Data Scientist Jobs in Washington, DC
Data Scientist jobs in Washington, District of Columbia are in strong demand, concentrated in Capitol Hill, Foggy Bottom, and the NoMa corridor across federal agencies, defense contractors, and health policy organizations. Employers hiring right now include Guidehouse, Booz Allen Hamilton, and NORC at the University of Chicago. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 75+ Data Scientist jobs
AI Data Scientist - TEVVAbout Bright Star
Bright Star is a forward-thinking technology consultancy that specializes in harnessing the power of data and AI to solve complex business challenges. Our team of experts combines deep technical expertise with strategic insight to deliver innovative solutions that drive meaningful impact for our clients.
Role Description
We are seeking a highly skilled AI Test, Evaluation, Verification & Validation (TEVV) Scientist to support a federal civilian agency's artificial intelligence governance and assurance initiatives. This role will be responsible for independently evaluating AI capabilities developed by government organizations, contractors, and commercial vendors to ensure they meet performance, reliability, security, and responsible AI standards.
The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in artificial intelligence with hands-on experience evaluating generative and agentic AI systems. This individual will assess AI performance, identify risks and failure modes, and provide actionable recommendations to support informed deployment decisions.
Key Responsibilities
· Plan and conduct independent tests, evaluation, verification, and validation (TEVV) activities for AI systems and solutions.
· Develop evaluation methods, test criteria, and acceptance thresholds
· Assess AI systems for accuracy, robustness, reliability, and operational effectiveness.
· Evaluate and document AI failure modes, hallucinations, bias, privacy leakage, prompt injection vulnerabilities, and model drift.
· Conduct assessments of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), agentic AI systems, and traditional machine learning solutions.
· Evaluate the effectiveness of human oversight mechanisms, governance controls, and safeguard implementations.
· Develop findings, risk assessments, severity ratings, and remediation recommendations for stakeholders.
· Prepare technical reports, executive summaries, and briefing materials that clearly communicate evaluation results and associated risks.
· Collaborate with technical, operational, and program stakeholders to improve AI system performance and trustworthiness.
Required Qualifications
· PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related technical field with 8+ years of experience evaluating, testing, validating, or assessing AI/ML systems, including generative AI technologies
· Experience testing, evaluating, validating, or assessing AI and machine learning systems.
· Experience evaluating generative AI and agentic AI technologies, not solely traditional machine learning models.
· Experience in AI performance metrics, model validation techniques, and risk assessment methodologies.
· Experience identifying and analyzing AI vulnerabilities, failure modes, bias, privacy concerns, and security risks.
· Ability to communicate complex technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
· Ability to obtain and maintain a Federal Public Trust clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
· Knowledge of NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) and related AI assurance standards.
· Experience developing AI testing frameworks, red-teaming methodologies, or adversarial testing approaches
· Active Public Trust or other federal clearance.
Job Details
Job Type: Full-time
· Onsite in Washington DC
· Pay: $120k-$190k
Benefits:
· 401(k)
· 401(k) matching
· Dental insurance
· Health insurance
· Paid time off
· Vision insurance
Pay: $120,000.00 - $190,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Due to the nature of our work as a government contractor, all employees are required to have full U.S Citizenship at the time of hire. Are you a U.S Citizen?
- Do you have an active security clearance or public trust?
- Do you have a PhD in computer science, data science, statistics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or a related technical field?
- Do you have 8 or more years of experience evaluating, testing, validating, or assessing AI/ML systems?
- Have you evaluated generative AI or agentic AI systems (for example, LLMs, chatbots, or AI agents), not only traditional machine learning models?
- Have you identified and documented AI failure modes such as hallucinations, bias, privacy leakage, prompt injection, or model drift?
- Are you able to work onsite in Washington, DC, full-time?
Work Location: In person
AI Data Scientist - TEVVAbout Bright Star
Bright Star is a forward-thinking technology consultancy that specializes in harnessing the power of data and AI to solve complex business challenges. Our team of experts combines deep technical expertise with strategic insight to deliver innovative solutions that drive meaningful impact for our clients.
Role Description
We are seeking a highly skilled AI Test, Evaluation, Verification & Validation (TEVV) Scientist to support a federal civilian agency's artificial intelligence governance and assurance initiatives. This role will be responsible for independently evaluating AI capabilities developed by government organizations, contractors, and commercial vendors to ensure they meet performance, reliability, security, and responsible AI standards.
The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in artificial intelligence with hands-on experience evaluating generative and agentic AI systems. This individual will assess AI performance, identify risks and failure modes, and provide actionable recommendations to support informed deployment decisions.
Key Responsibilities
· Plan and conduct independent tests, evaluation, verification, and validation (TEVV) activities for AI systems and solutions.
· Develop evaluation methods, test criteria, and acceptance thresholds
· Assess AI systems for accuracy, robustness, reliability, and operational effectiveness.
· Evaluate and document AI failure modes, hallucinations, bias, privacy leakage, prompt injection vulnerabilities, and model drift.
· Conduct assessments of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), agentic AI systems, and traditional machine learning solutions.
· Evaluate the effectiveness of human oversight mechanisms, governance controls, and safeguard implementations.
· Develop findings, risk assessments, severity ratings, and remediation recommendations for stakeholders.
· Prepare technical reports, executive summaries, and briefing materials that clearly communicate evaluation results and associated risks.
· Collaborate with technical, operational, and program stakeholders to improve AI system performance and trustworthiness.
Required Qualifications
· PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related technical field with 8+ years of experience evaluating, testing, validating, or assessing AI/ML systems, including generative AI technologies
· Experience testing, evaluating, validating, or assessing AI and machine learning systems.
· Experience evaluating generative AI and agentic AI technologies, not solely traditional machine learning models.
· Experience in AI performance metrics, model validation techniques, and risk assessment methodologies.
· Experience identifying and analyzing AI vulnerabilities, failure modes, bias, privacy concerns, and security risks.
· Ability to communicate complex technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
· Ability to obtain and maintain a Federal Public Trust clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
· Knowledge of NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) and related AI assurance standards.
· Experience developing AI testing frameworks, red-teaming methodologies, or adversarial testing approaches
· Active Public Trust or other federal clearance.
Job Details
Job Type: Full-time
· Onsite in Washington DC
· Pay: $120k-$190k
Benefits:
· 401(k)
· 401(k) matching
· Dental insurance
· Health insurance
· Paid time off
· Vision insurance
Pay: $120,000.00 - $190,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Due to the nature of our work as a government contractor, all employees are required to have full U.S Citizenship at the time of hire. Are you a U.S Citizen?
- Do you have an active security clearance or public trust?
- Do you have a PhD in computer science, data science, statistics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or a related technical field?
- Do you have 8 or more years of experience evaluating, testing, validating, or assessing AI/ML systems?
- Have you evaluated generative AI or agentic AI systems (for example, LLMs, chatbots, or AI agents), not only traditional machine learning models?
- Have you identified and documented AI failure modes such as hallucinations, bias, privacy leakage, prompt injection, or model drift?
- Are you able to work onsite in Washington, DC, full-time?
Work Location: In person
See All 75 Data Scientist Jobs in Washington
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Find Data Scientist JobsData Scientist Job Market in Washington
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
Data Scientist Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a data scientist job in Washington?
Washington's data scientist market centers on federal agencies, defense and intelligence contractors, health policy nonprofits, and consulting firms that support government clients. Roles cluster in NoMa, Foggy Bottom, and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor just across the Potomac. Candidates who can demonstrate experience with large administrative datasets, policy-facing analytics, or security clearance eligibility have a clear edge over those with only commercial industry backgrounds.
Which companies hire data scientists in Washington?
Employers hiring data scientists in Washington right now include Guidehouse, Booz Allen Hamilton, and NORC at the University of Chicago, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Washington's hiring base skews toward federal contractors, management consulting firms, and mission-driven organizations rather than consumer tech companies.
Are there remote data scientist jobs in Washington?
Yes, data science is among the more remote-friendly occupations since the core work involves analysis, modeling, and code rather than physical presence. About 79% of data scientist openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though roles supporting classified or federally regulated programs tend to require on-site work at agency facilities.
How can I get a data scientist job in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Washington is through research analyst or data analyst roles at federal contractors, think tanks, or health policy organizations, which regularly hire candidates building toward a full data scientist title. Programs at institutions like Georgetown, George Washington University, and American University also connect students directly with local employers. Familiarity with Python or R plus a portfolio project using publicly available government datasets strengthens an early-career application significantly.
Which industries hire the most data scientists in Washington?
Washington data scientist roles concentrate in Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Washington's status as the seat of federal government means demand is driven heavily by agencies, contractors, and policy-focused organizations that need analytical talent to work with large-scale public and administrative data.
Related Jobs in District of Columbia
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