Data Scientist – Edge AI & Embedded Systems

Vantor Services Inc. is seeking a Data Scientist to help bring modern AI and machine learning capabilities to the tactical edge. This on-site role in Reston, VA supports a small team that moves work from concept to completion, including use case definition, dataset sourcing and curation, model training and evaluation, and deployment onto embedded hardware in air-gapped environments. The position also includes collaboration alongside mission operators and requirements owners to ensure delivered capabilities meet operational expectations.

What you’ll do

• Source, curate, clean, and label datasets from open-source repositories including GitHub, GitLab, Hugging Face, and Kaggle, as well as operational sensor data.
• Train, fine-tune, and evaluate AI/ML models for mission use cases, including computer vision models and LLMs.
• Define evaluation methods and metrics to measure accuracy, latency, and reliability in real-world operating conditions.
• Optimize models for resource-constrained embedded hardware using techniques such as quantization, pruning, and conversion to edge runtimes.
• Build and deploy offline-native data and ML pipelines in containerized environments using Docker.
• Configure and troubleshoot Linux-based embedded systems, including compatibility between kernels and hardware drivers.
• Explore and analyze data from digital communication systems, including RF, cellular, and WiFi sources.
• Evaluate open-source AI software and models to identify options that meet customer operational requirements.
• Work with customers to understand expectations and validate that delivered products align with operational needs.
• Produce supporting documentation, including model performance reports and inputs for user manuals.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an applicable technical discipline such as data science, computer science, computer engineering, statistics, or electrical engineering.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience.
• U.S. Citizen with an active TS/SCI clearance with CI polygraph.
• Solid understanding of AI/ML algorithms, including computer vision models and LLMs, plus hands-on experience training and evaluating models using PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Proficiency in Python and common data science libraries such as NumPy, pandas, scikit-learn, as well as Bash scripting.
• Experience configuring/building applications in Linux and deploying offline-native applications with Docker.

Technologies

Python, NumPy, pandas, scikit-learn, Bash, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Docker, Linux, GitHub, GitLab, Hugging Face, Kaggle

Benefits

• Robust 401(k) with company match
• Mental health resources
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Adoption reimbursement
• Pet insurance

Additional eligibility and policy notes

• To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance; applicants without the required clearance are not eligible for consideration. Employment is contingent on verification of clearance status.
• Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws and require U.S. person status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Compensation: USD 140,000 - 205,700 per year. Base pay within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is listed as $140,000.00 - $187,000.00 - $205,700.00 annually; other locations use geographic cost of labor to determine market-driven ranges.