Member of Technical Staff - Data Scientist (DMV, Min. Secret Cleared)

Title of Role: Member of Technical Staff – Data Scientist (Active Clearance Required)

Location: Washington D.C. Metro Area (Hybrid)
Company Stage of Funding: Series C, Venture-Backed
Office Type: Hybrid (Flexible with Required On-Site Visits to SCIFs)
Salary: $150,000 – $220,000 USD

Company Description

Our client is a rapidly growing AI company built on over a decade of research at a leading U.S. university and national research laboratory. Their mission is to revolutionize how critical organizations use artificial intelligence to improve operational readiness, cybersecurity, and data-driven decision-making.

The company’s AI platform powers real-world applications used across defense, aerospace, and cybersecurity sectors, helping mission-driven teams uncover insights and make faster, smarter decisions. They are trusted by both government agencies and enterprise customers to solve some of the nation’s most complex data challenges.

This is a unique opportunity to work on high-impact AI projects that directly shape national mission readiness—while joining a team of exceptional scientists and engineers at the cutting edge of applied machine learning.

What You Will Do

• Develop and deploy production-grade machine learning solutions using the company’s proprietary AI platform.

• Own the full lifecycle of AI model development—from ideation, prototyping, and validation to deployment in secure production environments.

• Collaborate with data engineers, software developers, and government stakeholders to deliver impactful analytical solutions.

• Work hands-on with large-scale, multimodal data including network, cyber, and operational datasets.

• Integrate with big data frameworks (e.g., Databricks, Spark, Dask) to enable scalable and efficient model training and inference.

• Maintain a strong customer focus while communicating complex findings in clear, actionable terms.

Ideal Candidate Background

• 4 years of professional experience in data science or machine learning, with proven success deploying ML models in production environments.

• Strong proficiency in Python and its data ecosystem (pandas, numpy, scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, matplotlib).

• Solid understanding of statistics, model validation, and data preprocessing.

• Hands-on experience with Docker/Kubernetes, Git, and database systems (SQL/NoSQL/Elasticsearch).

• Background in one or more of the following: cyber analytics, PCAP analysis, network monitoring, or vulnerability assessment.

• Experience working in secure, government, or defense-related environments.

• Active U.S. Security Clearance (Secret, TS, or TS/SCI) required.

• Must be located in or near the Washington D.C. / Northern Virginia area with ability to access secure facilities (SCIFs).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading or mentoring other data scientists or engineers.

• Familiarity with big data and streaming frameworks (Spark, Dask, Snowpark, Kafka) and workflow orchestration tools (Airflow, Celery, Prefect).

• Exposure to AI/ML applications in defense, aerospace, or enterprise security.

• Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, or a related technical field from a top U.S. university.

Compensation, Benefits, and Other Details

• Base Salary: $150,000 – $220,000 USD, commensurate with experience.

• Equity: Offered as part of total compensation.

• Benefits: Comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, vision), retirement plan, flexible PTO, and hybrid work flexibility.

• Work Schedule: 40-hour workweek with flexible start and end times (core hours: 10 AM–4 PM).

• Growth Path: Clear opportunities for advancement into Lead Data Scientist or Team Manager roles as the organization scales.

• Travel: Occasional travel to customer sites or company headquarters as needed.

Why Join

• Impactful Mission: Directly support national readiness and security initiatives through applied AI.

• Technical Depth: Work with advanced ML and data visualization technologies grounded in cutting-edge research.

• Career Growth: Accelerated path to leadership within a scaling AI company.

• Collaborative Culture: Join a world-class, mission-driven team of engineers, data scientists, and researchers passionate about real-world AI impact.