Data Scientist Principal - UCI Schema & Mission-Level C2 Focus

Job ID: 2617365
Location: Chantilly, VA, US
Date Posted: 2026-09-29
Category: Information Technology
Subcategory: Data Scientist
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 10% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_HYBRID
Description
As the Data Scientist Principal, you will play a critical role in advancing mission-level Command & Control (C2) capabilities by leveraging your expertise in UCI schema and standardized, interoperable data exchanges. Your primary responsibility is to ensure compliance, integration, and secure system design for UCI-related Air Force operations.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the analysis and correction of UCI schema, ensuring all UCI messages are compliant, interoperable, and aligned with mission-level C2 requirements. Design, manage, and integrate data sets that utilize UCI schema for efficient, secure, and interoperable data flow across existing and emerging Air Force programs. Evaluate and enhance data quality, reliability, and efficiency, with a focus on UCI message lifecycle and schema adherence.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams-including data scientists, software developers, operators, and project managers-to implement and optimize UCI schema in predictive modeling and operational platforms. Document and improve internal processes related to UCI schema use, optimizing data delivery and automating manual tasks. Support testing, validation, and quality assurance procedures for UCI-enabled platforms, including gathering user feedback, identifying schema-related issues, and performing updates.

Develop technical documentation and reporting that details UCI schema integration, system specifications, and modifications. Ensure compliance with Air Force regulations and promote ethical, secure use of UCI-enabled platforms and data repositories.

Qualifications
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree and nine (9) years or more experience; Master's and seven (7) years or more; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more. Relevant experience may substitute for degree. Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.
5+ years of experience in software engineering with IC, DoD, and/or commercial space architectures, systems, or operations. Demonstrated experience as a contributor to the UCI standard or as an implementer of UCI-adopting systems. Proven ability to define and implement system behaviors through UCI schema.

Deep understanding of interoperability and integration challenges in defense systems, especially those related to UCI. Familiarity with Command & Control use cases, behaviors, and methods, with direct experience in requirements analysis and system design in a government context. Experience with Systems Engineering, Requirements Elicitation and Management, Integration, and Test Activities on complex systems (e.g., DoD Weapon Systems, Space Systems). Hands-on experience with data analytics, machine learning, and statistical methods, including modern AI/ML techniques.

Outstanding communication skills for presenting technical artifacts and coordinating within high-tempo environments. Strong initiative, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Proficiency in MS Office applications. Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. 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 .