Data Scientist-TS/SCI

Job Title: Data Scientist

Location: Tysons Corner, VA (on-site at Government Contractor)

Clearance Required: Active TS (Top Secret /SCI with CI Polygraph preferred)

Salary: $215,000-$230,000 Based on Skills and Qualifications

This position has a full Benefits Package including: Medical, Dental and Vision benefits with 6 weeks of paid PTO, Short Term Disability, 401k with 5% match and up to 8k in relocation assistance.

About the Company

This role is being managed by Talent Stack LLC, a woman-owned recruiting firm specializing in cleared and technical placements. We are proud to represent a confidential, defense-focused client committed to solving meaningful, mission-critical challenges that support national security. the foundation of everything we do is rooted in our values and a higher calling, to help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression. Our team solves tough, meaningful problems that create a safer, more secure world.

About the Role:

We are seeking experienced Data Scientists to join our team in Tysons, VA. This role involves collaborating with customer and partner teams to build, train, and deploy machine learning models in secure environments. The focus will be on MLOps, model engineering, and training on time series data to support operational, cloud-deployed, and lab-deployed AI applications.

This is a hands-on engineering role, not a data analytics or low-TRL research position. The right candidate will have a strong applied data science background, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and bring both technical depth and problem-solving skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with SMEs and cross-functional teams to interpret and apply data insights.
• Train, validate, and deploy machine learning pipelines.
• Develop candidate models and promote to production once performance thresholds are met.
• Enhance AI-based applications based on feedback; troubleshoot and optimize.
• Identify performance bottlenecks and implement solutions.
• Write clear technical documentation, application specifications, and present findings.
• Work independently and manage individual project deliverables.
• Contribute to a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics).
• 5+ years of hands-on Data Science development experience using Python.
• Strong proficiency with NumPy, Pandas, and Jupyter Notebooks (or similar).
• Deep experience in machine learning, analytics, and statistical data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex applied problems with critical thinking.
• Active TS/SCI clearance (TS/SCI with CI Polygraph preferred).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in Data Science, ML, CS, Engineering, or Statistics.
• Strong mathematical foundation (linear algebra, calculus, probability, statistics).
• Experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Scikit-learn.
• Proficiency with Git, pull requests, and modern software development practices.
• Familiarity with AI agent frameworks.
• Ability to analyze and optimize model performance using metrics.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Self-starter with a motivated, problem-solving, and impact-driven mindset.

Active and transferrable DOD TS/SCI (CI Polygraph preferred) U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date.

Recruitment Agencies Disclaimer: This position is posted for direct applicants only. We kindly request that external recruiters, staffing agencies, or search firms refrain from submitting candidates. Unsolicited resumes will be treated as direct applications, and no agency fees will be honored.

Job Reference: X1