Senior Data Scientist / AI Engineer

Bechtel Corporation; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 123,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Bechtel Corporation is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to lead end-to-end AI/ML initiatives within the AI Delivery Team. You will steer architecture, deployment, and MLOps while collaborating with cross-functional teams across large EPC programs.

You will mentor others and ensure Responsible AI, governance, and cost controls. The role requires on-site presence at Reston, VA at least three days per week, with telework as part-time arrangement.

Qualifications

• Deep, hands-on expertise across a range of ML and advanced statistical techniques (NLP, CV, DL).
• Strong Python programming with AI/ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, scikit-learn).
• Proven end-to-end delivery of production-grade models and pipelines in an enterprise setting.
• Hands-on cloud experience (Azure AI/ML) and big-data tooling (Databricks, Kafka).

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of end-to-end AI/ML solutions for cross-functional problems.
• Define architecture and select algorithms, features, and validation strategies.
• Own deployment, CI/CD, observability, and cost optimization with SLOs.
• Design systems to consolidate unstructured data at scale with governance and reproducibility.
• Mentor data scientists and coordinate a delivery team across partners.

Skills

AI/ML systems

NLP/Computer Vision

Python

MLOps/CI-CD

Azure

Data engineering

Stakeholder comms

Education

Bachelor's degree (or international equivalent)

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Keras

scikit-learn

Databricks

Azure Data Factory

Kafka

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

• Relocation Authorized: National - Family
• Telework Type: Part-Time Telework
• Work Location: Reston, VA
• Salary Range: $123,400 - $178,500 annually (salary range is based on market data; final salary offered is determined by education, experience, and qualifications of the applicant.)

Job Summary

For more than a century, Bechtel has paired the best available tools with deep expertise to take on the world's greatest engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) challenges. Today that throughline runs through EPC Transformation: embedding AI, robotics, and digital tools into live project environments and scaling them across our global portfolio.As a Senior Data Scientist on the AI Delivery Team, you will lead the design and delivery of end-to-end AI and machine learning solutions that span programs and products — setting technical direction for complex initiatives, architecting scalable data and ML systems, and owning deployment, MLOps, and Responsible AI so models meet enterprise standards for performance, security, governance, and cost. Combining a century of Bechtel data and proven processes with some of the most powerful technologies our industry has ever seen, you will turn cross-functional ambiguity into decision-grade outcomes that improve EPC schedule, cost, and planning — productivity gains felt on real projects and on the jobsite. Beyond the technical work, you will lead and support the full delivery team, manage project stakeholders, and keep leadership informed through clear, regular updates, while mentoring data scientists and raising the bar for technical quality.

This role requires working in person at least three days per week at our Reston, VA or Houston, TX office.

Who You Are

• You want to take on Bechtel's most complex EPC challenges, applying AI at enterprise scale to work that shapes skylines, power grids, and communities around the world.
• You are an advanced contributor who sets technical direction, handles ambiguous, diverse-scope problems creatively, and raises the bar for quality and delivery.
• You are deeply engaged in emerging technologies: generative AI, deep learning, agentic and retrieval-based systems — and you advance solutions pragmatically, where they create the most value.
• You translate cross-functional ambiguity into decision-grade outcomes, communicating trade-offs and risks clearly to senior stakeholders and SMEs.
• You mentor and coach other data scientists, champion Responsible AI, and help shape the future of data science at Bechtel, building on a century of data and proven processes to move the company and the industry forward.

Major Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of end-to-end AI/ML solutions for complex, cross-functional problems — from big-data pipelines to production model integration —interfacing directly with stakeholders, SMEs, and product teams to ensure alignment and measurable impact.
• Set technical direction and guide solution architecture for scalable data and ML systems; advise on algorithm selection, feature engineering, and statistical rigor.
• Champion cutting-edge AI methods, including generative AI, retrieval, and reinforcement learning, and apply them pragmatically to deliver robust, scalable, Responsible- AI-aligned solutions.
• Own deployment, CI/CD, observability, and optimization; implement monitoring for performance, drift, safety, privacy, and cost with actionable SLOs and alerts.
• Design and operate systems that consolidate unstructured data at scale, ensuring data quality, lineage, governance, and reproducibility across the lifecycle.
• Drive cross-functional discovery of high-value opportunities and synthesize insights into strategic recommendations, including EPC schedule, cost, and planning where applicable. Institutionalize Responsible AI controls (fairness, explainability, privacy) and coordinate with Security, Legal, and Compliance to meet enterprise standards.
• Ensure the security of agentic and AI solutions, staying current on emerging threats, risks, and mitigations; verifying solutions comply with Bechtel’s rigorous security standards; and contributing to the development and evolution of those standards.
• Define success metrics tied to business outcomes, run rigorous experiments, and communicate trade-offs and decisions to senior stakeholders.
• Lead and support the full delivery team building the solution, providing technical direction, unblocking the team, and coordinating work across data scientists, data engineers, and software partners.
• Own stakeholder management for the initiative, aligning expectations, surfacing risks and trade-offs early, and writing regular status updates and briefings for leadership.
• Coach and upskill the team, standardizing patterns, templates, and review practices, and performing design and model reviews to raise technical quality.
• Stay at the forefront of advances in AI, ML, and deep learning, bringing innovative, jobsite-ready solutions to the organization.

Education And Experience Requirements

Requires bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) and 8-10 years of relevant experience or 12-14 years of relevant work experience

Required Knowledge And Skills

• Deep, hands-on expertise across a range of machine learning and advanced statistical techniques, including NLP, computer vision, and deep learning.
• Strong Python programming with advanced proficiency in AI/ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, or scikit-learn).
• Proven end-to-end delivery of production-grade models and pipelines in an enterprise environment with large-scale AI deployments.
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (particularly Azure AI/ML) and big-data processing (Databricks, Azure Data Factory, or Kafka).
• Strong MLOps practice: CI/CD for model deployment, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), versioning, and monitoring performance, drift, and cost.
• Solid data engineering foundation — ETL pipelines and SQL/NoSQL databases — with the ability to own data preparation, feature engineering, and validation at scale.
• Experience with LLMs and generative AI, and a working command of data privacy, security, and AI ethics in enterprise applications.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with a track record of translating complex AI work into measurable business outcomes.
• Able to present a documented, end-to-end data-science solution you developed or co-developed.

Preferred

• Strong Python programming with advanced proficiency in AI/ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, or scikit-learn).
• Certifications in AI/ML (e.g., Azure AI Engineer Associate, AWS Certified Machine Learning).
• Experience with streaming data from IoT devices and sensors, and ML applications in asset performance management and digital twins.
• Experience mentoring data scientists and leading design and model reviews.
• Familiarity with knowledge graphs, agent-based AI systems, and predictive analytics applied to EPC project execution.

Hands On Experience

• Machine learning or AI systems running in production and serving real users.
• Microsoft Foundry, formerly Azure AI Foundry, and the Azure AI platform.
• Building and operating data and machine learning workloads on Databricks.
• The deployment and operation of machine learning systems.
• Building and operating generative AI agents on Databricks.
• Guiding the technical work of other data scientists or engineers.

Total Rewards/Benefits

For decades, Bechtel has worked to inspire the next generation of employees and beyond! Because our teams face some of the world's toughest challenges, we offer robust benefits to ensure our people thrive. Whether it is advancing careers, delivering programs to enhance our culture, or providing time to recharge, Bechtel has the benefits to build a legacy of sustainable growth. Learn more at Bechtel Total Rewards.

Diverse Teams Build The Extraordinary

As a global company, Bechtel has long been home to a vibrant multitude of nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, and life experiences. This diversity has made us a more trusted partner, more effective problem solvers and innovators, and a more attractive destination for leading talent.

We are committed to being a company where every colleague feels that they belong-where colleagues feel part of "One Team," respected and rewarded for what they bring, supported in pursuing their goals, invested in our values and purpose, and treated equitably. Click here to learn more about the people who power our legacy.

At Bechtel, our employees enjoy a competitive total rewards package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, along with optional disability and supplemental insurance options, generous paid time off (160 hours annually, accrued 6.16 hours per pay period), nine paid holidays, paid parental leave, discretionary bonuses, and a well-designed 401K plan with matching and profit-sharing components.

Bechtel is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, disability, citizenship status (except as authorized by law), protected veteran status, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Applicants with a disability, who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, may e-mail their request to [e-mail]