Agentic AI & Graph Machine Learning Research Engineer

Summary

Research and build agentic AI systems with LLM-powered agents, graph machine learning, and knowledge graphs to improve autonomous decision-making for mission-critical applications.

HRL Laboratories pioneers the next frontiers of physical and information science. Delivering transformative technologies in automotive, aerospace and defense, HRL advances the critical missions of its customers to help them remove limitations and create competitive advantage. HRL then transitions the work back to customers – ready for real-world application. For more than 70 years, HRL’s rich portfolio of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations continues to build on each other — often in unexpected, profound and far-reaching ways. As a private company owned jointly by Boeing and GM, HRL prioritizes purpose over profit, significantly advancing the state of the art.

HRL Laboratories develops robust intelligent systems that deliver adaptable, autonomous performance improvement solutions for complex missions. Our teams advance human-machine synergy, operationalized machine learning models and complex systems analytics and agents to create scalable, secure technologies. We design novel algorithms and mission-ready solutions that strengthen decision making for autonomous and human-guided systems across national security and commercial applications.

Position Summary:

• Lead and conduct research in agentic AI, intelligent decision support, autonomous workflows, and LLM-powered agent architectures integrating memory, planning, tool use, and retrieval
• Design, develop, and evaluate multi-agent systems for distributed decision-making, coordination, communication, and long‑horizon task execution across mission-critical domains and applications
• Build knowledge-enhanced AI systems that integrate structured knowledge sources, including knowledge graphs, GraphRAG pipelines, ontologies, and multimodal retrieval systems to improve reasoning and context awareness
• Develop and apply graph machine learning (GML) and graph representation learning techniques (e.g., GNNs, geometric deep learning) to support pattern discovery, anomaly detection, and predictive analytics
• Develop trustworthy AI systems, including Explainable AI (XAI), Verification & Validation (V&V), robustness testing, uncertainty quantification, and safety assessments for agentic and graph-based AI systems
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, publish high‑quality research, support proposal development, and engage with internal and external stakeholders

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum: M.S. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Applied Mathematics, Network Science, or a related technical field plus 3+ years of relevant industry or research experience in AI/ML
• Strong background in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, generative AI, and multimodal foundation models
• Experience adapting and optimizing foundation models through prompt engineering, supervised fine tuning, parameter efficient fine tuning, preference optimization, model alignment, and inference optimization techniques
• Experience developing LLM powered and agentic AI systems using modern agent frameworks (e.g., LangGraph, AutoGen, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with AI interoperability standards and distributed agent architectures, including Model Context Protocol (MCP), Agent2Agent (A2A), or comparable frameworks for tool integration and multi agent communication
• Hands on experience with graph mining, graph matching, geometric deep learning, and applied GML workflows
• Experience with knowledge graphs, ontologies, graph schemas (e.g., LPG, RDF), graph databases (e.g., Neo4j), and graph query languages (e.g., Cypher)
• Proficiency in Python, PyTorch, and modern software engineering practices (version control, testing, collaborative development)
• Experience with large scale data processing and distributed systems (e.g., Ray, Spark), and optionally real time streaming or online learning pipelines
• Experience deploying scalable AI systems using modern LLMOps/AgentOps, distributed inference, GPU acceleration, model serving frameworks (e.g., vLLM, SGLang), observability, and cloud native infrastructure

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in a relevant technical discipline with research experience in agentic AI, foundation models, graph machine learning, geometric deep learning, autonomous systems, or related areas
• Prior research publications in top tier AI/ML venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, KDD, WWW, AAAI) are highly desirable

Special Requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance

Compensation and Benefits:

• Pay Range:$128,000 - $159,950
• Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location (California). The range
displayed on each job posting reflects the target range for new hire salaries for the position.
Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors,
including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter
can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
• Benefits: HRL offers a generous and very competitive total compensation and benefits
package. Our Regular/Full Time benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance,
401K match, gym facilities, PTO, Sick time, upward mobility, and an exciting and
challenging work environment.

• For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit:

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply
to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At HRL, we are dedicated to building a
diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past
experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you
to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform
pre-employment substance abuse testing.

If you would like more information about Equal Employment Opportunity as an applicant under the
law, please go to Employees & Job Applicants | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
For our privacy policy please visit:

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What this application asks

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Resume/CV, Full name, Pronouns, Email, Phone, Current location, Current company, LinkedIn URL, Twitter URL, GitHub URL, Portfolio URL

Have you ever been employed by HRL Laboratories, LLC: choose one
Are you currently related to any current employees of HRL Laboratories? If Yes, please indicate their name and job title below. Do not include any information relating to marital status. written answer
Were you referred to this role by an HRL Employee? If yes, who? written answer
How did you first hear about HRL? choose one
If you selected Other, Industry Event, HRL Employee, HRL Recruiter or Career Fair; could you briefly describe who and/ or where? written answer · optional
Have you ever had a security clearance? If Yes, give name of employer, clearance level, and inclusive dates: written answer
Are you able to obtain a security clearance? choose one
What are your salary expectations? written answer
This is not a remote role. Are you open to work onsite at HRL? choose one
To comply with U.S. Export Control requirements, U.S. Person status as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 is required. Which of the following best describes your U.S. Person status (C)? choose one
CERTIFICATION STATEMENT Note: All job offers are contingent on your furnishing proof of your authorization to work in the United States. • I certify that all answers and information I have given to the foregoing questions and statements are true and correct, and I authorize HRL Laboratories (“HRL”) to verify them. • Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement applicable to me, I understand and agree that if I become employed by HRL, my employment will be for an indefinite length of time and will be entirely at will; that is, the relationship may be terminated by either HRL or me at any time, with or without cause and with or without prior notice. • I further understand and agree that this statement constitutes the sole and entire agreement between HRL and me concerning the length or nature of my employment with HRL, and it supersedes all prior representations and agreements, if any, concerning this matter and cannot be changed or amended in any respect except in a subsequent writing executed by the President of HRL. • I understand that HRL is a drug free work place and that if I am hired by HRL, I agree to submit to a drug test. • If, upon investigation, anything in this application is found to be untrue, I understand that I will be subject to dismissal at any time during the period of my employment with HRL. • I understand that, if employed by HRL, I may be assigned to a facility or shift at the sole discretion of HRL. • If I accept a position by HRL, I authorize HRL to conduct a background investigation that may include but not limited to past employment, education, and other activities such as my credit, criminal background, civil litigation history and driving record. If I am hired by HRL, I authorize HRL at any time during my employment, to obtain a new background investigation for the purposes of promoting, reassigning, or retaining me as an employee • I understand that HRL Laboratories (HRL) is a limited-liability corporation owned jointly by The Boeing Company and General Motors Corporation choose one

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