Senior Data Scientist (TS/SCI with Polygraph)

Red Alpha; Alaska; On-site; USD 180,000 - 245,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k contributions

Up to 5 weeks of leave

Comprehensive health insurance

Educational support

Company branded merchandise

Fun company events

Job summary

Red Alpha in Alaska is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to develop and maintain data pipelines for enterprise AI applications. You will work with large datasets, manage various database systems, and ensure data quality across all solutions.

The ideal candidate will have advanced proficiency in programming languages like Python and Java, along with 8+ years of relevant experience. The role offers a competitive salary range of $180,000 – $245,000 and an attractive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 0-3 years of experience for entry-level data scientists.
• 3-6 years for mid-level data scientists.
• At least 6 years with management experience for senior-level data scientists.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-performance data parsers for large datasets.
• Implement and manage various database systems.
• Collaborate with AI/ML engineers and data scientists.

Skills

Proficiency with a scripting language such as R or Python

Experience with data science techniques and algorithms

A B.S. degree in Data Science, Mathematics, or related field

8+ years of relevant experience

Advanced proficiency in programming languages for data engineering

Demonstrated expertise in data pipelines

Familiarity with cloud platforms

Education

B.S. degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Computer Science or related field

Tools

Python

Java

Scala

Graph databases (e.g., Neo4j)

SQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL)

NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra)

Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure)

Job description

A little about us:

The Red Alpha Data Science practice grew out of Red Alpha's reputation in Software and System Engineering with our Department of Defense clients. As sometimes happens, customers who trust our expertise in adjacent areas asked Red Alpha to assist with some of their burgeoning Data Science problems.

Culturally, it probably suffices to say that we take our work seriously, but not ourselves. Our leaders have spent time in the trenches and have cursed daylight savings time changes and trailing whitespace as many times as you have. We like to say that we spend 80% of our time cleaning the data...and 20% of our time complaining about cleaning the data. Joking aside, our voices matter, and it is easy to see how our decisions affect the Data Science practice and Red Alpha as a whole. We have a clear vision of where we are headed.

Our team takes a pragmatic approach to Data Science, defining it loosely as the intersection of technical expertise, business acumen, and soft skills to solve business problems with data. We spend a lot of time trying to understand the problem before we set about building a solution, and we prefer lower tech useful solutions over shiny algorithms and dust on the shelf. Did we mention we’re pragmatic? We have a diverse set of skills across our team, and whether you are a traditional Data Scientist (whatever that means…), an Applied Research Mathematician, a Database Engineer, a Full Stack Developer, or something else in that neighbourhood, if you have a knack for picking apart data to make sense of it, we would enjoy having a conversation with you.

A day in the life:

We are looking for a Senior Data Scientist to join a team to develop and maintain robust and scalable data pipelines for enterprise AI applications. Responsibilities include:

• Develop high‑performance data parsers for extremely large and complex datasets
• Implement and manage various database systems, including graph, SQL, NoSQL, and vector databases
• Collaborate with AI/ML engineers and data scientists to understand data requirements and optimise data access and retrieval for AI models
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and security across all data storage solutions
• Support the deployment and maintenance of AI applications by providing expert data engineering capabilities
• Familiarity with AI concepts in the context of data storage, access, and retrieval
• Continuously optimise data infrastructure for performance, cost‑efficiency, and scalability

What you bring to the table:

Now on to the fun of formal requirements – we have to apologise in advance for the corporate‑speak here, but just hold your breath for a few lines and everything will be okay. We are actively hiring data professionals for roles across a broad range of skill levels and projects. Our goal is to find the best fit for you so please note that if you apply to one of them and we see a fit elsewhere we will let you know. So do not worry about applying initially for every position you might be interested in.

All of our data scientists need the following skills:

• Proficiency with a scripting language such as R or Python
• Experience with data science techniques and algorithms such as classification, clustering, random forests, deterministic forests (jk), hierarchical modelling, deep learning, Markov Chain Monte Carlo, and others. You do not need to have all of these but should be comfortable and capable with several of them and know some others not on this list.
• A B.S. degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Computer Science or related field
• For entry‑level data scientists, 0‑3 years of experience on Data Science projects
• For mid‑level data scientists, 3‑6 years of experience on Data Science projects
• For senior‑level data scientists, at least 6 years of experience on Data Science projects with at least 3 years of experience managing teams
• A TS/SCI with Polygraph security clearance

For this particular role, you will specifically need:

• 8+ years of relevant experience. A higher degree may be accepted in lieu of years of experience.
• Advanced proficiency in programming languages commonly used for data engineering (e.g., Python, Java, Scala)
• Demonstrated expertise in designing, developing, and optimising data pipelines for large‑scale enterprise environments
• Proven experience with corporate dataflows and developing data parsers for extremely large datasets
• Extensive experience with various database technologies including graph databases (e.g., Neo4j), SQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL), NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra), and vector databases
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Microsoft Azure) for data storage and processing

These are important skills to have, but not necessarily mandatory:

• Experience with data governance, data security, and compliance best practices
• Familiarity with big data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, or Kafka
• Experience with data warehousing concepts and tools
• Continuous learning mindset to stay abreast of cutting‑edge data engineering and AI advancements
• Understanding of machine learning concepts and their implications for data infrastructure
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross‑functional teams
• Ability to translate complex data requirements into actionable engineering solutions

The Total Package:

Our total compensation package was strategically designed with our members in mind. Its intention is to reward members for their hard work and commitment to our customers' missions, allow members to share in Red Alpha's success as we continue to grow and expand our footprint, provide long‑term career opportunities through stability and internal mobility, and provide the resources our members need to support themselves and their dependents in the form of a robust benefits package. Our total compensation package includes a competitive base salary and benefits such as health, life/disability, 401k, paid time off, professional development, and generous bonus programmes. Please visit our benefits tab for additional information.

Salary Range: Disclosed pay ranges are a general guideline, and are not a guarantee of a final salary or compensation. Our approach in determining final salaries takes into consideration a number of factors such as education, certifications, total years of relevant professional experience, actual level of expertise, and the responsibilities of the role itself. Based on the outlined roles, responsibilities, and requirements, the projected pay range for this position is: $180,000 – $245,000.

Some of our additional perks and benefits include:

• Retire sooner – up to 10% in 401k contributions, immediately vested
• Enjoy up to 5 weeks of leave (25 days of personal time off) and 11 paid floating holidays
• Full payment of 100% of your premiums for comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance; majority of premiums for your family; free access to a fully equipped state‑of‑the‑art gym
• Up to $5,250 per year towards ongoing education, training, certifications, and professional memberships
• Spend up to $300 per year on company branded merchandise such as Under Armour, Nike, Carhartt, YETI, etc.
• Attend fun company events throughout the year such as Oktoberfest, summer picnic, and annual holiday party; plus team events like happy hours, baseball games, snowboarding, and more

Every day, our elite customers are pushing through the grind to defeat the enemy, even putting their lives on the line for our freedom. Rise to the occasion with us to deliver engineering excellence, matching their dedication to this nation. Join us as we bring digital transformation to the fight!