Scientist Jobs in McLean, VA
Scientist jobs in McLean, Virginia concentrate in the Tysons Corner corridor, the McLean business district along Route 123, and the government-adjacent offices near the Beltway, across defense research, intelligence analytics, and life sciences. Employers hiring right now include Capital One, Information Technology Senior Management Forum, and Steampunk. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
Find Scientist JobsOverview
Open roles169+
Top employerCapital One
Work type75% On-site
Top credentialDoctoral degree in statistics
Companies hiring9
Showing 5 of 169+ Scientist jobs
Lead Scientist, GenAI & Research Enablement
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Added 2d ago
Steampunk
Lead Scientist, GenAI & Research Enablement
McLean, Virginia
Added 2d ago
Principal Associate, Data Scientist - AI in Credit
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Added 2d ago
Capital One
Principal Associate, Data Scientist - AI in Credit
McLean, Virginia
Added 2d ago
Principal Associate, Data Scientist - AI in Credit
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Added 3d ago
Information Technology Senior Management Forum
Principal Associate, Data Scientist - AI in Credit
McLean, Virginia
Added 3d ago
Data Scientist
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Added 3d ago
Knight Federal Solutions
Data Scientist
McLean, Virginia
Added 3d ago
Computer Scientist
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Added 3d ago
Knight Federal Solutions
Computer Scientist
McLean, Virginia
Added 3d ago
Added 2d ago
Lead Scientist, GenAI & Research Enablement
Steampunk·McLean, Virginia
Job functions:
$125k - $165k/yr
Doctoral degree in Computer Science
Job Description
Overview:
Preferred
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers – and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
The Lead Scientist will serve as a technical and scientific leader for high-visibility initiatives that enable large-scale research through cloud computing and Generative AI (GenAI). This role will guide adoption of advanced computational capabilities across a complex research ecosystem and lead a cross-organizational GenAI Community of Practice. The ideal candidate combines deep scientific expertise with experience leading multi-stakeholder initiatives at scale.
Contributions:
- Serve as lead for a high-profile, large-scale initiative providing access to cloud and GenAI resources across a distributed research community
- Provide scientific and technical leadership to accelerate research outcomes through adoption of cloud and GenAI technologies
- Guide national- or enterprise-level efforts to integrate advanced computational capabilities into research workflows
- Lead and coordinate a GenAI Community of Practice, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across a large, diverse population of scientists, technologists, and stakeholders
- Facilitate cross-organizational collaboration to identify research needs, prioritize use cases, and share best practices for responsible and effective use of GenAI
- Engage with senior leadership, researchers, and technical teams to communicate strategy, progress, and impact of cloud and GenAI initiatives
- Represent the initiative in scientific, technical, and stakeholder forums, including working groups, workshops, and briefings
- Contribute to development of guidance, frameworks, and best practices for cloud and GenAI use in research environments
- Support governance, coordination, and continuous improvement of large-scale research enablement efforts
Required
- Advanced degree (PhD strongly preferred) in biomedical science, computational biology, data science, computer science, or a related scientific discipline
- 10+ years of experience
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale scientific, technical, or research enablement initiatives
- Strong background in scientific research and familiarity with modern computational approaches, including cloud computing and GenAI
- Experience guiding adoption of new technologies within research or scientific organizations
- Proven ability to lead and coordinate cross-organizational communities, working groups, or collaborative networks
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with scientists, technologists, and senior leadership
- Local to Washington, DC metro area
Preferred
- NIH experience
- Onsite 2 days a week
- Experience supporting research initiatives in large, complex, or regulated environments
- Experience establishing or leading Communities of Practice or cross-institutional collaborations
- Familiarity with responsible AI, ethical considerations, or governance in research contexts
- Experience working at the intersection of science, technology, and strategy
- Background in cloud-based research platforms or large-scale data ecosystems
Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $125,000 to $165,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.
Identity Statement
As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers – and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
Steampunk
Lead Scientist, GenAI & Research Enablement
McLean, Virginia
Added 2d ago
Job functions:
$125k - $165k/yr
Doctoral degree in Computer Science
Job Description
Overview:
Preferred
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers – and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
The Lead Scientist will serve as a technical and scientific leader for high-visibility initiatives that enable large-scale research through cloud computing and Generative AI (GenAI). This role will guide adoption of advanced computational capabilities across a complex research ecosystem and lead a cross-organizational GenAI Community of Practice. The ideal candidate combines deep scientific expertise with experience leading multi-stakeholder initiatives at scale.
Contributions:
- Serve as lead for a high-profile, large-scale initiative providing access to cloud and GenAI resources across a distributed research community
- Provide scientific and technical leadership to accelerate research outcomes through adoption of cloud and GenAI technologies
- Guide national- or enterprise-level efforts to integrate advanced computational capabilities into research workflows
- Lead and coordinate a GenAI Community of Practice, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across a large, diverse population of scientists, technologists, and stakeholders
- Facilitate cross-organizational collaboration to identify research needs, prioritize use cases, and share best practices for responsible and effective use of GenAI
- Engage with senior leadership, researchers, and technical teams to communicate strategy, progress, and impact of cloud and GenAI initiatives
- Represent the initiative in scientific, technical, and stakeholder forums, including working groups, workshops, and briefings
- Contribute to development of guidance, frameworks, and best practices for cloud and GenAI use in research environments
- Support governance, coordination, and continuous improvement of large-scale research enablement efforts
Required
- Advanced degree (PhD strongly preferred) in biomedical science, computational biology, data science, computer science, or a related scientific discipline
- 10+ years of experience
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale scientific, technical, or research enablement initiatives
- Strong background in scientific research and familiarity with modern computational approaches, including cloud computing and GenAI
- Experience guiding adoption of new technologies within research or scientific organizations
- Proven ability to lead and coordinate cross-organizational communities, working groups, or collaborative networks
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with scientists, technologists, and senior leadership
- Local to Washington, DC metro area
Preferred
- NIH experience
- Onsite 2 days a week
- Experience supporting research initiatives in large, complex, or regulated environments
- Experience establishing or leading Communities of Practice or cross-institutional collaborations
- Familiarity with responsible AI, ethical considerations, or governance in research contexts
- Experience working at the intersection of science, technology, and strategy
- Background in cloud-based research platforms or large-scale data ecosystems
Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $125,000 to $165,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.
Identity Statement
As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers – and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
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Find Scientist JobsScientist Job Market in McLean
Who's Hiring
- Capital One54
- Information Technology Senior Management Forum42
- Steampunk12
- Guidehouse12
- Falls Technology12F
Scientist Jobs in McLean: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a scientist job in McLean?
Target the defense contractors and intelligence community support firms that cluster near Tysons Corner and along the Dulles Corridor, as these employers drive the largest share of scientist hiring in McLean. A clearance, even at the Secret level, gives you a significant edge with many local employers. Analytical roles in life sciences and environmental consulting also hire regularly in this market, so aligning your application to those sectors improves your odds.
Which companies hire scientists in McLean?
McLean scientist roles are posted by Capital One, Information Technology Senior Management Forum, and Steampunk and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. McLean's employer base skews heavily toward government contractors, intelligence support firms, and consulting organizations that blend scientific expertise with national security or policy work.
Are there remote scientist jobs in McLean?
Yes, though it depends on the type of scientist role, hands-on lab and fieldwork positions are almost always on-site, while data analysis, modeling, and research writing roles carry far more flexibility. About 25% of scientist openings tied to McLean are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with the hybrid arrangements concentrated among analytical and advisory roles supporting government clients.
How can I get a scientist job in McLean with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in McLean is targeting junior analyst or research associate roles at mid-size government contractors, which regularly hire candidates with a bachelor's degree in a natural science, data science, or engineering field. Internship programs at defense-adjacent consulting firms near Tysons Corner often convert to full-time offers. Earning even a basic security clearance eligibility through prior federal work or internships makes entry-level candidates noticeably more competitive in this market.
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