Data Scientist

Northeastern University; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 87,785 - 123,998; Full time

Job summary

Northeastern University is seeking a Data Scientist for a full-time, one-year term position at the Roux Institute in Portland, Maine. This role involves supporting AI and data science projects with responsibilities in data analysis, model development, and client collaboration. Candidates should have a Master's degree in a related field and up to two years of experience. The expected hiring range is $87,785.00 - $123,998.75 annually, aligning with industry standards.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or relevant field.
• 0-2 years of experience in data science or machine learning, including internships.
• Familiarity with ethical AI principles.

Responsibilities

• Perform data cleaning, exploratory data analysis, and feature engineering.
• Train and evaluate machine learning models under supervision.
• Communicate analytical findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Statistical methods

Regression analysis

Hands-on machine learning

Data analysis with Python

SQL

Machine learning frameworks

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

NumPy

pandas

scikit-learn

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

Data Scientist

Full‑time, one‑year term appointment with possibility of renewal. Position is in‑person at Northeastern's Roux Institute in Portland, Maine.

The Data Scientist at the AI Solutions Hub (AISH), the delivery arm of Northeastern University's Experiential AI Institute, supports the development and delivery of AI and data science solutions across diverse industries. The role is designed for early‑career data scientists who will work under the guidance of senior data scientists, AI engineers, and faculty leads. Responsibilities include data analysis, feature engineering, model development, evaluation, and documentation, while progressively gaining exposure to production systems, client‑facing work, and modern AI practices across Predictive AI and Generative AI use cases.

Education & Experience

• Master's degree (required) or Ph.D. (optional) in Computer Science, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or a closely related field.
• 0‑2 years of industry, research, or applied project experience in data science or machine learning.
• Experience gained through internships, co‑ops, academic research, or applied capstone projects is acceptable.
• Industry experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Technical and Analytical Foundations

• Solid understanding of statistical methods, regression, hypothesis testing, and basic experimental design.
• Hands‑on experience with classical machine learning methods such as linear / logistic regression, decision trees, and gradient boosting.
• Familiarity with deep learning concepts and modern architectures (e.g., convolutional neural networks or transformers); deep specialization is not required.
• Exposure to generative AI concepts and large language models (LLMs) is a plus.
• Proficiency in Python for data analysis and model development (NumPy, pandas, scikit‑learn).
• Working knowledge of SQL and relational databases.
• Familiarity with at least one ML or deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, HuggingFace).

Model Development and Delivery Support

• Perform data cleaning, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and feature engineering.
• Train, evaluate, and compare machine learning models under supervision.
• Assist with model validation, performance monitoring, and documentation.
• Contribute to ML pipelines and collaborate with ML engineers on deployment‑related tasks.

Collaboration and Communication

• Ability to clearly communicate analytical findings to technical and non‑technical audiences with guidance.
• Collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams including data scientists, engineers, project managers, and faculty experts.
• Willingness to participate in client meetings in a supporting role.

Preferred Experience

• Exposure to NLP, computer vision, or speech processing through coursework or academic/industry projects.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Understanding of software development best practices such as version control (Git) and Agile workflows.

Values & Professional Attributes

Ethical and Responsible AI

• Awareness of ethical AI principles including fairness, transparency, and responsible model use.
• Willingness to follow established governance, documentation, and review practices.

Learning and Growth Mindset

• Strong curiosity and motivation to learn new tools, techniques, and AI methods.
• Openness to feedback and mentorship.

Execution and Ownership

• Ability to manage assigned tasks, meet deadlines, and maintain high‑quality work.
• Proactive attitude and willingness to take increasing responsibility over time.

Position type: Research.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 111S

Expected Hiring Range: $87,785.00 - $123,998.75