Transportation Data Scientist (AI Solutions)

North American Transportation Management Institute; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in McLean, VA is seeking a Transportation Data Scientist at junior to mid-level to support FHWA-funded AI/ML projects at the intersection of transportation and data science. You will help develop and deploy models for vehicle load classification, crash prediction, and data ecosystems for trustworthy AI.

The role requires hands-on AI solution development, experience with multimodal data, ETL, and strong collaboration with state DOTs and vendors. Travel up to 20% may be needed.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience in data science and AI/ML with frameworks.
• Hands-on experience in AI solution development.
• Experience with multimodal data and ETL processes.
• Strong analytical skills and model evaluation experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Public Trust clearance in the US and residency requirements.

Responsibilities

• Assist in data and literature reviews for AI methods and datasets.
• Prepare and integrate datasets from multiple sources for AI use cases.
• Design, develop, and deploy AI/ML models for transportation applications.
• Evaluate model performance and suggest robustness improvements.
• Support stakeholder outreach and coordination with state DOTs, MPOs, and vendors.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for project alignment with USDOT goals.
• Contribute to monthly progress reporting and risk mitigation.

Skills

Hands-on AI solution development

Data preparation and integration

Communication and collaboration

Travel flexibility

Education

Master’s degree in CS / Data Science / AI / Transportation Eng

Ph.D. preferred

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Scikit-learn

Pandas

NumPy

Job description

Are you interested in improving and shaping the transportation industry in a group of intelligent and motivated individuals? Leidos operates the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (STOL), a USDOT research lab focused on the improvement of transportation operations, safety, mobility, and environmental impacts. STOL provides a variety of services to support the advancement and deployment of emerging technologies, including vehicle automation and communication.

Leidos is seeking a talented Transportation Data Scientist at the junior to mid-level to support FHWA-funded projects at the intersection of AI, data science, and transportation. This role will involve assisting in the development and deployment of AI/ML models for applications such as vehicle load classification using weigh-in-motion (WIM) data and imagery, crash prediction in traffic management centers (TMCs), and creating data ecosystems for trustworthy AI. The ideal candidate will have foundational experience in AI model development, data integration, and stakeholder engagement, with a passion for exploring opportunities to apply AI in state-level transportation initiatives. This position offers the chance to contribute to innovation in a dynamic, federally supported research environment.

Location

This role will be expected to work full-time at the customer site in McLean, VA.

Candidate MUST

Be currently located in the United States for the current three consecutive years and be eligible for a Public Trust Clearance.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist in conducting data and literature reviews, including targeted searches for AI methods, datasets, and technologies relevant to freight analytics, traffic safety, and operations (e.g., sensor fusion, computer vision, and multimodal AI).
• Prepare and integrate datasets for AI use cases, including cleaning, normalizing, enriching, and fusing multi-source data (e.g., traffic logs, imagery, weather, and permitting records) while addressing quality issues like inconsistency, sparsity, and bias.
• Contribute to the design, development, and deployment of AI/ML models for transportation applications.
• Evaluate AI model performance under diverse conditions, such as varying data quality levels, and provide recommendations for improving model robustness, scalability, and trustworthiness in real-world transportation environments.
• Support stakeholder outreach and engagement, including organizing peer exchanges, workshops, and technical briefings with state DOTs, MPOs, enforcement agencies, and vendors to gather insights on AI applications.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure project alignment with USDOT goals, including risk management, quality assurance, and compliance with federal standards.
• Contribute to monthly progress reporting, risk mitigation, and iterative model refinement based on federal feedback.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in computer science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Transportation Engineering, or a related field; Ph.D. preferred.
• 2+ years of professional experience (NON-academic) in data science and AI/ML, with demonstrated familiarity in machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn), data processing tools (e.g., Pandas, NumPy), and AI techniques (e.g., deep learning, generative AI like GANs, computer vision, LLMs).
• Must have HANDS-ON experience in AI Solution Development.
• Strong experience in data preparation and integration, including ETL processes, handling multimodal data (e.g., imagery, sensor data, time-series), and addressing data quality challenges in real-world applications.
• Strong analytical skills with familiarity in model evaluation metrics (e.g., AUC, accuracy, scalability) and testing AI systems under varied conditions.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience in stakeholder engagement, technical reporting, and presenting complex AI concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, research-oriented environment with travel up to 20% for stakeholder meetings, site visits, or conference support.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance (which includes three years of immediate residency in the US).
• All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working with state DOTs or federal transportation agencies (e.g., FHWA, USDOT) on AI initiatives, including prototyping and developing AI application in ITS.
• Familiarity with transportation-specific data sources (e.g., HSIS, SHRP2, NGSIM) and standards (e.g., SAE J2735 for V2X).
• Experience in synthetic data generation, generative AI (e.g., LLMs), or physics-informed ML for transportation applications.
• Knowledge of federal AI governance, risk management, and equity considerations in transportation.
• Project management experience, including leading AI tasks in multi-agency initiatives or contributing to communities of practice (CoPs).
• Publications or presentations in AI/transportation conferences (e.g., TRB, ITS America).

Pay Range

Anticipated salary range for this role is $100,000-$120,000.

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers.

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave and Retirement

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.