Chief Data Scientist

Job ID: 2616976
Location: Bethesda, MD, US
Date Posted: 2026-09-17
Category: Information Technology
Subcategory: Data Scientist
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 10% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI_wPoly
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE
Description
SAIC is seeking a Chief Data Scientist to serve as the senior technical authority for all Data Science and Analytics activities performed under an Intelligence Community program.
Work is performed on site in: Bethesda, MD, with CONOCONUS travel as required.
The Chief Data Scientist will be responsible for:

• Providing technical leadership, task assignment, and performance management for all contractor data science and analytics personnel supporting program requirements.
• Architecting and overseeing the development and deployment of AI/ML models, large-scale data processing pipelines, and advanced analytics capabilities in support of intelligence production.
• Leading the application of predictive analytics, pattern recognition, anomaly detection, and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to multi-source intelligence data sets.
• Directing the integration of data science capabilities across program functional areas to maximize intelligence value from complex, multi-disciplinary requirements.
• Establishing and enforcing data science standards, model validation methodologies, and quality assurance procedures to ensure the accuracy, reproducibility, and defensibility of all analytical outputs.
• Identifying, evaluating, and integrating emerging commercial and open-source AI/ML tools and technologies to continuously advance the program's analytical capabilities.

Qualifications
Required Education and Years of Experience:

• Active TS/SCI with polygraph is required to be considered for this role.
• Willing and able to obtain a Polygraph.
• Master's degree or higher in Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related quantitative field. Equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience may be considered.
• Ten (10) years of experience in data science, machine learning, or advanced analytics, with demonstrated progression to senior technical leadership roles.
• Seven (7) years of experience designing, developing, and deploying AI/ML models and large-scale data processing solutions in operational environments.
• Five (5) years of experience leading or supervising data science teams, including responsibility for managing project scope, resources, risk, and schedule.
• Demonstrated experience integrating AI/ML capabilities into multi-source data fusion workflows, including the correlation of structured and unstructured data from diverse sources.

Desired:

• Experience developing AI/ML solutions for multimedia intelligence applications, including deepfake detection, voice biometrics, geospatial analysis, or imagery exploitation.
• Experience applying data science techniques to digital forensics, malware analysis, or cyber threat intelligence use cases.
• Familiarity with IC-specific data standards, ontologies, and intelligence production frameworks (e.g., ICD 203, ICD 206).
• AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty, Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer, Certified Analytics Professional (CAP), or GIAC Machine Learning Engineer (GMLE).

Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.
SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's approximately 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see .