Principal Data Scientist - United States - 34128 - Maximus

General information

Job Posting Title

Principal Data Scientist

Date

Monday, November 17, 2025

City

Remote

Country

United States

Working time

Full-time

Description & Requirements

We now have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Data Scientist to join the Maximus AI Accelerator supporting both the enterprise and our clients. We are looking for an accomplished hands-on individual contributor and team player to be a part of the AI Accelerator team.

You will be responsible for architecting and optimizing scalable, secure AI systems and integrating AI models in production using MLOps best practices, ensuring systems are resilient, compliant, and efficient. This role requires strong systems thinking, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to manage risk and change in complex environments. Success depends on cross-functional collaboration, strategic communication, and adaptability in fast-paced, evolving technology landscapes.

This position will be focused on strategic company-wide initiatives but will also play a role in project delivery and capture solutioning (i.e., leaning in on existing or future projects and providing solutioning to capture new work.)

This position requires occasional travel to the DC area for client meetings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

- Make deep dives into the data, pulling out objective insights for business leaders.

- Initiate, craft, and lead advanced analyses of operational data.

- Provide a strong voice for the importance of data-driven decision making.

- Provide expertise to others in data wrangling and analysis.

- Convert complex data into visually appealing presentations.

- Develop and deploy advanced methods to analyze operational data and derive meaningful, actionable insights for stakeholders and business development partners.

- Understand the importance of automation and look to implement and initiate automated solutions where appropriate.

- Initiate and take the lead on AI/ML initiatives as well as develop AI/ML code for projects.

- Utilize various languages for scripting and write SQL queries. Serve as the primary point of contact for data and analytical usage across multiple projects.

- Guide operational partners on product performance and solution improvement/maturity options.

- Participate in intra-company data-related initiatives as well as help foster and develop relationships throughout the organization.

- Learn new skills in advanced analytics/AI/ML tools, techniques, and languages.

- Mentor more junior data analysts/data scientists as needed.

- Apply strategic approach to lead projects from start to finish;

Job-Specific Minimum Requirements:

- Develop, collaborate, and advance the applied and responsible use of AI, ML and data science solutions throughout the enterprise and for our clients by finding the right fit of tools, technologies, processes, and automation to enable effective and efficient solutions for each unique situation.

- Contribute and lead the creation, curation, and promotion of playbooks, best practices, lessons learned and firm intellectual capital.

- Contribute to efforts across the enterprise to support the creation of solutions and real mission outcomes leveraging AI capabilities from Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, LLMs and classical machine learning.

- Contribute to the development of mathematically rigorous process improvement procedures.

- Maintain current knowledge and evaluation of the AI technology landscape and emerging. developments and their applicability for use in production/operational environments.

Minimum Requirements

- Bachelor's degree in related field required.

- 10-12 years of relevant professional experience required.

Job-Specific Minimum Requirements:

- 10+ years of relevant Software Development + AI / ML / DS experience.

- Professional Programming experience (e.g. Python, R, etc.).

- Experience in two of the following: Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning, and/or Classical ML.

- Experience with API programming.

- Experience with Linux.

- Experience with Statistics.

- Experience with Classical Machine Learning.

- Experience working as a contributor on a team.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

- Masters or BS in quantitative discipline (e.g. Math, Physics, Engineering, Economics, Computer Science, etc.).

- Experience developing machine learning or signal processing algorithms:

- Ability to leverage mathematical principles to model new and novel behaviors.

- Ability to leverage statistics to identify true signals from noise or clutter.

- Experience working as an individual contributor in AI.

- Use of state-of-the-art technology to solve operational problems in AI and Machine Learning.

- Strong knowledge of data structures, common computing infrastructures/paradigms (stand alone and cloud), and software engineering principles.

- Ability to design custom solutions in the AI and Advanced Analytics sphere for customers. This includes the ability to scope customer needs, identify currently existing technologies, and develop custom software solutions to fill any gaps in available off the shelf solutions.

- Ability to build reference implementations of operational AI & Advanced Analytics processing solutions.

Background Investigations:

- IRS MBI - Eligibility

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EEO Statement

Maximus is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics.

Pay Transparency

Maximus compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to job location, a candidate's education, training, experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value analysis including seniority and merit systems, as well as internal pay alignment. Annual salary is just one component of Maximus's total compensation package. Other rewards may include short- and long-term incentives as well as program-specific awards. Additionally, Maximus provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and paid time off. Compensation ranges may differ based on contract value but will be commensurate with job duties and relevant work experience. An applicant's salary history will not be used in determining compensation. Maximus will comply with regulatory minimum wage rates and exempt salary thresholds in all instances.

Accommodations

Maximus provides reasonable accommodations to individuals requiring assistance during any phase of the employment process due to a disability, medical condition, or physical or mental impairment. If you require assistance at any stage of the employment process—including accessing job postings, completing assessments, or participating in interviews,—please contact People Operations at applicantaccom@maximus.com.