Aptima enters Puerto Rico’s tech ecosystem, is hiring
Aptima, a firm dedicated to human-centered engineering, announced its expansion into Puerto Rico and the immediate hiring for several positions as it ramps up operations.
Founded in 1995, the company’s mission has been focused on optimizing human performance in some of the most challenging mission-critical environments of defense, intelligence, and healthcare.
The company’s expansion into Puerto Rico builds on its work with the U.S. Department of Defense and its research laboratories, in the areas of learning and training, human-machine teaming, and AI, company officials stated.
Immediate plans for Aptima Puerto Rico include hiring for software engineering and data science positions, ranging in experience from junior to team lead levels.
“Puerto Rico has excellent educational resources and talent. And we’re excited to find and keep talent here in Puerto Rico, including those who may have left for the mainland but are looking to come back,” said Carlos A. Suárez, director of operations for Aptima Puerto Rico.
“A native of Puerto Rico, born and bred here, my story may inspire others,” said Suárez. “When I learned of Aptima’s incredible work in human performance, I reached out to their leadership, and we shared a vision. That was to not just to expand here, but to become an integral part of the ecosystem, and to make this a hub of human performance excellence. We want to collaborate with universities and other organizations and create even more opportunities, including internships.”
Aptima’s expertise involves a unique combination of cognitive, behavioral, and organizational scientists, along with engineers in software, AI, and data science. Its work is wide-ranging, from conducting more foundational research, to developing solutions that include cognitive assistants for intel analysts, performance assessment technologies for training, and applications that connect families and healthcare teams to enhance quality of care.
“Our company’s success is built on cultivating big ideas from a thriving and intellectually diverse corporate culture to address some of our society’s biggest problems,” said Thomas J. McKenna, Aptima Puerto Rico’s CFO.
“The addition of Aptima Puerto Rico to our team enhances and expands our ability to both invent new solutions and execute on those new approaches in the real world. That’s why we’re so excited to come to Puerto Rico,” he said.
“In addition to the new Director of Puerto Rico Operations, Carlos Suárez, Aptima Puerto Rico plans to hire a Lead Software Engineer and four other technical staff members consisting of Software Engineers and Research Scientists in 2022, followed by at least six additional technical staff members in 2023,” added McKenna.
The company worked with InvestPR to expand its footprint into Puerto Rico.
“Invest Puerto Rico is proud to welcome Aptima to the island’s ever-growing technology ecosystem. The arrival of companies such as Aptima underscore the island’s capabilities to support and foster next-generation enterprises,” said Ella Woger-Nieves, CEO of Invest Puerto Rico.
“Companies find in Puerto Rico a combination of assets needed to innovate and succeed, such as world-class human capital, evolving infrastructure, a supportive business climate, and smart incentives,” she said.
“We’re proud to have supported Aptima establish their footprint here. Their landing will help strengthen and grow the tech brain trust on the island, while creating high-value jobs,” she said.
With offices and remote workers across mainland US, the company confirmed it is duplicating that model in Puerto Rico, opening a physical office in the San Juan metropolitan area while embracing the flexibility of remote and hybrid work.
Additionally, all job openings across the company will extend to its Puerto Rico operations, it added.
