Data Scientist

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control/ITAR:
Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

• Automate and maintain data extraction, cleaning, processing, and analysis workflows using Python, SQL, and ETL tools under established best practices.
• Process and analyze structured and unstructured datasets using big data or cloud-native frameworks (e.g., Spark, Hadoop, or managed cloud services).
• Develop, test, and evaluate predictive models and statistical analyses to support mission-focused use cases.
• Contribute to end-to-end data science and data engineering workflows, from data preparation and feature engineering through model development and results delivery, with guidance from senior team members as needed.
• Write clear, well-structured documentation of methods, assumptions, and results; assist with briefings or presentations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Support the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) within existing systems and workflows, including:
  • Implementing LLM-based solutions for summarization, tagging, classification, and information retrieval.
  • Integrating pre-trained LLMs into pipelines to improve knowledge discovery and data accessibility.
  • Assisting with deployment and evaluation of internal LLM-enabled tools or assistants.
• Collaborate closely with data scientists, engineers, analysts, and mission partners to refine requirements and iterate on solutions.

• Current/active TS/SCI security clearance and be willing and able to obtain CI polygraph.
• 5 years of professional experience in data science, analytics, or data engineering roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in data science, computer science, engineering, statistics, GIS, or related discipline. Degree may be substituted with an additional 2 yrs of experience.
• Strong coding proficiency in Python and SQL, with experience writing production-quality, maintainable code; working knowledge of R is a plus.
• Hands‑on experience with data manipulation, feature engineering, machine learning libraries (e.g., scikit‑learn, PyTorch, Tensor Flow), and automation tools.
• Experience contributing to full-cycle data projects, including data preparation, modeling, validation, and reporting.
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts and analytical results in writing and verbally.
• Familiarity with NLP and LLM concepts, including practical experience applying pre-trained models (e.g., GPT‑style models) for automation, summarization, or search.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative environment, taking direction and feedback while owning assigned technical tasks.

• Master’s degree in data science, computer science, statistics, engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience with cloud-based environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, or GCP) and scalable data processing pipelines.
• Working knowledge of NLP techniques, embeddings, vector search, or retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG).
• Experience integrating LLMs into applications or workflows using APIs and open‑source tooling.
• Exposure to CI/CD, version control, testing frameworks, and software engineering best practices.
• Interest in responsible AI principles, model evaluation, and risk‑aware deployment of LLM‑based solutions.

• The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is: $ - $ annually.

Benefits:
Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life.

EEO Policy:
Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.