Top 10 Companies Hiring AI Engineers in Albuquerque, NM in 2026

Table of Contents

• The Bedrock of Albuquerque's AI Ecosystem
• Sandia National Laboratories
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Intel
• RS21
• General Dynamics Information Technology
• Riverside Research Institute
• Indica Labs
• The Chemours Company
• CACI
• University of New Mexico
• Frequently Asked Questions

Sandia National Laboratories

As the anchor institution of the region's tech ecosystem, Sandia National Laboratories defines the "high-consequence" ethos of Albuquerque's AI landscape. Engineers here tackle national security challenges - from nuclear nonproliferation to climate modeling - with an immense commitment to "trustworthy AI", ensuring models are reliable, interpretable, and secure within high-performance computing environments.

The culture is deeply research-driven and mission-focused. Employees frequently cite strong mentorship and exposure to brilliant peers as key benefits, with reviews noting a work-life balance rating of 4.5/5, though some acknowledge bureaucratic hurdles inherent to large federal institutions. The technical environment is formidable, utilizing some of the world's most powerful supercomputers and a stack centered on Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and C++.

Compensation reflects the critical nature of the work. According to detailed reports on Levels.fyi, salaries for AI and software roles at Sandia range from $120k for entry-level positions to over $187k for Principal roles. Securing a position requires navigating a multi-stage panel interview, as outlined in the lab's own interviewing instructions, and obtaining a DOE Q or L security clearance - a standard gateway to the region's most impactful work.

Los Alamos National Laboratory

While based north in Los Alamos, LANL represents the pure-science pillar of New Mexico's AI landscape and is a major employer for Albuquerque-based talent. The focus is unapologetically on "AI for Science" - employing machine learning to crack fundamental problems in physics, computational biology, and material science discovery, often using deep learning frameworks like PyTorch on massive GPU clusters.

The environment is that of a premier, intellectually intense research institution, offering significant freedom to pursue blue-sky research. The interview process mirrors this academic rigor, involving technical talks and deep dives into research fit, as detailed in their application guidelines. Like Sandia, a DOE security clearance is a standard requirement for most technical roles.

Compensation is competitive with the national lab system. For Research Scientists, salaries are estimated between $97k and $157k, with senior principal roles capable of exceeding $200k, according to regional salary data. For AI engineers and scientists motivated by foundational discovery over commercial product cycles, LANL offers an environment nearly without parallel.

Intel

Intel's massive Rio Rancho campus offers a unique vantage point in the Albuquerque ecosystem: the direct intersection of AI software and the silicon that powers it. Work here focuses on optimizing frameworks like OpenVINO and oneAPI for Intel's latest chips, with substantial applied projects ranging from computer vision for semiconductor manufacturing quality control to AI-driven fab process optimization.

The culture carries the scale and resources of a global semiconductor leader, with the Rio Rancho site specifically known for its technical depth in hardware-software co-design. The interview process typically involves a phone screen followed by technical rounds covering ML theory and coding, as commonly reported in interview experiences from candidates. A key differentiator is that roles here often do not require a security clearance, providing a major alternative career path within the region's tech landscape.

Salaries at the Rio Rancho facility are robust, reflecting the specialized nature of the work. According to compensation data, Software and AI Engineers can expect estimated earnings ranging from $129k to $188k. This makes Intel an ideal setting for engineers fascinated by the full stack of AI, from developing sophisticated algorithms to understanding the transistors that ultimately execute them.

RS21

A homegrown Albuquerque success story, RS21 exemplifies the dynamic, private-sector side of the local AI ecosystem. This data science and AI company specializes in making complex, high-stakes data "beautiful and actionable" for clients in defense, space situational awareness, and healthcare, often through building generative AI platforms and advanced analytics dashboards.

The culture is agile, design-focused, and carries a product-centric feel within New Mexico's mission-driven context. Industry rankings highlight RS21 as a top firm that uses AI to "empower organizations to make data-driven decisions that positively impact the world". Their projects leverage a modern stack including Python, AWS SageMaker, and LLM orchestration frameworks like LangChain, applying startup pace and creativity to large-scale, meaningful problems.

For AI platform developers and data scientists, compensation at RS21 is competitive within the local market, with salaries ranging from $130k to $175k. The interview process typically involves a technical assessment, such as a take-home project, followed by system design discussions. As an employer featured in analyses of top AI companies in Albuquerque, RS21 represents a compelling path for those seeking impactful work with a faster iteration cycle than the national labs.

General Dynamics Information Technology

For AI engineers drawn to large-scale federal IT and cyber infrastructure, General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) is a major employer in the region. The work involves building the AI backbone for government systems, including anomaly detection for cyber defense and large-scale data integration platforms for federal agencies, utilizing enterprise-grade cloud-native AI services and secure ML platforms.

The culture is defined by system-level thinking and strict adherence to security protocols and federal compliance standards. Interviews heavily emphasize system architecture and a practical understanding of security frameworks, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the work. These roles frequently require a Top Secret security clearance, aligning with the sector's demand for trusted personnel.

Compensation reflects the seniority and clearance levels required. According to regional hiring data and salary aggregators like Glassdoor, salaries for AI/ML roles in this sector at GDIT can reach an estimated $147k to $229k. This path is designed for engineers who see AI not as a product feature, but as a critical, load-bearing component of national infrastructure.

Riverside Research Institute

Riverside Research Institute operates in a highly specialized niche within Albuquerque's AI ecosystem: hardware-accelerated AI at the edge. Their projects involve real-time signal processing and embedding machine learning directly into Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and other specialized hardware for critical aerospace and defense applications.

This is a role for true specialists, requiring a demanding tech stack that blends FPGA design, C++, and Python for hardware/software co-design. The culture is one of deep technical collaboration on cutting-edge, low-level optimization problems, often in direct support of intelligence and defense missions. As evidenced in their specific job listings, this work typically requires an active security clearance.

Compensation for these rare skill sets reflects their uniqueness and is often structured on an hourly basis. Specialized FPGA AI engineering roles in this domain command premium rates, reported to be between $100 and $115 per hour. This path represents one of the most technically specific and hardware-intensive AI careers available in the region, focusing on the foundational layer where algorithms meet physical compute.

Indica Labs

Based in Albuquerque, Indica Labs applies AI where it has immediate, life-saving impact: medical diagnostics. The company specializes in computer vision for digital pathology, creating AI models that assist pathologists in detecting diseases like cancer from medical imagery, representing a vital healthcare application within the region's tech landscape.

The work requires deep knowledge of image processing theory and a tech stack combining Python, C++, and proprietary analysis engines. The culture uniquely merges the precision of software engineering with the tangible mission of healthcare, offering engineers the clear purpose of knowing their model could directly influence a patient's diagnosis.

The interview process reflects this specialized focus, with an emphasis on algorithm design and principles of medical imaging. For AI engineers in this biomedical niche, salaries at Indica Labs provide competitive compensation within the healthcare tech sector, ranging from $86k to $134k. This path, highlighted among AI engineering opportunities in Albuquerque, offers a compelling alternative for those dedicated to using their skills for direct, positive impact on human health.

The Chemours Company

Industrial AI represents a growing frontier in New Mexico, and The Chemours Company brings this specialization to the region's manufacturing sector. AI work here focuses on optimizing massive chemical production processes through predictive maintenance, supply chain logistics, and advanced process control, applying models to time-series data from industrial IoT sensors.

The culture is that of a large-scale industrial operator where reliability, safety, and efficiency are paramount. Engineers solve complex optimization problems with tangible impacts on physical production output, using a tech stack that includes Python, SQL, and industrial data platforms. Interviews would logically test a candidate's grasp of predictive modeling theory and system design for robust industrial environments.

Compensation for these applied roles is competitive within the industrial tech sector. For senior AI application engineers focused on manufacturing and logistics optimization, salaries are estimated between $110k and $160k. This path, visible in broader searches for AI engineering roles in New Mexico, is ideal for those interested in the concrete application of AI to the physical world of manufacturing.

CACI

CACI's presence in the Albuquerque region focuses on a uniquely specialized domain: applying AI to the electromagnetic spectrum. Projects involve machine learning for signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic warfare, and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) - areas critical to modern defense and aerospace operations.

The work involves solving complex, "invisible" problems, using AI to interpret and act upon intricate signal data. The tech stack includes Python, specialized radio frequency (RF) libraries, and ML models specifically tailored for signal detection and classification. The culture is deeply technical, requiring both curiosity and expertise in the intersection of physics, wireless signals, and machine learning.

As with most defense-focused roles in the area, these positions typically require a security clearance. Salaries for AI engineers in this domain are broad, reflecting varying levels of seniority and specialization, with a range from $72k to $150k. For engineers fascinated by this critical niche, CACI represents a key player, as seen among the array of Albuquerque's defense-focused AI positions.

University of New Mexico

The University of New Mexico serves as the indispensable intellectual core and talent engine for Albuquerque's entire AI ecosystem. For professionals drawn to the freedom of academic inquiry, UNM's research spans robotics, bioinformatics, cognitive science, and more, conducted by faculty and research staff using tools like PyTorch and the university's own high-performance computing clusters.

The culture is fundamentally distinct from corporate or national lab environments, prioritizing publication, exploratory research, and student mentorship over product deadlines. The interview process is academic in nature, typically involving presentations of past research and assessments of long-term scholarly fit. This environment offers a variable pace focused on advancing the state of the art.

As such, compensation for staff research positions aligns with academic scales, which are typically lower than industry. According to regional salary data, these roles often range from $70k to $110k, with faculty salaries varying. UNM's true value lies in its foundational role: it is the cornerstone for blue-sky research and talent development, continuously fueling the region's specialized, high-consequence AI sector with new ideas and trained professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions