Lead Data Scientist - TS/SCI

maxar; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Vantor is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to design and lead an advanced analytics capability supporting pattern recognition, anomaly detection, and predictive analytics in a UTS environment. The role requires a TS/SCI clearance and on-site work in Herndon, VA.

Lead the technical vision, engage with mission partners, and mentor the team while delivering robust analytical solutions across data science and data engineering workflows.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong coding proficiency in Python and SQL with production-quality code.
• Hands-on experience with ML libraries and automation tools.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly in writing and speech.
• Must be able to work on-site in Herndon, VA.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical execution of the analytics program and project roadmap.
• Define overall AI/ML architecture and feature engineering strategy.
• Guide supervised, unsupervised, and deep learning development.
• Oversee graph analytics, causal inference, and explainable AI.
• Mentor staff and present findings to Government leadership.
• Automate data workflows using Python, SQL, and ETL tools.

Skills

Python

SQL

Machine Learning

Technical leadership

Data manipulation

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science / Data Science / Applied Mathematics / Physics / OR / Engineering

Tools

scikit-learn

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Spark

Hadoop

ETL tools

Job description

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what's happening now and shape what's coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters-where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

This position requires an active U.S. Government Security Clearance at the TS/SCI level with CI polygraph.

Project : The team will design, develop, validate, and demonstrate an integrated analytical capability supporting pattern recognition, anomaly detection, predictive analytics, agent-based modeling (ABM) or equivalent, and decision support in a Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance (UTS) environment. The effort will enhance Joint Force survivability by enhancing the characterization of the UTS threat and providing a mission-agnostic risk-management tool for commanders and operators to utilize across the spectrum of conflict. The enterprise will leverage this analysis and these tools to increase isolated personnel (IP) survivability by enhancing evasion training, planning, and execution, while bolstering force protection for PR task forces.

The Lead Data Scientist serves as the technical authority for development of an advanced analytics capability supporting pattern recognition, anomaly detection, predictive analytics, graph analytics, agent-based modeling, and operational decision support. This individual leads the technical vision, ensures scientific rigor, oversees machine learning development, and guides the successful transition of analytical capabilities into operational environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical execution of the analytics program. Provide technical vision, strategy, and leadership for the project roadmap and execution.
• Define overall AI/ML architecture.
• Lead feature engineering strategy.
• Guide supervised, unsupervised, and deep learning development.
• Direct graph analytics and causal inference activities.
• Lead explainable AI implementation.
• Oversee validation methodology.
• Mentor technical staff.
• Present technical findings to Government leadership.
• Support transition planning.
• Automate and maintain data extraction, cleaning, processing, and analysis workflows using Python, SQL, and ETL tools under established best practices.
• Process and analyze structured and unstructured datasets using big data or cloud-native frameworks (e.g., Spark, Hadoop, or managed cloud services).
• Develop, test, and evaluate predictive models and statistical analyses to support mission-focused use cases.
• Contribute to end-to-end data science and data engineering workflows, from data preparation and feature engineering through model development and results delivery, with guidance from senior team members as needed.
• Write clear, well-structured documentation of methods, assumptions, and results; assist with briefings or presentations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with data scientists, engineers, analysts, and mission partners to refine requirements and iterate solutions.

Minimum Qualifications

• US Citizen and must have an active TS/SCI clearance, with ability to obtain CI Poly.
• 12+ years of relevant experience. Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Operations Research, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Strong technical leadership experience, to include project roadmap development.
• Strong coding proficiency in Python and SQL, with experience writing production-quality, maintainable code; working knowledge of R is a plus.
• Hands-on experience with data manipulation, feature engineering, machine learning libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow), and automation tools.
• Experience AI/ML programs.
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts and analytical results in writing and verbally.
• Must be able to work on-site in Herndon, Va.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with agent-based modeling.
• Experience supporting operational environments and/or Government R&D projects.

Pay Transparency

Starting pay for this role will fall within the listed range and will be based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, location, and market conditions. Candidates who meet the min