Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in Alabama
Senior Staff Data Scientist jobs in Alabama are concentrated in Huntsville, Birmingham, and Montgomery, where aerospace contractors, healthcare systems, and financial services firms compete for senior talent. SAIC, Regions Financial, and UAB Health System are among the large, established employers with ongoing demand for data scientists at the staff and senior staff level. The most in-demand specialties include machine learning engineering, predictive modeling for healthcare operations, and data science applied to defense and government contracting. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Molecular Designs is a team of doctors and scientists working to advance molecular diagnostics.
Our founding physicians entered the molecular diagnostics market focused on the most common pathogens that impact the population making products that are cost-effective, reduce waste, and are easy-to-use.
Responsible for working closely with the research team lead to define testing format and optimization protocols. Report out results and data in a clear and concise manner to management. Support Company goals and objectives, Policies & Procedures, Quality System and FDA Regulations.
Essential Functions
- Responsible for working closely with the research team lead to define testing format and optimization protocols.
- Ensure studies are done in compliance with regulatory/GLP requirements, according to Standard Operating Procedures
- Work with a small group of scientists and focus on ensuring assay performance is based on customer needs
- Demonstrates passion for problem solving and outside-the-box thinking.
- Strong technical expertise in qPCR assay design and optimization.
- Experience in clinical product development under Design Control is preferred.
- Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills are desired.
- Must be highly collaborative; enjoys working in a diverse team and contributes to a positive work environment.
- Self-motivated, independent, proactive, organized, diligent, and flexible.
Competencies
- Ability to perform detailed technical work in a laboratory
- Detail-oriented with excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to collaborate with a team developing molecular assays for infectious diseases diagnostics on qPCR platforms.
- Knowledge and expertise in molecular assays for infectious disease and drug resistance.
- Ensure projects meet timelines, identify, and remove roadblocks to team success.
- Manage relationships and alignment with internal and external partners.
- Provide assessment of competitive diagnostic comparator assays and help evaluate appropriate comparator assays.
- Actively participate as a member of cross-functional product development teams.
- Drive continuous process improvement.
- Adopt a culture to drive regulatory compliance across the workflow, particularly in the area of new assay formats.
Education Requirements
- Four-year degree required. Preferably with a focus on basic sciences, such as biology or chemistry.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Must have good eye-hand coordination for pipetting
- Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
- Must be comfortable working with human pathogens
Molecular Designs is a team of doctors and scientists working to advance molecular diagnostics.
Our founding physicians entered the molecular diagnostics market focused on the most common pathogens that impact the population making products that are cost-effective, reduce waste, and are easy-to-use.
Responsible for working closely with the research team lead to define testing format and optimization protocols. Report out results and data in a clear and concise manner to management. Support Company goals and objectives, Policies & Procedures, Quality System and FDA Regulations.
Essential Functions
- Responsible for working closely with the research team lead to define testing format and optimization protocols.
- Ensure studies are done in compliance with regulatory/GLP requirements, according to Standard Operating Procedures
- Work with a small group of scientists and focus on ensuring assay performance is based on customer needs
- Demonstrates passion for problem solving and outside-the-box thinking.
- Strong technical expertise in qPCR assay design and optimization.
- Experience in clinical product development under Design Control is preferred.
- Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills are desired.
- Must be highly collaborative; enjoys working in a diverse team and contributes to a positive work environment.
- Self-motivated, independent, proactive, organized, diligent, and flexible.
Competencies
- Ability to perform detailed technical work in a laboratory
- Detail-oriented with excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to collaborate with a team developing molecular assays for infectious diseases diagnostics on qPCR platforms.
- Knowledge and expertise in molecular assays for infectious disease and drug resistance.
- Ensure projects meet timelines, identify, and remove roadblocks to team success.
- Manage relationships and alignment with internal and external partners.
- Provide assessment of competitive diagnostic comparator assays and help evaluate appropriate comparator assays.
- Actively participate as a member of cross-functional product development teams.
- Drive continuous process improvement.
- Adopt a culture to drive regulatory compliance across the workflow, particularly in the area of new assay formats.
Education Requirements
- Four-year degree required. Preferably with a focus on basic sciences, such as biology or chemistry.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Must have good eye-hand coordination for pipetting
- Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
- Must be comfortable working with human pathogens
See All 39 Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in Alabama
Find roles in Alabama that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Staff Data Scientist Jobs by City in Alabama
Where Alabama roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Staff Data Scientist Job Market in Alabama
A snapshot from current Alabama openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- University of Alabama, Birmingham8
- Baptist Health5
- Leidos2
- Jackson Hospital2
- 4P Consulting2
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services16
- Education9
- Consulting & Professional Services3
- Technology & Software2
- Automotive1
What Alabama Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior staff data scientist jobs across Alabama.
- Master's or doctoral degree in data science, statistics, computer science, or a closely related field
- Seven or more years of applied data science experience including team leadership or mentorship
- Proficiency in Python, R, and SQL with demonstrated deployment of production machine learning models
- Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud in enterprise environments
- Ability to obtain or hold a U.S. security clearance for defense and government contractor roles in Huntsville
- Strong communication skills translating complex model outputs for non-technical stakeholders and executives
Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in Alabama: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior staff data scientist in Alabama?
Most senior staff data scientists in Alabama hold at least a master's degree in data science, statistics, or computer science, and many roles in the Huntsville defense corridor require or strongly prefer candidates who can obtain a federal security clearance. There is no state-issued license for this role in Alabama. Employers across Birmingham's healthcare and finance sectors typically expect several years of progressive experience leading projects and mentoring junior analysts before considering candidates at the senior staff level.
How much do senior staff data scientists make in Alabama?
Senior staff data scientists in Alabama earn a median of about $103,120 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $59,130 for the lowest 10% to over $161,590 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior staff data scientists in Alabama?
Employers hiring senior staff data scientists in Alabama right now include University of Alabama, Birmingham, Baptist Health, and Leidos, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Alabama's defense and aerospace hub in Huntsville draws particularly strong demand from government contractors and federal agencies with research missions.
Which Alabama cities have the most senior staff data scientist jobs?
The cities with the most senior staff data scientist openings in Alabama are Birmingham, Huntsville, and Alabama. Huntsville leads because of its dense concentration of aerospace contractors and federal research facilities, while Birmingham's large healthcare systems and regional financial institutions drive consistent hiring, and Montgomery adds openings through state government agencies and insurance sector employers.
Are there remote senior staff data scientist jobs in Alabama?
Yes, and more than most fields. Data science is a desk-based, analytical discipline that translates well to remote work. About 27% of senior staff data scientist openings tied to Alabama are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting broad employer acceptance of distributed teams. The parts of the role most likely to remain fully remote are model development, statistical analysis, and stakeholder reporting, while roles tied to classified government work in Huntsville typically require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a senior staff data scientist in Alabama with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a junior or associate data scientist role and building toward senior staff level over several years. In Alabama, UAB and the University of Alabama at Birmingham run graduate research partnerships with their health system that give new graduates applied experience in real clinical datasets. Huntsville defense contractors like SAIC and Leidos regularly hire entry-level data analysts who can grow into data science roles, especially candidates with a relevant degree and a portfolio of independent projects. Moving laterally from a business intelligence analyst or data engineer role is also a common path into data science at Alabama employers.
Where can I find and apply to senior staff data scientist jobs in Alabama?
You can find and apply to senior staff data scientist jobs in Alabama on Migrate Mate, which lists current Alabama openings. Search the listings, find the roles that match your background and experience level, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 39 Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in Alabama
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