Transportation Data Scientist

Are you interested in shaping the future of transportation? Consider joining the Leidos team operating FHWA’s 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 adoption of emerging technologies, including automation and communication in vehicles and on the roadside. Learn about STOL here: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./STOL

Leidos is seeking a highly skilled Senior Transportation Data Scientist to support FHWA-funded projects at the intersection of AI, data science, and transportation. This role will focus on developing and deploying 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 hands-on experience in AI model development, data integration, and stakeholder engagement, with a passion for identifying new opportunities to apply AI in state-level transportation initiatives.

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

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conduct data and literature reviews, including targeted searches for AI methods, datasets, and technologies relevant to freight analytics, traffic safety, and operations.
• Prepare and integrate datasets for AI use cases, including cleaning, normalizing, enriching, and fusing multi-source data.
• Lead the design, development, and deployment of AI/ML models for transportation applications.
• Evaluate AI model performance under diverse conditions and provide recommendations for improving model robustness, scalability, and trustworthiness.
• Support stakeholder outreach and engagement, including organizing peer exchanges, workshops, and technical briefings with state DOTs, MPOs, enforcement agencies, and vendors.
• Identify and pursue new opportunities with state DOTs for AI initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure project alignment with FHWA goals.
• Provide technical leadership in monthly progress reporting, risk mitigation, and iterative model refinement.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Electrical Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or a related field;
  Master's or Ph.D. preferred.
• 5+ years of professional experience in data science and AI/ML.
• Proven experience in data preparation and integration, including ETL processes, handling multimodal data, and addressing data quality challenges.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in model evaluation metrics 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 and site visits.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience working with state DOTs or federal transportation agencies on AI initiatives.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience proposing, designing, developing, and deploying AI systems within ITS.
• Familiarity with transportation-specific data sources and standards.
• Experience in synthetic data generation, generative AI, 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.
• Publications or presentations in AI/transportation conferences.

Anticipated salary range for this role is $95,000-$130,000

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from diverse candidates.