Principal Research Scientist

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 114,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Northeastern University in Boston, MA seeks a Principal Research Scientist to lead cutting-edge work in resilient artificial intelligence, focusing on adversarial AI and out-of-distribution detection. The candidate should have a strong publication record and leadership skills, joining Prof. Restuccia’s group.

The role involves scientific leadership, grant development, budgeting, and mentoring staff and students within a dynamic research team.

Qualifications

• Mandatory: PhD in Computer Science or similar field.
• At least three first/second author publications in top-tier AI venues (AAAI, ICML, ICLR, ICCV, ECCV, CVPR, WACV, NeurIPS, TNNLS).
• Preferred: six first/second author publications in top-tier AI venues, three as first author; proposal writing and leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and technical leadership in the research program on resilient AI.
• Design, develop, and establish standards for research; publish findings; obtain new grants.
• Develop project budgets; interview, hire, and manage staff; supervise students.

Skills

Adversarial AI

Out-of-distribution detection

Leadership

Proposal writing

Top-tier AI publications

Education

PhD in Computer Science

Job description

About the Opportunity

Northeastern University has established a Principal Research Scientist position dealing with cutting‑edge research in the theoretical and applied aspects of resilient artificial intelligence (AI). The successful candidate will join Prof. Francesco Restuccia’s research team (website: https://mentis.info) in Boston, Massachusetts, and work on cutting‑edge topics in resilient AI, including adversarial AI and out‑of‑distribution detection. The successful candidate will have a strong track record in top‑tier AI publications, outstanding presentation and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

Provides scientific and technical leadership in the management, design, and conducting of the entire research program in resilient AI within Prof. Restuccia’s research group. Responsibilities include designing, developing, and establishing standards for the research to be conducted on topics related to resilient AI; publishing findings; obtaining new grants; developing project budget; interviewing, hiring, and managing all professional and technical staff; and supervising students.

Qualifications

Mandatory: PhD in Computer Science or similar field; At least three (3) publications as first/second author in top‑tier AI venues (AAAI, ICML, ICLR, ICCV, ECCV, CVPR, WACV, NeurIPS, TNNLS); Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Preferred: Proven experience in resilient AI research, including adversarial AI and out‑of‑distribution detection; At least six (6) first/second author publications in top‑tier AI venues (AAAI, ICML, ICLR, ICCV, ECCV, CVPR, WACV, NeurIPS, TNNLS) of which three (3) as first author; Demonstrated proposal writing experience; Demonstrated leadership skills.

Position Type

Research

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation

Grade/Pay Type: 113S Expected Hiring Range: $113,865.00 - $165,105.00. With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly‑situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real‑world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system- which includes 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide- serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors- aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.