Data Scientist

Data Scientist
Position Summary

The Data Scientist will research, design, and evaluate AI and machine learning solutions that advance C4

ADS's investigative mission. This role is centered on applied research and experimentation, with a focus on designing and testing LLM-based workflows, building retrieval and agentic pipelines, and translating complex analytical needs into working tools that investigators and analysts can actually use.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical depth in NLP and generative AI paired with genuine familiarity with global security, illicit networks, or open-source research. This person should be equally comfortable experimenting with emerging technologies, translating complex analytical needs into workable technical solutions, and communicating limitations and tradeoffs clearly to non-technical audiences.

• Research, prototype, and evaluate LLM-based approaches to investigative data challenges
• Design and test RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) pipelines for document-heavy research workflows
• Develop and maintain MCP-based agentic tooling that supports analyst workflows
• Conduct prompt engineering and model evaluation to assess output quality, reliability, and limitations
• Stay current with developments in generative AI, NLP, and vector-based retrieval and bring relevant advances into organizational practice

• Apply advanced NLP techniques to multilingual, unstructured text data including entity extraction, classification, clustering, and semantic search
• Work with vector embeddings and embedding models to support similarity search and knowledge retrieval
• Evaluate and select appropriate models and frameworks for specific research tasks, balancing performance, cost, and interpretability
• Maintain awareness of ML fundamentals and apply sound experimental design when testing approaches

• Partner closely with research and program teams to understand investigative data needs
• Translate complex analytical requirements into tractable ML or AI problem framings
• Build and document tools and workflows that empower non-technical investigators to work with AI outputs effectively
• Communicate model limitations, uncertainty, and appropriate use clearly to non-technical stakeholders

• Develop clear visualizations and summaries that communicate analytical findings to internal and external audiences
• Contribute to written outputs including technical documentation, research memos, and methodology notes
• Present findings and methodologies to program teams and organizational leadership

• Participate in technical demos and engagements with external partners and clients
• Advise external stakeholders on AI-assisted research approaches and appropriate use of generative AI tools
• Represent C4
  
  ADS's technical capabilities in partnership and grant contexts where relevant

• 2-4 years of experience in data science, applied ML, or NLP research (professional, academic, or a strong combination)
• Strong understanding of NLP fundamentals and generative AI concepts including transformers, embeddings, RAG, and prompt engineering
• Proficiency in Python for data processing, modeling, and pipeline development
• Working knowledge of SQL and relational data
• Hands‑on experience with LLM application frameworks such as Lang Chain, Llama Index, or similar
• Experience working with vector databases or embedding-based retrieval (Pinecone, Weaviate, pgvector, or similar)
• Familiarity with AWS cloud services for storing and processing data
• Experience working with government datasets, legal documents, or public records is a plus
• Proficiency with Git and collaborative development practices

• Background in international affairs, global security, conflict, sanctions, or illicit finance through coursework, research, or professional experience in the public sector, journalism, or other similar investigative and research fields.
• Familiarity with OSINT methods or open-source research practices

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Data Science, Computer Science,…