personal computer era was beginning. We employ over 1,500 professionals and continue to grow. ARA offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software, and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.

ARA also prides ourselves on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. At ARA, employees are our greatest assets, so we give our employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take active roles as owners. The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. The company realizes employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. We are also very proud of our Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.

To find out more about Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/raleigh/