Data Scientist

Role overview

Elder Research Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of MANTECH International Corporation, is looking for a driven Data Scientist to support and lead analytics work across a variety of client engagements. This is a hybrid position for candidates based in the Raleigh, NC; Charlottesville, VA; or Washington, DC areas, with onsite presence expected 1 to 2 days per week. The role is suited to someone who enjoys solving open-ended problems, turning uncertain business needs into practical analytics solutions, and partnering closely with clients and internal teams.

What you will do

You will work through the full lifecycle of analytical solution development, from defining the problem to building and deploying production-ready models and data products. The work may involve time series forecasting, NLP, classification, regression, optimization, and other advanced methods. You will also adapt solutions to client-specific tools and environments, communicate directly with stakeholders, and help ensure technical work delivers measurable business value.

Core responsibilities

• Take ownership of complex data science initiatives and contribute to the development of deployable models and analytics products.
• Select and apply suitable analytics techniques such as forecasting, natural language processing, classification, regression, and optimization based on the problem at hand.
• Adjust solutions to fit client systems, tools, and technical constraints, often learning new environments quickly.
• Work through requirements discovery and data investigation to connect business goals with effective analytical approaches.
• Communicate findings and proposed solutions clearly to clients and other stakeholders.
• Design, lead, and support customized training content in data science, AI, and related topics for clients.
• Assist with teaching, mentoring, and grading as part of active training programs when needed.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to maintain strong collaboration and alignment on project goals.

Minimum qualifications

• At least 3 years of professional experience in data science.
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as statistics, computer science, economics, mathematics, analytics, data science, business, or the social or natural sciences.
• Strong hands-on ability in Python and/or R, including data analysis and modeling libraries.
• Experience building machine learning models and using proper validation practices.
• Solid SQL skills for working with and analyzing large or complex datasets.
• Working knowledge of Git or another version control workflow.
• Self-starter mindset with the ability to begin new work quickly and operate independently.
• Curiosity about data, business context, and the real-world impact of analytical work.
• Willingness to keep learning new tools, methods, and techniques.
• Collaborative approach with openness to working alongside data scientists, data engineers, project managers, and clients.
• Interest in helping create and deliver data science and AI training content.
• Ability to explain technical results to audiences with varying levels of data literacy.

Preferred background

• Comfort working in ambiguous situations and turning broad ideas into concrete deliverables.
• Strong consulting and client-facing communication abilities.
• Capability to work independently in remote and flexible client settings.
• Advanced degree such as an MS or PhD in a related discipline.
• Experience with advanced statistical methods and end-to-end data science workflows in real-world settings, including out-of-sample validation, sampling decisions, bias checks, missing-data handling, outlier treatment, and exploratory analysis.
• Understanding of analytics delivery frameworks such as CRISP-DM.

Work arrangement and location

This is a full-time hybrid role. Candidates must be located in the Raleigh, NC, Charlottesville, VA, or Washington, DC markets and be available to work onsite 1 to 2 days each week. The posting references U.S. locations including Arlington, VA; Raleigh, NC; and Charlottesville, VA.

Additional information

Requisition number: 719. Security clearance is not required. The posting date is 06/12/2026.

Equal opportunity and accommodation

Elder Research states that all qualified applicants are considered without regard to disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply, you may contact the company at careers@elderresearch.com and include your name and contact information.