Data Scientist

Econometrica, Inc.; Bethesda (MD); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plan

Vision/dental coverage

401(k) program

Team social events

Job summary

Econometrica, Inc. is a Bethesda-based research and analytics firm delivering high-quality economic and analytical services. We seek a Data Scientist to design, implement, and maintain AI systems for federal-related fraud detection, working with a multidisciplinary team.

You will develop models, integrate NLP, and present findings to technical and non-technical audiences while operating in Azure/AWS/GCP environments. Remote option available, with office in Bethesda.

Qualifications

• Five or more years designing and maintaining advanced AI systems and predictive models.
• Five or more years developing analytic rules and models with leading analytic tools.
• Five or more years developing regression/classification models to identify anomalies and predictive variables.
• Three or more years supporting data for criminal investigations into fraud or misuse of funds.
• Three or more years manipulating data in Python with Pandas.
• Three or more years working in a modern cloud environment (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Two or more years conducting advanced data analysis in SQL (SQL Server and PostgreSQL).
• Two or more years developing and scaling NLP solutions.
• Two or more years presenting methods and findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain advanced AI systems and predictive models to identify fraud or non-compliance.
• Develop and test regression, classification, Bayesian, clustering, and ensemble models on large datasets.
• Perform data quality analyses and build repeatable data integration processes.
• Collaborate with investigators to support fraud investigations while following procedures for protected information.
• Integrate NLP techniques (OCR, semantic similarity, LLMs) to analyze unstructured text.
• Manipulate data with Python and Pandas for ML workflows.
• Create visualizations and dashboards to communicate model outcomes to stakeholders.
• Document methodology, tests, and production models for evidentiary purposes.

Skills

Python

Pandas

SQL

NLP

Power BI

Cloud platforms

Education

Master's or PhD in data science or related

Tools

Azure Synapse Analytics

Azure Machine Learning

Azure Data Lake Storage

OCR

Job description

Data Scientist

Full-time

Bethesda Office - Bethesda, MD 20814 US (Primary)
Remote (Virtual) - US - US

Job Description

About Econometrica, Inc.

Econometrica, Inc., is a research and management organization committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective economic and analytical services for clients in the private and public sectors. Since its founding in 1998, Econometrica has been involved in complex, high-profile contracts for numerous Federal departments and agencies in the healthcare, education, transportation, energy, housing, and finance sectors. Econometrica specializes in research, econometric, analytical, and technical support for our clients, with an emphasis on data science, data analytics, statistics, economic analyses, and program implementation and evaluation services.

The Opportunity

Econometrica is seeking an experienced Data Scientist to support advanced data analytics services for various Federal agencies. The selected candidate will work alongside a multidisciplinary team of data scientists, data engineers, and stakeholders to design, implement, and maintain fraud identification methods and communicate results to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Tasks may include the following:

• Designing, implementing, and maintaining advanced AI systems and predictive models to identify financial fraud, improper payments, or non-compliance.
• Developing and testing regression, classification, Bayesian, clustering, and ensemble models to identify anomalies, patterns, and predictive variables within large, complex datasets.
• Performing data quality analysis on source tables to identify abnormalities or inconsistencies and developing repeatable processes for efficiently combining and analyzing large, structured and unstructured data sources.
• Collaborating closely with criminal investigators to determine and execute analytical strategies supporting fraud investigations, while adhering to federal rules of criminal procedure governing protected information.
• Integrating and scaling natural language processing (NLP) techniques - including OCR, semantic similarity algorithms, and large language models to parse, clean, and analyze large corpora of unstructured or semi-structured text.
• Manipulating and preparing data using Python and Pandas, including aggregating, merging, partitioning, and reshaping datasets in preparation for machine learning workflows.
• Developing visualizations and dashboards to demonstrate methodological choices, outcomes, and predictive capabilities of machine learning models, and iteratively incorporating end-user feedback.
• Documenting methodology, test models, and production models in compliance with evidentiary and recordkeeping requirements and preparing plain-language reports and executive summaries for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Working within modern cloud environments (Azure, AWS, or GCP) and coordinating with the Data Engineering team to ensure system architecture efficiently supports deployed machine learning models.
• Creating programming and automation techniques (e.g., using Python, SQL, Power BI, Power Apps, and SharePoint) to improve analytic efficiency and expand the scope of analysis and reporting.

Education and Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience:

• Five (5) or more years of hands-on experience designing, implementing, and maintaining advanced AI systems and predictive models, including both supervised and unsupervised methods.
• Five (5) or more years of hands-on experience developing analytic rules and models using leading-edge analytic tools and best practices.
• Five (5) or more years of hands-on experience developing regression, classification, and other statistical models to identify anomalies, patterns, and predictive variables.
• Three (3) or more years of hands-on experience providing data support for criminal investigations into financial fraud or abuse of government funds.
• Three (3) or more years of hands-on experience manipulating data in Python, with required proficiency in Pandas.
• Three (3) or more years of hands-on experience working in a modern cloud environment (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Two (2) or more years of hands-on experience conducting advanced data analysis in SQL (SQL Server and PostgreSQL).
• Two (2) or more years of hands-on experience developing and scaling NLP solutions.
• Two (2) or more years of hands-on experience presenting methods and findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, orally and in written products and visualizations.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team setting and to develop effective relationships with clients, consultants, and contractors.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain public trust security clearance.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• Experience integrating large language models (LLMs) and generative AI tools into analytics workflows.
• Experience developing production-grade machine-learning workflows, including model validation, calibration, monitoring, versioning, retraining, and documentation.
• Experience with Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Machine Learning, and Azure Data Lake Storage.
• Certifications in cloud architecture, data science, machine learning, or related disciplines (Azure preferred).
• Experience creating Power BI dashboards, visualizations, network graphs, interactive maps, or other forms of analytical storytelling.
• Experience working on projects in a consulting environment, particularly supporting audits, investigations, or federal law enforcement.

Additional requirements for the position could involve occasional travel relevant to the responsibilities noted above.

Education

Master's or doctorate-level degree in data science, machine learning, computer science, mathematics, or a related field; OR ten (10) years of applied work experience in one of the same fields.

• Being part of a dynamic research group that continues to grow.
• Company-sponsored healthcare plan and optional vision/dental coverage.
• Excellent training and development opportunities.
• 401(k) program.
• Organized social activities.

This position is remote, though candidates may choose to work in Econometrica's office.

The office is located at a Metro stop in beautiful downtown Bethesda, MD, within walking distance of great restaurants and local fare. We have a typical office setting with a quiet to moderate noise level.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Other instructions and related duties may be assigned by the employee’s supervisor.

Econometrica, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE), and we seek to create an inclusive workplace that embraces diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives.