Lead Data Scientist (Washington)

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Description
Title: Lead Data Scientist
Location: Hybrid (Washington, D.C. preferred; minimum 23 days onsite per week)
Terms: Full-time
Clearance: Must be a U.S. Citizen with an Active Public Trust Clearance
Travel: 010%
RESULTS. INNOVATION. VALUES. ACCOUNTABILITY.
Thats RIVA. Our employee-first approach has manifested a culture that attracts the best and brightest. By investing in people first and providing a flexible work environment, our employees have higher morale, higher productivity rates, and lower turnover. At RIVA, people are our #1 priority.
Program Overview
RIVA Solutions is supporting the Department of Commerce (DOC) and U.S. Census Bureau through the CATTS contract, delivering critical data science and machine learning services that enable data-driven decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of federal programs. This work supports census operations, statistical research, and modernization of data infrastructure across multiple DOC bureaus and systems of national significance.
Position Overview
RIVA Solutions is seeking a Lead Data Scientist (Subject Matter Expert) to design, implement, and scale advanced statistical and machine learning models for the U.S. Census Bureau. This role is ideal for an experienced data science leader who combines technical excellence with a deep understanding of ethical AI, data governance, and high-stakes federal data environments. The candidate will drive innovation, support cross-functional teams, and lead efforts to transform complex datasets into strategic insights for public service impact.
Core Responsibilities

• Apply in-depth knowledge of statistical methods and machine learning algorithms, including regression, classification, clustering, and time series forecasting.
• Lead end-to-end model development, from exploratory data analysis through production deployment and monitoring.
• Design and implement advanced ML techniques including supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning; experience with deep learning, NLP, and computer vision is a plus.
• Develop scalable data pipelines to ingest, clean, transform, and process large volumes of structured and unstructured data.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy laws and ethical frameworks in the use of sensitive data and ML/AI models.
• Translate complex datasets into actionable insights and present findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders, including federal executives.
• Write efficient, modular, and reusable Python or R code using key ML and data libraries (e.g., pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, tidyverse).
• Collaborate across business, product, and engineering teams to integrate models into live systems and support informed, data-driven decision-making.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Masters degree in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or related field
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in applied data science and analytics
• Deep knowledge of statistical modeling, machine learning, and production-level deployment
• Strong programming skills in Python or R, with experience using ML and data science libraries
• Demonstrated success in stakeholder engagement and communication of analytical findings
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a quantitative field
• Experience supporting data-intensive federal agencies (e.g., Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis)
• Familiarity with cloud-based ML tools and MLOps practices (e.g., AWS SageMaker, Vertex AI, Databricks)
• Knowledge of federal data governance, ethics, and AI policy
  
  

Salary
Up to $180,000 / year, based on experience and qualifications
RIVA Benefits

• Paid Time Off / Sick Leave
• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Life Insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan with Company Match
• HSA/FSA Spending Accounts
• Long- and Short-Term Disability
• Pet Insurance
• Wellness Program Initiatives
• RIVA Flex (Flex Hours and Hybrid Work Support)
• Additional Perks & Workplace Benefits
  
  

Equal Opportunity Statement
RIVA Solutions is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please email (email protected). Only messages left for this purpose will be returned.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Engineering and Information Technology

• Industries

  IT Services and IT Consulting

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