National Security AI & Data Scientist — On-Site

University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Security Data and Policy Institute at the University of Virginia seeks a Computational Analytics Researcher to lead applied research in artificial intelligence, data science, and policy-relevant analytics for national security. You will design scalable analytics pipelines, develop ML methods, and publish findings while collaborating with government sponsors and interdisciplinary teams.

This on-site role is based in Charlottesville, VA, offering a one-year term with renewal

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MS/PhD strongly preferred in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, ML, Applied Math, Statistics, Computational Social Science, Engineering, or related quantitative field.
• 5+ years of relevant professional experience; experience developing software with Python and modern software engineering practices; experience applying ML/AI to complex analytical problems; experience managing and analyzing large datasets.
• Ability to obtain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct sponsored research in computational analytics, AI, and data science.
• Develop innovative analytical methodologies using ML, large language models, statistical modeling, optimization, network science, and related techniques.
• Design, implement, and evaluate software prototypes and decision-support tools.
• Integrate structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from multiple sources to support analytic workflows.
• Develop scalable data processing pipelines and analytical frameworks for government-sponsored research.
• Document research findings through technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and sponsor briefings.
• Support development of new research initiatives and engage with sponsors to identify opportunities.
• Collaborate with faculty, research staff, software developers, and subject matter experts across disciplines.

Skills

Python

Machine learning

Data analysis

Software engineering practices

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree

MS or PhD in CS/AI/Math/Engineering

Tools

TensorFlow/PyTorch

Job description

The National Security Data and Policy Institute at the University of Virginia seeks a Computational Analytics Researcher to lead applied research in artificial intelligence, data science, and policy-relevant analytics for national security. You will design scalable analytics pipelines, develop ML methods, and publish findings while collaborating with government sponsors and interdisciplinary teams.

This on-site role is based in Charlottesville, VA, offering a one-year term with renewal