Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Agentic Modeling, Simulation & Wargaming

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 128,943,000 - 157,597,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Arlington, VA, to advance generative agent-based modeling, human-supervised workflows, and decision-support prototypes for mission engineering and wargaming. The appointment is mentored, paid, and contingent on contract award in late 2026.

The role emphasizes research design, code development in Python, cloud-enabled experiments, and collaboration with experienced researchers and government stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Doctoral-level research experience with publications or substantial projects.
• Working Python proficiency or strong proficiency in another language with ability to become productive in Python quickly.
• Experience with agent-based modeling, system dynamics, generative agents, or related computational modeling.
• Ability to design experiments, evaluate evidence, conduct sensitivity analysis, and maintain reproducible code and records.
• Experience using cloud tools such as AWS and related environments.
• Ability to structure open-ended problems and communicate clearly with technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Completed Ph.D. by fellowship start date in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Operations Research, CS, Applied Math, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Design, code, test, debug, and demonstrate prototype models and simulations.
• Develop agent-based simulations and agentic workflows with human oversight.
• Design experiments and compare results with baselines; document limitations.
• Use Python and APIs; operate in AWS or approved cloud environments.
• Translate research into mission threads, requirements, and evaluation plans.

Job description

About Us

VT-ARC, a technical services and applied research company, has built an organizational culture marked by four primary values: Teamwork, Integrity, Excellence, and Service. Integral to our success is our staff’s enthusiasm for solving tough problems by working together in teams to get the job done. We foster a culture where every employee’s contribution is valued and performed with integrity while maintaining a fun work environment. VT-ARC strives for excellence in all that is done for our clients, and such achievement is recognized through service/merit awards. Moreover, we promote a sense of community larger than VT-ARC alone, where staff and institutional resources can be applied in service to our country. We are proud to be the recipient of the Best Workplace in Defense Award by Emergent Magazine, an honor that recognizes companies with positive cultures that not only impact their people but also make a meaningful difference in the community.

About You

You are a doctoral-trained researcher and systems thinker with expertise in modeling, simulation, or a related engineering discipline. You enjoy turning open-ended questions into testable models and working prototypes. You bring sound research judgment, hands-on coding ability, and curiosity about how people, technologies, decisions, and operational constraints interact. You are a self-starter who can propose an approach, write and test code, investigate unexpected results, and communicate what the evidence supports. You work independently on agreed research tasks while seeking mentorship and responding constructively to review. You want to extend your doctoral expertise into mission engineering and analytical wargaming, develop government-facing communication skills, and explore new ideas with experienced researchers and engineers.

Position Overview

VT-ARC is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Agentic Modeling, Simulation & Wargaming for a paid, mentored research appointment within DSD. This opportunity focuses on generative agent-based simulation, human-supervised agentic analytical workflows, and decision-support prototyping, with applications to mission engineering, logistics, mobilization, industrial capacity, and other agreed research topics.

This position is a contingency hire based on a contract award expected to begin execution on or about November 01st, 2026.

Duties, Responsibilities

• Work with an assigned senior research mentor to develop research questions, hypotheses, evaluation criteria, and a feasible work plan; propose original investigations and contribute to an individual development plan.
• Design, code, test, debug, document, and demonstrate prototype models, simulation components, data integrations, and analytical applications. Take a bounded concept through implementation and iterative evaluation.
• Develop and evaluate generative agent-based simulations and human-supervised agentic workflows, including agent behavior, task decomposition, tool use, constraints, logging, and human review.
• Design experiments and sensitivity studies; assess effects of prompts, model selection, stochastic variation, data quality, and assumptions. Compare results with baselines or reference cases and document limitations.
• Use Python and supporting development tools for data preparation, APIs, simulation execution, and analysis. Use approved AWS or comparable environments within agreed access controls and compute budgets.
• With engineering mentorship, translate research into mission threads, conceptual models, requirements, interfaces, and evaluation plans; preserve traceability from assumptions and implemented logic to findings.
• Contribute scenarios, evaluation logic, data collection, and prototype demonstrations to analytical wargames or tabletop studies, with guidance from experienced game designers and mission specialists.
• Participate in approved, unclassified discussions with government stakeholders; ask clarifying questions, demonstrate technical work, and brief findings and limitations with increasing independence.
• Maintain version-controlled code, tests, experiment records, and technical documentation. Prepare research briefs, presentations, and manuscripts or publication-quality material where release is authorized.
• Manage agreed tasks and milestones, report progress, identify risks early, and collaborate in technical reviews. Use approved coding assistants responsibly and independently verify generated code when such tools are used.

Required Education, Certification, Skills, Capabilities

• Demonstrated research and modeling capability through doctoral work, publications, research engagements, or substantial technical projects. No minimum years of post-Ph.D. employment are required.
• Ability to build, test, debug, and explain functioning analytical software or research prototypes. Working Python proficiency, or strong proficiency in another relevant language with demonstrated ability to become productive in Python quickly.
• Experience with agent-based modeling, system dynamics, generative agents, or related computational modeling; working understanding of agentic AI and ability to investigate and verify model behavior.
• Ability to design experiments, evaluate evidence, conduct sensitivity analysis, and maintain reproducible code and research records; practical familiarity with APIs, version control, debugging, and testing.
• Experience using cloud tools such as AWS, or demonstrated ability to learn approved environments quickly while following data-handling, access, and resource-use requirements.
• Ability to structure open-ended problems, learn new mission domains, communicate clearly with technical and nontechnical audiences, and independently execute agreed work while responding constructively to review.
• Completed Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering, another engineering discipline, Operations Research, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field by the fellowship start date. Doctoral research and relevant project work count as experience.

Desired Education, Certification, Skills, Capabilities

• Experience with large language model agents, multi-agent simulations, prompt or model sensitivity, uncertainty analysis, and evaluations of AI-generated behaviors or outputs.
• Experience using AI coding assistants or agentic development tools for prototyping, testing, debugging, and documentation, with independent verification and appropriate protection of code and data.
• Experience with cloud-hosted prototypes, automated data pipelines, databases, APIs, interactive applications, or simulation/game software.
• Familiarity with systems or mission engineering, requirements, model-based systems engineering, analytical wargaming, or national security applications. Prior employment in these areas is not required.
• Experience communicating research to external partners, preparing publications or proposals, collaborating across disciplines, or demonstrating working capabilities.

Postdoctoral Research & Professional Development

The fellow and an assigned senior research mentor will establish a written research and individual development plan with milestones and regular technical and career-development reviews. The plan includes research exploration, systems/mission engineering and wargaming development, and authorized publications, presentations, and government engagement. Approved research and professional-development activities are part of the paid work plan. This fixed-term appointment may be extended subject to funding, performance, and HR approval. It can build qualifications for future VT-ARC research or systems/mission engineering positions. Any subsequent role requires an available opening, funding, demonstrated qualifications, applicable access requirements, and the appropriate hiring process; conversion or a particular level is not guaranteed.

Primary Work Location

Arlington, VA / National Capital Region; U.S. based remote work may be considered and approved for this position. However, location and onsite attendance will be agreed before appointment, subject to HR, security, and program requirements.

Special Work Conditions

Limited, preapproved travel may be needed for research collaboration, demonstrations, workshops, or professional development. Scope, schedule, and authorized work hours will be agreed in advance. Approved research tools and compute resources will be provided or funded by VT-ARC.

Security

An active security clearance is not required at the time of hire. Fellowship work will be limited to approved unclassified information and authorized systems. All work remains subject to applicable data-handling, privacy, export-control, and program-access requirements. However, the selected candidate must meet employment authorization and applicable background-screening requirements. Clearance sponsorship will be pursued subject to authorized sponsorship and government adjudication; clearance or a specific processing timeline is not guaranteed.

Competitive Salary

Proposed compensation is $45 - $55 hourly. Work time will be recorded and compensated under applicable requirements, and availability of hours is subject to the availability of direct work. Weekly hours, appointment duration, benefits eligibility, and overtime treatment will be specified in the offer.

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation

VT-ARC is a 501(c)(3), non-profit R&D organization affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech or VT). Our mission is to provide superior analytic and technology solutions across multiple domains by leveraging Virginia Tech’s multidisciplinary research and innovation ecosystem. With unique access to the broad and rich research enterprise found at Virginia Tech, VT-ARC forms multi-disciplinary teams to apply innovative solutions to the real-world problems that strain our social, political, industrial, and economic foundations.

To learn more about VT-ARC’s Benefits, Perks, Culture & more visit our Careers page:

https://vt-arc.org/careers/

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. As a federal contractor, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail]

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