Associate Principal Data Scientist

HiLabs Inc.; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 171,000 - 209,000; Full time

Job summary

HiLabs Inc. in Bethesda, MD seeks a seasoned Lead Data Scientist to steer data science programs from strategy to execution. You will guide ML/AI initiatives over large datasets, ensure scalable deployment, and align outcomes with business goals.

Expect mentoring, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership of critical research portfolios. The role requires 7+ years in data science or related IT fields (5+ years with a Master’s) and hands-on Python or Scala with ML frameworks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS / Data Science / Math / Engineering or related field; Master’s accepted.
• 7 years of progressively responsible data science/ML analytics experience; 5 years with a Master’s.
• 3+ years Python or Scala plus ML frameworks and statistical modeling.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee data science initiatives to transform raw data into meaningful insights.
• Design and implement ML/AI solutions aligned with business goals and scalable systems.
• Provide strategic guidance on deployment, performance, and governance of data products.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to define data strategy, priorities, and measurable outcomes.
• Mentor and evaluate a team of data scientists, manage resources and career development.
• Plan projects, allocate resources, and ensure timely, high-quality delivery.
• Oversee research, validate data, and guide portfolio ownership with stakeholder communication.
• Establish standards for quality, governance, scalability, and compliance.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and drive adoption aligned with company goals.

Skills

Python

Scala

ML frameworks

Statistical modeling

Data strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Data Science / Statistics / Mathematics / Engineering

Master's degree accepted

Tools

Hadoop

Spark

GCP

AWS

Job description

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee data science initiatives involving large and complex datasets to support business strategy and organizational objectives to implement techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and/or visualization software.
• Direct the design, development, and implementation of machine learning and AI solutions, using big data technologies, ensuring alignment with business requirements.
• Provide strategic guidance on deployment frameworks, scalability, and performance optimization of data-driven solutions.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to define data strategy, priorities, and measurable outcomes.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate a team of data scientists and related professionals, including assigning work, reviewing deliverables, and supporting career development.
• Manage project planning, resource allocation, and execution of data science programs to ensure timely and high-quality delivery.
• Oversee research initiatives by guiding problem identification, approach selection, and data validation methodologies, ensuring alignment with business needs.
• Manage ownership of key product areas or research portfolios, including stakeholder communication, risk management, and outcome delivery.
• Establish and enforce standards for quality, governance, scalability, and compliance across all data science solutions.
• Provide strategic leadership by evaluating emerging technologies and recommending adoption in line with organizational goals.

Desired Profile

• Education: Bachelor's or equivalent in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering (any field), or a related field. (Alternatively, a Master's degree in the above-stated fields is accepted).
• Experience: Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in data science, machine learning, advanced analytics, or related IT roles. If holding a Master's degree, five (5) years of experience in the above-stated occupations is required.
• Programming & Machine Learning: 3 years of experience using Python or Scala and in machine learning frameworks and statistical modeling.
• Big Data & Cloud: 3 months of experience with big data technologies Hadoop, Spark, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and AWS.
• (All experience/skills may be acquired concurrently)

Location and Compensation

• Location: 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Floor 9, Bethesda, MD 20814.
• Rate of Pay: $190,000.00/year.