Data Scientist

Agile Defense; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement benefits

Learning and Development opportunities

Job summary

Agile Defense is looking for a Data Scientist/Engineer to develop scalable, AI-enabled data solutions for the Department of Defense. This role involves shaping data pipelines and collaborating with diverse teams to extract insights from complex data.

Candidates should have at least 4 years of experience in data science and be proficient in Python and SQL, with familiarity in MLOps and cloud platforms.

The position offers a competitive salary range of $130,000 - $155,000 with additional benefits.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in applied data science, machine learning engineering, or data pipeline development.
• Proficient in Python, SQL, and distributed data frameworks.
• Experience developing ML models from training to deployment.

Responsibilities

• Support design, development, and deployment of AI-enabled data solutions.
• Shape and deploy data pipelines and machine learning services.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to transform raw data.

Skills

Applied data science

Machine learning engineering

Data pipeline development

Python

SQL

Spark

Databricks

MLOps

Data visualization

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree with 3 years experience or equivalent

Major certification with 7 years experience or equivalent

Tools

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

XGBoost

MLflow

Tableau

Plotly

Matplotlib

Job description

Requisition #: 1627

Job Title: Data Scientist

Location: Washington, D.C.

Clearance Level: Top Secret / SCI, Must Have Clearance to Start

Job Description

Agile Defense is seeking a Data Scientist / Engineer to support the design, development, and operational deployment of scalable, AI‑enabled data solutions within the Department of Defense’s CDAO ADA IR program. This role is part of a multidisciplinary team integrating advanced analytics, machine learning, and engineering practices into mission‑critical environments at Combatant Commands.

You will help shape and deploy data pipelines, pre‑processing workflows, feature engineering strategies, and machine learning services within secure, containerized environments. The ideal candidate brings a hybrid of statistical modeling fluency and hands‑on software engineering expertise. You will collaborate closely with product managers, full‑stack developers, platform engineers, and mission stakeholders to transform raw data into meaningful insights and decision‑support tools.

This role requires strong technical communication skills, a collaborative mindset, and experience working in agile environments that value reproducibility, testing, and continuous delivery. Familiarity with cloud‑based data platforms such as Databricks, Palantir, or AWS‑native data services is highly preferred.

Education and Background

• A bachelor's degree plus 3 years of recent specialized experience, OR, an associate's degree plus 7 years of recent specialized experience, OR, a major certification plus 7 years of recent specialized experience, OR, 11 years of recent specialized experience

Years of Experience

Depends on educational background and years of work experience.

Required Skills

• 4+ years of experience in applied data science, machine learning engineering, or data pipeline development.
• Proficient in Python, SQL, and distributed data frameworks (e.g., Spark, Databricks, PySpark).
• Experience developing ML models from training to deployment using industry‑standard tools and libraries (e.g., scikit‑learn, TensorFlow, XGBoost, MLflow).

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with MLOps, API development, and secure cloud‑based environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, Palantir Foundry).
• Strong understanding of data validation, model testing, and performance evaluation techniques.
• Experience with data visualization and storytelling using tools such as Tableau, Plotly, or Matplotlib.
• Excellent technical communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to non‑technical audiences.

Working Conditions

• Onsite in a SCIF in the Pentagon.

Salary

$130,000 - $155,000 a year

Benefits

Agile’s benefits offerings include, dependent upon position, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, Holiday Pay, short‑term and long‑term Disability, Retirement and Learning and Development opportunities as well as other optional benefit elections.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Protected Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities

Agile Defense is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, protected veteran, or disability status.