Scientist Jobs in District of Columbia
Scientist jobs in District of Columbia concentrate heavily in federal government research, public health, environmental science, and policy-driven research institutions, with demand stretching from entry-level research associates to senior principal investigators. The district is one of the most active markets in the country for scientists, anchored by hiring from the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Booz Allen Hamilton across the Washington metro area. The most in-demand specialties are biomedical research, environmental science, and data-driven policy analysis. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 39+ 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 39 Scientist Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Scientist JobsScientist Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Scientist Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in scientist jobs across District of Columbia.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in biology, chemistry, environmental science, or related field
- Experience conducting original research or supporting federally funded research programs
- Familiarity with federal agency research protocols, grant structures, or regulatory compliance
- Proficiency in statistical analysis software such as R, Python, SAS, or SPSS
- Strong scientific writing skills for reports, proposals, and peer-reviewed publications
- Active or ability to obtain a federal security clearance at the Secret level or above
Scientist Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a scientist in District of Columbia?
Most scientist roles in District of Columbia require at least a bachelor's degree in a natural, physical, or social science field, with many federal and research positions expecting a master's or doctorate. The District does not issue a general scientist license, but roles in specific areas such as environmental consulting may require credentials through the DC Department of Energy and Environment. Federal positions follow the General Schedule classification system, and candidates typically apply through USAJOBS, meeting specific education and experience requirements tied to each GS grade level.
Which companies hire scientists in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring scientists in District of Columbia right now include Booz Allen Hamilton, Guidehouse, and Google, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The district's concentration of federal agencies, federally funded contractors, and independent research organizations means scientist hiring here is closely tied to government budgets and policy priorities.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most scientist jobs?
The cities with the most scientist openings in District of Columbia are Washington. Washington itself drives the bulk of demand through federal agencies such as the NIH, EPA, and CDC's district offices, while nearby areas reflect spillover from major contractors and research institutions clustered along the Northern Virginia and Maryland corridors that form the broader Capital Region research ecosystem.
Are there remote scientist jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely desk-based fields because many scientist roles in DC involve lab work, classified federal facilities, or in-person research collaboration. About 55% of scientist openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with remote work most available for data scientists, science policy analysts, and research coordinators whose responsibilities center on analysis and writing rather than hands-on experimentation.
How can I get hired as a scientist in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to federal internship and pathways programs through USAJOBS, which includes the Pathways Recent Graduates Program targeting candidates within two years of a degree. Large DC-area employers such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Leidos run associate or entry-level research analyst programs that accept recent graduates in science disciplines. Relevant laboratory coursework, a senior thesis, or volunteer research experience at a DC-area university strengthens applications, and candidates targeting federal positions benefit from obtaining a security clearance eligibility early.
Where can I find and apply to scientist jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to scientist jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the district. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your background and target area, and apply directly to the positions that fit.
See All 39 Scientist Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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