Senior Research Scientist
Content + Source + Freshness • 13 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
High potential due to the position's innovative research focus and opportunities for ongoing mentorship and collaboration.
- Involvement in top VR/AR projects and conferences
- Focus on interdisciplinary research and mentorship
- Significant publication opportunities
- Competitive applications due to the high demand
Pros
- Focus on virtual reality and gaming technology
- Strong position for mentorship and collaboration
- Highlight on publication and research grant opportunities
Cons
- Competition can be intense given the popularity of the field
- High workload potentially affects work-life balance
- Demands research at the intersection of various engineering fields
Who it's for
Mid to Senior Researcher • Hybrid/Office
Good fit
- Experienced researchers in VR and AR
- Individuals looking to enhance their publication record
- Mentors who support students in high-tech research
Not recommended for
- Newest PhDs lacking research experience
- Candidates unaware of gaming technology trends
- Individuals focused solely on traditional engineering roles
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
Department: Col of Engineering and Computing
Classification: Research Staff 12-month
Job Category: Research Staff
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Arlington, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship
Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience
Restricted: Yes
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
Conducting sponsored research in the areas of virtual reality, augmented reality, human-computer interaction, gaming technology, and computer graphics.
About the Position:
The Senior Research Scientist mentors students on virtual reality and gaming technology research projects, assisting with technology transfer, and securing research grants in virtual reality.
Responsibilities:
- Mentors students on virtual reality, human-computer interaction, computer graphics, and gaming technology research, targeting at scientific publications in top conferences (e.g., IEEE VR, ACM CHI, ACM SIGGRAPH) and journals (e.g., IEEE TVCG);
- Writes research proposals and secures research grants from NSF, DoD, NIH, NIST, etc.;
- Develops patents and performs technology transfer; and
- Manages virtual reality equipment and tools at the AR/VR Lab at FUSE, assists with technical configurations and troubleshooting.
Required Qualifications:
- Terminal degree in a related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Research publication experience in top virtual reality venues (e.g., ACM CHI, IEEE VR, ACM SIGGRAPH);
- Developing software for sponsored research projects (e.g., NSF projects);
- VR/AR application development skills;
- Unity game engine tool development skills; and
- US permanent residency is required for securing certain research grants from some funding agencies (e.g., DoD).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Unity Certified Professional: Programmer;
- VR/AR development experience with the Unity game engine;
- Developing VR/AR training applications; and
- Stochastic optimization knowledge and implementation skills.
Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for Senior Research Scientist at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a CV and a Transcript for review.
Posting Open Date: October 20, 2025
For Full Consideration, Apply by: November 3, 2025
Open Until Filled: Yes
About the College:
The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CEC enrolled a record high of 10,933 students in fall 2023. The college has 34 undergraduate, master?s and doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of its 320 full-time faculty, 93 are tenured, 77 are tenure-track, 90 are term faculty, and 60 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teams expended $65 million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over $119 million in current and anticipated awards. The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunity for faculty to work with other disciplines.
About the University and the Region:
George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education. The university has campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William County. Its proximity to Washington, D.C. provides unmatched geographical access to federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry. The region is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public school system.
About the Future:
In conjunction with Amazon?s decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing. As a result, Mason has committed to accelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing and high-tech fields. Among the university?s exciting initiatives are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation-a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy-and the expansion of Mason Square home to its Arlington facilities. In 2025, Fuse a new 355,000 square foot building, will open to students, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility will house the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of the-art classrooms, labs, and collaborative spaces. It will also include retail space, and leasing opportunities for local businesses. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by Mason that will rapidly elevate the university?s already leading national position in computing and related areas.
