Project Engineer

Riverside Overview

Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country’s most challenging technical problems.    All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship.  

Position Overview

Riverside Research is seeking a highly organized and motivated Project Engineer to support the Sensors and Systems Business Unit (SAS). This role will be instrumental in coordinating the day-to-day operations, planning, and execution of a diverse portfolio of advanced research and development programs in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, modeling and simulation, software and systems engineering, materials science, and sensor technologies. 

The ideal candidate will collaborate closely with technical staff, project principal investigators (PIs), and leadership to ensure programs are well-resourced, on track, and aligned to customer priorities. Responsibilities include tracking technical deliverables, managing budget and staffing data, and supporting internal business processes that enable efficient and successful R&D execution. This role will involve managing complex research programs across a variety of technical domains, making an impact to national security by supporting an organization delivering cutting-edge capabilities, and solving complex many-dimensional business optimization problems. If you are a zero-inboxer, you've built a spreadsheet that pushed the limits of the Excel backend, are constantly looking for new tools increase organizational effectiveness and are an all-around hard charger, we'd love to talk with you. 

This position offers a unique opportunity to be part of a team conducting innovative work at the intersection of science, engineering, and national security. 

Responsibilities

• Track technical milestones and deliverables across active research projects to ensure timely execution. 

• Coordinate project planning activities, including staffing allocations, timelines, and budget forecasts. 

• Serve as a liaison between technical teams and internal support functions, including finance and contracts. 

• Support PIs and project leads with monthly status tracking, documentation, and project reporting. 

• Monitor subcontractor performance and coordinate invoice tracking and receipt. 

• Assist with resource alignment and forecasting at the individual project and group levels. 

• Use Riverside Research pricing templates to help generate labor estimates for new projects and proposals. 

• Identify opportunities for process improvements across project execution and reporting workflows 

• Recommend and implement improvements to internal tracking systems and business processes. 

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship. 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Intelligence, project management, Business, or a related technical field. 

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in project coordination or program support. 

• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., formulas, lookups, charts, pivot tables). 

• Familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and other generative AI tools for enhancing productivity and automating repetitive tasks. 

• Experience using Microsoft Power BI, Power Automate, or similar tools to build automated dashboards, workflows, or digital products that streamline internal operations. 

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills. 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary teams. 

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, research-oriented environment. 

• Ability to obtain a security clearance. 

Desired Qualifications 

• Experience operating independently with minimal supervision while building strong working relationships across teams. 

• Understanding of technical environments or engineering concepts to effectively support scientific research teams. 

• Familiarity with the proposal development process and experience supporting proposal coordination or cost estimation. 

• Superior written and verbal communication skills. 

Global Comp

$70,000 - $95,000 This represents the typical compensation range for this position based on experience, location and other factors.

Closing Statement

  Riverside Research Institute is a not-for-profit, technology-oriented defense company, where service to our customers and support of our staff is our overall mission. Riverside is an affirmative action-equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding recruitment and hiring.  Riverside offers comprehensive compensation and benefit packages to our employees. Riverside bases its employment decisions solely on technical experience, qualifications and other job-related criteria related to our organizational purpose as a not-for-profit company, and without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran’s status or any other status legally protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.