Data Science Lead Jobs in Pennsylvania
Data Science Lead jobs in Pennsylvania are in strong demand, with concentrated hiring in financial services, healthcare systems, and enterprise technology firms, and openings at every level from senior analyst stepping into a lead role through principal and director-adjacent positions. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the broader Lehigh Valley corridor anchor most of the hiring, with established employers like Comcast, UPMC, and Independence Blue Cross consistently filling data science lead roles. The most sought-after specialties in Pennsylvania include machine learning engineering, healthcare analytics, and NLP applied to insurance and financial risk. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process . Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants .
Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants .
POSITION SPECIFICS
We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer with deep expertise in database design, optimization, and data access strategies to support our growing data science and machine learning initiatives within the Computational Intelligence and Visualization Application Department in the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State . In this role, you will architect and optimize data systems that empower our data scientists to efficiently research, train, and deploy both traditional and ML-based algorithms and applications.
The ideal candidate is a PostgreSQL expert who also brings hands-on experience with other modern data storage technologies—such as NoSQL, graph, and time-series databases —and can guide the organization in choosing the right tools and structures for each data use case.
Located in either State College, PA or Reston, VA
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Design and maintain scalable, high-performance database solutions to support data science workflows and ML experimentation
- Partner with data scientists to understand data access patterns and develop storage strategies that accelerate analysis and model training
- Serve as the internal subject matter expert on PostgreSQL —including schema design, indexing, partitioning, and query optimization
- Evaluate and integrate alternative database technologies (e.g., MongoDB, Neo4j, Redis, Cassandra) where they provide clear advantages
- Lead efforts to optimize data pipelines for both structured and unstructured data used in algorithm development
- Ensure data integrity, security, and governance across storage systems
- Implement monitoring, automation, and performance-tuning tools for all database environments
- Advise on data lifecycle management—balancing accessibility for R&D with efficiency and compliance requirements
Required skills/experience includes:
- 5+ years of experience in data engineering, database architecture, or related technical roles
- Expert-level proficiency in PostgreSQL (query tuning, schema design, indexing, partitioning, replication)
- Strong understanding of data modeling , normalization vs. denormalization tradeoffs, and query optimization
- Experience with non-relational databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra, Neo4j, Redis, or DynamoDB)
- Familiarity with machine learning workflows and how data is consumed for training, evaluation, and deployment
- Experience with cloud database services (AWS RDS/Aurora, GCP Cloud SQL, Azure Database)
- Proficiency in SQL and one or more scripting languages (Python preferred)
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills—comfortable working closely with data scientists, ML engineers, and software developers
Preferred skills/experience includes:
- Experience architecting hybrid data ecosystems spanning relational, NoSQL, and analytical databases.
- Knowledge of data lake, warehouse, and feature store architectures (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery, Feast)
- Familiarity with ETL/ELT frameworks and data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, dbt)
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related field
Work location can be fully on-site located in State College, PA or Reston , VA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as R&D Engineer - Data Science (ARL) - Principal Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
19+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
None

If filled as R&D Engineer - Data Science (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
5+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
None

If filled as R&D Engineer - Data Science (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
14+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
NoneARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu .
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL):
Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $121,704.00 - $265,704.00.Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page .
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here .
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster
PA State Labor Law Poster
Penn State Policies
Copyright Information
Hotlines
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process . Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants .
Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants .
POSITION SPECIFICS
We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer with deep expertise in database design, optimization, and data access strategies to support our growing data science and machine learning initiatives within the Computational Intelligence and Visualization Application Department in the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State . In this role, you will architect and optimize data systems that empower our data scientists to efficiently research, train, and deploy both traditional and ML-based algorithms and applications.
The ideal candidate is a PostgreSQL expert who also brings hands-on experience with other modern data storage technologies—such as NoSQL, graph, and time-series databases —and can guide the organization in choosing the right tools and structures for each data use case.
Located in either State College, PA or Reston, VA
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Design and maintain scalable, high-performance database solutions to support data science workflows and ML experimentation
- Partner with data scientists to understand data access patterns and develop storage strategies that accelerate analysis and model training
- Serve as the internal subject matter expert on PostgreSQL —including schema design, indexing, partitioning, and query optimization
- Evaluate and integrate alternative database technologies (e.g., MongoDB, Neo4j, Redis, Cassandra) where they provide clear advantages
- Lead efforts to optimize data pipelines for both structured and unstructured data used in algorithm development
- Ensure data integrity, security, and governance across storage systems
- Implement monitoring, automation, and performance-tuning tools for all database environments
- Advise on data lifecycle management—balancing accessibility for R&D with efficiency and compliance requirements
Required skills/experience includes:
- 5+ years of experience in data engineering, database architecture, or related technical roles
- Expert-level proficiency in PostgreSQL (query tuning, schema design, indexing, partitioning, replication)
- Strong understanding of data modeling , normalization vs. denormalization tradeoffs, and query optimization
- Experience with non-relational databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra, Neo4j, Redis, or DynamoDB)
- Familiarity with machine learning workflows and how data is consumed for training, evaluation, and deployment
- Experience with cloud database services (AWS RDS/Aurora, GCP Cloud SQL, Azure Database)
- Proficiency in SQL and one or more scripting languages (Python preferred)
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills—comfortable working closely with data scientists, ML engineers, and software developers
Preferred skills/experience includes:
- Experience architecting hybrid data ecosystems spanning relational, NoSQL, and analytical databases.
- Knowledge of data lake, warehouse, and feature store architectures (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery, Feast)
- Familiarity with ETL/ELT frameworks and data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, dbt)
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related field
Work location can be fully on-site located in State College, PA or Reston , VA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as R&D Engineer - Data Science (ARL) - Principal Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
19+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
None

If filled as R&D Engineer - Data Science (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
5+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
None

If filled as R&D Engineer - Data Science (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
14+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
NoneARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu .
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL):
Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $121,704.00 - $265,704.00.Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page .
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here .
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster
PA State Labor Law Poster
Penn State Policies
Copyright Information
Hotlines
See All 10 Data Science Lead Jobs in Pennsylvania
Find roles in Pennsylvania that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Data Science Lead JobsData Science Lead Jobs by City in Pennsylvania
Where Pennsylvania roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Data Science Lead Job Market in Pennsylvania
A snapshot from current Pennsylvania openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Technology & Software
What Pennsylvania Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in data science lead jobs across Pennsylvania.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in statistics, computer science, or a quantitative field required
- Five or more years of data science experience with at least two in a lead or senior capacity
- Proficiency in Python or R and experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
- Demonstrated ability to manage and mentor a team of data scientists or analysts
- Experience translating business problems into machine learning models and measurable outcomes
- Familiarity with healthcare, financial services, or enterprise SaaS data environments preferred
Data Science Lead Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a data science lead in Pennsylvania?
There is no state-issued license required to work as a data science lead in Pennsylvania. The typical path begins with a bachelor's degree in a quantitative field, followed by several years of hands-on data science work at Pennsylvania employers in sectors like healthcare, insurance, or technology. Progression to a lead role generally requires demonstrating both technical depth and the ability to guide a team, mentor junior staff, and own project outcomes. Graduate degrees and cloud certifications strengthen candidacy at larger Pennsylvania employers.
How much do data science leads make in Pennsylvania?
Data science leads in Pennsylvania earn a median of about $106,850 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $63,340 for the lowest 10% to over $162,290 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire data science leads in Pennsylvania?
Employers hiring data science leads in Pennsylvania right now include Gettysburg College, PA Compensation Rating Bureau, and GSK, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Pennsylvania's large healthcare systems, financial institutions, and enterprise technology companies tend to be the most consistent sources of lead-level data science openings in the state.
Which Pennsylvania cities have the most data science lead jobs?
Philadelphia, Gettysburg, and Pipersville account for the largest share of data science lead openings in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia drives volume through its concentration of major insurers, health systems, and financial services firms, while Pittsburgh's strength in academic medical research and technology draws consistent demand, and smaller markets often reflect the presence of a single large anchor employer or corporate campus in the area.
Are there remote data science lead jobs in Pennsylvania?
Yes, and more than most fields. Data science lead work is predominantly desk-based and output-driven, making it well suited to remote and hybrid arrangements. About 50% of data science lead openings tied to Pennsylvania are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how broadly employers have accepted distributed models for this role. The most fully remote positions tend to sit within modeling, analytics strategy, and machine learning pipeline work, where in-person presence is rarely operationally necessary.
How can I get hired as a data science lead in Pennsylvania with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a data scientist or senior analyst role first and building toward a lead designation over time. Large Pennsylvania employers like UPMC, Comcast, and Independence Blue Cross run rotational analytics programs and new-grad tracks that place candidates in structured data teams where mentorship and promotion are built in. Adjacent roles such as business intelligence analyst, quantitative analyst, or data engineer frequently serve as lateral entry points. A strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end project ownership and cloud platform fluency gives candidates from these backgrounds a clear edge in Pennsylvania hiring.
Where can I find and apply to data science lead jobs in Pennsylvania?
You can find and apply to data science lead jobs in Pennsylvania on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to Pennsylvania employers and locations. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and target area, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 10 Data Science Lead Jobs in Pennsylvania
Find roles in Pennsylvania that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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