Careers

Build a Lifelong Collaboration with Draper

At Draper, our diverse teams are comprised of engineers, scientists, program managers, and administrative professionals who are dedicated to pioneering solutions that push boundaries. Our technical experts have the opportunity to propose and lead research and development, fostering innovation from within. With 12 locations in the U.S. and more than 2,000 employees, our team comes together as one with collaboration at our core.

View Our Job Openings

Explore Engaging Career Opportunities

Join Our Diverse Team and Make an Impact

It is time to get started on a journey where every day presents new opportunities to collaborate with top-tier talent, drive groundbreaking solutions, and shape the future. Explore our current job openings and discover how you can contribute to meaningful projects that have a global impact.

Prioritizing Employee Benefits as a Top Focus

We recognize that our employees are the backbone of our company and prioritizing their wellbeing is fundamental. To cater to the diverse needs of our workforce, we provide a range of comprehensive benefits. Learn more about each benefit to see how we can provide the best for you.

  • Flexible work options, including hybrid and remote opportunities with supervisor approval
  • Free and confidential services from counseling to legal consultations through our employee assistance program
  • Resources for finding in-person childcare and backup child or elder care are available; a matching subsidy is provided towards your enrollment in the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account.
  • Employees working 20 or more hours per week are eligible for Tuition Assistance for courses that begin on or after the employee's date of hire.
  • With a qualifying grade and leadership approval, an eligible employee is reimbursed up to $5,250 annually for undergraduate programs and up to $20,000 annually for graduate programs. We will reimburse an eligible employee up to $3,000 per year for job-related certificates.

Draper provides benefits for all our campuses where applicable. Learn more about our other office locations here.

  • Draper's Cambridge Campus is located three blocks from the Kendall/MIT station in Cambridge, Massachusetts on the MBTA Red Line, and it has a parking garage. There is a  EZRide shuttle to/from North Station for this campus.
  • Partial subsidy of public transportation passes (e.g., MBTA, bus, light rail, regional rail, streetcar, trolley, subway or ferry) or on-site parking fees.
  • Employees may set aside money on a pre-tax basis for transit and non-Draper parking expenses
  • Hybrid and remote positions are available
  • Relocation packages are offered based on the role
  • Paid vacation time
  • Eligibility for paid parental leave following birth or adoption of a child
  • Paid holidays
  • Generous sick leave
  • Compensation

403B’s pre-tax and ROTH

  • Employees contribute a minimum of 5% of their base salary on a tax-deferred basis, and Draper contributes an amount equal to 10%
    • New plan participants begin with 50% vesting in Draper contributions, earning an additional 10% for every year completed
  • Financial webinars and free access to a financial consultant
  • Supplemental pay may be available for jobs that require poly clearances

This program provides employees with an opportunity to support the nonprofits and causes they are passionate about. We provide matching contributions.

  • We will match up to a certain amount per employee per calendar year for employee donations to eligible charitable organizations
  • Employees have up to eight hours of paid volunteer time each year
  • Auto and homeowner’s insurance
  • Group legal insurance and identity theft insurance
  • Free tutoring
  • Critical illness, accident insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance options
  • Online retail discounts
  • MIT Federal Credit Union membership eligibility
  • Pet insurance
  • Student loan consolidation services
  • Eligibility to use nearby athletic facilities*
  • Use of onsite gym at MIT Athletic facilities
  • ee loan program

* subject to imputed income tax per IRS guidelines

The Transparency in Coverage Final Rules require certain group health plans to disclose on a public website information regarding in-network provider rates and historical out-of-network allowed amounts and billed charges for covered items and services in two separate machine-readable files (MRFs).The MRFs for the benefit package options under the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. Welfare Benefit Plan are linked here. 

If you believe you have been wrongly billed, you may contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services beginning January 1, 2022 at 1-800-985-3059. Visit No Surprises Act for more information about your rights under federal law.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility

Breaking Barriers: Empowering IDEA

We understand that achieving our most challenging goals requires creating an inclusive and diverse environment that respects and celebrates every individual. Our commitment to IDEA is deeply rooted in our values, driving systemic and structural changes for lasting impact.

Learn More About IDEA

Our Facilities Foster Collaboration

We understand collaboration has no bounds, extending across our various locations and resources. Leveraging open-floor plan workspaces to laboratories that support our teams' approach to work, our campuses foster formal and informal collaboration. We regularly upgrade all laboratory facilities, continuously keeping them at the forefront of innovation.

A MEMS engineer testing a MEMS device using a prober in the Microfabrication Lab located at Draper's Cambridge campus.

A microfabrication engineer depositing thin films in a sputter tool in the Microfabrication Lab located at Draper's Cambridge campus.

Engineers in the Microfabrication Lab located at Draper's Cambridge campus.

Engineers integrating real-time hardware for a hardware-in-the-loop simulation in the Model Based Engineering Simulation Lab located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

Engineers developing high quality visual simulations for human-in-the-loop simulation and testing visual based navigation algorithms in the Model Based Engineering Simulation Lab located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

Engineers in the Mechanical and Autonomous Systems Technology Lab located at Draper's Cambridge campus.

A molecular biologist in the synthetic biology room within the Biosafety Level-2 (BSL2-) Biology Lab located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

A biomedical engineer in a mammalian cell culture room within the Biosafety Level-2 (BSL2-) Biology Lab located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

A mammalian cell culture room within the Biosafety Level-2 (BSL2-) Biology Lab located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

Located at Draper’s Cambridge campus, this laser scanning microscope is a confocal system that allows scientists to capture high magnification images of their biological samples. Typically, samples are tagged with fluorescent proteins, which can be imaged for discreet detection of structural and functional markers.

A molecular biologist working at our MiSeq machine made for DNA sequencing in the Synthetic Biology Lab located at Draper's Cambridge campus.

A Biomedical engineer using a precision automated dispensing system to fabricate custom high-density microarrays. This is located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

Pictured is an automated liquid handler robot – we can put tissue-loaded culture plates into the machine and have it automatically change media and process the tissue on the plate. It reduces our labor needs and human error probability and increases our throughput. This is located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

A synthetic biologist working on our protein purification chromatography system in the Synthetic Biology Lab located at Draper's Cambridge campus.

Engineers at our RF Labs located at the Draper St. Petersburg Campus and Cambridge campus.

Engineers at our RF Labs located at the Draper St. Petersburg Campus and Cambridge campus.

The SPECTRE Lab is located at Draper’s Cambridge campus. This lab is for maturation of space avionics systems and subsystem technologies.

A machinist in the Machine Shop located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

Machinists in the Machine Shop located at Draper’s Cambridge campus.

Draper’s newly redone Metrology Lab located at our Cambridge campus. This lab facility ensures the precision required for critical components such as mirrors, lenses, and bearings.

Draper’s newly redone Metrology Lab located at our Cambridge campus. This lab facility ensures the precision required for critical components such as mirrors, lenses, and bearings.

Inspiring All Fields

Small Businesses

We're thrilled to introduce DraperSPARX, a unique initiative aimed at bolstering national defense by integrating cutting-edge technology from small businesses and startups into the Department of Defense (DoD) and other U.S. Government agencies.

Learn About DraperSPARX™

Scholars

The Draper Scholars Program empowers students to advance their fields through their graduate thesis research while contributing to solutions for national security challenges.

More About Draper Scholars Program

Students

Our cooperative education and internship program allows undergraduates and graduates to gain hands-on experience in world-class research and development facilities.

More About Student Opportunities

Service Members

Full-time internship opportunities across multiple departments are available to active service members to help them transition from military to civilian lifestyles.

More About Service Member Opportunities

Upcoming Events

The Chemical and Biological Defense Science & Technology (CBD S&T) Conference

NSBE – National Society of Black Engineers