Senior Data Scientist

Maxar Technologies
paid time off, tuition reimbursement, 401(k)
United States, Virginia, Reston
Aug 18, 2025
Please review the job details below. Maxar is seeking a Senior Data Scientist who thrives on working with big data and delivering data-centric solutions that drive customer impact. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver who can independently identify analytical needs, develop scalable solutions, and clearly communicate insights to stakeholders. This role requires both technical depth and the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. Life with Us Project: This project supports a hard and deeply buried target mission set, providing critical analytic insights to government stakeholders. Success depends on the development of accurate, scalable, and mission-tailored data solutions that enable timely and informed decision-making. The work directly impacts national security objectives by transforming complex data into actionable intelligence in a highly specialized and sensitive domain. Your Career: We are quickly growing our team and this opportunity will provide ample opportunity for career growth and skillset development. You will have the opportunity to work closely with leadership to help set your own goals and ensure you are on a path to achieving them. We offer: Dedicated professional development time. Peer groups. Education reimbursement. Student loan forgiveness. and much more... Day-to-Day with your Colleagues: Automate and optimize data extraction, cleaning, processing, and analysis tasks using scripting languages and ETL pipelines. Process and analyze large-scale, structured and unstructured datasets using big data frameworks (e.g., Spark, Hadoop, or cloud-native equivalents). Develop, test, and validate predictive models and novel statistical methods to solve mission-critical problems. Independently conduct end-to-end data science/engineering workflows with minimal supervision, from hypothesis generation to delivery of actionable insights. Clearly document methodologies and findings in formal written reports and present outcomes to both technical and non-technical audiences. Design, fine-tune, and implement Large Language Models (LLMs) to support knowledge management systems, including: Development of LLM-driven tools to automate summarization, tagging, and retrieval of internal data, reports, and documentation. Integration of LLMs into workflows to streamline knowledge capture, institutional memory, and information sharing. Deployment of LLM-based internal assistants to support decision-making and reduce redundant effort. Minimum Requirements: Current/active TS/SCI security clearance and be willing and able to obtain CI polygraph. 10+ years of experience (or 12+ without a master's) in data science, analytics, or a related technical field. Bachelor's degree in data science, computer science, engineering, statistics, GIS, or related discipline. Proficient in Python, R, SQL, and tools/libraries for data analysis, machine learning, and automation. Demonstrated ability to independently conduct full-cycle data projects, from processing to reporting. Strong verbal and written communication skills; able to explain complex findings clearly. Familiarity with foundational LLM/NLP concepts and experience applying pre-trained models (e.g., GPT) for internal automation or data summarization. Ability to work with minimal supervision and produce logically structured, actionable insights. Preferred Requirements: Master's degree in a technical field such as data science, computer science, statistics, or engineering. Expertise in advanced statistical and machine learning techniques, including NLP and unsupervised learning. Experience developing or fine-tuning LLMs and integrating them into knowledge systems or workflows. Strong background with cloud-based platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and scalable data processing tools. Track record of designing or enhancing knowledge management solutions using AI or LLMs. Experience building internal tools or bots for search, summarization, or decision support using LLMs. Awareness of responsible AI practices and ethical considerations in LLM deployment. In support of pay transparency at Maxar, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings. The successful candidate's starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job-related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range. * The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is: $155,000.00 - $259,000.00 annually. For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, health and welfare insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.maxar.com/careers/benefits The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. The date of posting can be found on Maxar's Career page at the top of each job posting. To apply, submit your application via Maxar's Career page. Maxar Technologies values diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.