Senior Data Science Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Senior Data Science Engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense contracting, federal consulting, financial technology, and cloud computing, with openings at every level from mid-career through principal engineer. The busiest hiring metros are Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads corridor, where established employers like Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and Capital One maintain large data science operations. Machine learning engineering, MLOps, and natural language processing are the most sought-after specialties among Virginia employers right now. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Data is at the center of everything we do. As a startup, we disrupted the credit card industry by individually personalizing every credit card offer using statistical modeling and the relational database, cutting edge technology in 1988! Fast-forward a few years, and this little innovation and our passion for data has skyrocketed us to a Fortune 200 company and a leader in the world of data-driven decision-making.
As a Data Scientist at Capital One, you’ll be part of a team that’s leading the next wave of disruption at a whole new scale, using the latest in computing and machine learning technologies and operating across billions of customer records to unlock the big opportunities that help everyday people save money, time and agony in their financial lives.
Team Description:
Retail Bank is a high performing modeling and analytics team that is on a mission to define the next generation of banking. The Bank team has a relentless focus on the craft of statistical modeling and innovation with a target towards continually improving decision making and delivering value to the business. Using the latest in machine learning and distributed computing technologies, you will be building the next generation of data products to enable automation and aim for the right decision at the right time for in-moment decisioning.
Role Description
In this role, you will:
Formulate & Solve Complex Problems: Translate ambiguous business challenges into structured mathematical problems. Design and implement optimization models (linear, mixed-integer, non-linear, and heuristic) to improve decision-making.
Build & Deploy Scalable Models: Develop, test, and deploy production-grade optimization algorithms and simulation models using Python and commercial/open-source solvers.
Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Business teams to integrate optimization engines into existing software systems and workflows.
Build machine learning models through all phases of development, from design through training, evaluation, validation, and implementation
The Ideal Candidate is:
Strategic Impact & Experimental Rigor. Proven track record of driving strategic business value by optimizing customer experience funnels and risk policies, effectively evaluating external data, and institutionalizing closed-loop experimental frameworks to align predictive backtesting with live operational outcomes.
Customer first. You love the process of analyzing and creating, but also share our passion to do the right thing. You know at the end of the day it’s about making the right decision for our customers.
Innovative. You continually research and evaluate emerging technologies. You stay current on published state-of-the-art methods, technologies, and applications and seek out opportunities to apply them.
Technical. You’re comfortable with open-source languages and are passionate about developing further. You have hands-on experience developing data science solutions using open-source tools and cloud computing platforms.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree plus 6 years of experience in data analytics, or Master’s Degree plus 4 years of experience in data analytics, or PhD plus 1 year of experience in data analytics
At least 2 years’ experience in open source programming languages for large scale data analysis
At least 2 years’ experience with machine learning
At least 2 years’ experience with relational databases
Preferred Qualifications:
PhD in “STEM” field (Science, Engineering, Operations Research or Mathematics) plus 2 years of experience in data analytics
At least 1 year of experience working with AWS
At least 4 years’ experience in Python, Scala, or R for large scale data analysis
At least 4 years’ experience with machine learning
Experience in using numerical optimization to solve business problems
Experience with linear, non-linear, integer programming techniques and software packages
Has a track record of optimizing business outcomes and decision systems
Experience in formulating business problems that involves complex data, models, policy rules
Working experience with time-series models
Capital One will consider sponsoring a new qualified applicant for employment authorization for this position.
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
McLean, VA: $197,300 - $225,100 for Mgr, Data ScienceNew York, NY: $215,200 - $245,600 for Mgr, Data Science
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.
This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days. No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City’s Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1-800-304-9102 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@capitalone.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to Careers@capitalone.com
Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.
Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).
See All 48 Senior Data Science Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Data Science Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Data Science Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Capital One17

- Information Technology Senior Management Forum8
- University of Virginia5

- CarMax4

- MITRE1

Top Industries Hiring
- Banking & Financial Services10
- Consulting & Professional Services2
- Accounting & Auditing1
- Government & Public Sector1
- Investment & Asset Management1
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior data science engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, statistics, or a closely related quantitative field
- Five or more years of experience building and deploying production machine learning models at scale
- Proficiency in Python and SQL with hands-on experience in frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch
- Experience with cloud platforms, particularly AWS or Azure, common across Virginia government and commercial contracts
- Ability to obtain or maintain a U.S. security clearance, frequently required by Northern Virginia defense contractors
- Strong communication skills translating complex model outputs into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders
Senior Data Science Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior data science engineer in Virginia?
Senior data science engineer roles in Virginia do not require a state-issued license, but employers consistently expect a master's degree or equivalent experience in computer science, statistics, or data engineering alongside a strong portfolio of deployed models. In Northern Virginia, where defense and federal consulting dominate, holding or being eligible for a security clearance is a practical prerequisite at the senior level. Building experience in cloud-native ML platforms and contributing to open-source or internal production systems strengthens a Virginia application considerably.
How much do senior data science engineers make in Virginia?
Senior data science engineers in Virginia earn a median of about $126,430 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $76,420 for the lowest 10% to over $207,890 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior data science engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring senior data science engineers in Virginia right now include Capital One, Information Technology Senior Management Forum, and University of Virginia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's concentration of federal agencies and defense contractors means many of these employers require candidates who can work on classified or sensitive government programs.
Which Virginia cities have the most senior data science engineer jobs?
McLean, Richmond, and Charlottesville account for the largest share of senior data science engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia drives the bulk of demand through its dense cluster of federal agencies, intelligence community contractors, and tech-sector headquarters, while Richmond draws openings from financial services firms and healthcare systems, and Hampton Roads reflects defense and naval research demand concentrated around its major military installations.
Are there remote senior data science engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields, since senior data science engineering is largely a desk-based, analytical discipline that transfers well to remote environments. About 56% of senior data science engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting broader tech-sector flexibility. Model development, experimentation, and code review are the tasks most commonly performed fully remote, while on-site expectations tend to arise for roles involving classified systems or real-time collaboration with federal clients.
How can I get hired as a senior data science engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a junior or associate data scientist role at one of Virginia's large consulting firms or federal contractors, where structured onboarding programs help candidates build production ML experience quickly. Employers like Booz Allen Hamilton and Leidos run rotational analyst programs and early-career pipelines that place graduates into data-focused project teams. Lateral moves from data analyst, software engineer, or business intelligence roles are common, and earning a cloud certification on AWS or Azure, combined with a GitHub portfolio of end-to-end ML projects, gives early-career Virginia applicants a concrete edge.
Where can I find and apply to senior data science engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to senior data science engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across defense contracting, financial services, healthcare, and commercial tech. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 48 Senior Data Science Engineer Jobs in Virginia
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