Data Scientist

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.

The Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division (JOID) provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.

JOID assists the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) in developing leading edge technologies to counter WMD in support of CCMDs and transitioning these technologies to military services and COCOMs. SPA provides expertise across the full range of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives (CBRNE) WMD, Counter Improvised Threat and Countering Threat Network technologies to support understanding, detection, identification, characterization, denial, control, disabling, defeating, disposing, safeguarding the force, managing consequences, and test and evaluation in support of military and civilian operations.

We have an immediate need for a Data Scientist to provide onsite support out of Albuquerque, NM.

Assist the Nuclear Technologies Detection (NTD) Division by providing high-level expert A&AS support while located at the Defense Threat Reduction Information Analysis Center (DTRIAC), developing new methods for extracting data/information from Department of Defense nuclear testing operations and translation of nuclear effects information for DoD, DOE, and Interagency stakeholders. DTRIAC's core mission integrates large numbers of historical data sets related to the U.S. nuclear mission with advanced digitization and data manipulation techniques for additional use of such information. Will apply understanding of complex legacy systems, weapon effects, phenomenology, verification and validation tools, and niche mission needs to properly support multiple portfolios of technical contribution. Responsibilities for this position include: supporting general Nuclear Information Analysis Center (IAC) missions with external partners; providing technical guidance to requests for support (RFS) and information retrieval related to nuclear weapon systems, testing, and simulation cases; providing technical oversight for critical internal and external missions with performing contractors; providing recommendations for technical solutions related to analysis, operations, and data manipulation with DTRIAC resources; supporting the transformation of DTRIAC collection to a modern framework with a diverse team of technical disciplines; analyzing and recommending current and future mission needs to government and military management at various levels; aiding in optimizing the management of physical-to-digital data conversion within DTRIAC for various mission needs; executing analytical studies with the Information Analysis Center; identifying relevant data sources and sets for different types of users with understanding of the greater DTRIAC collection; researching and evaluating high performance computing tools, programs, and algorithms for future scientific technical data curation; and writing and providing technical reports and white papers describing state-of-the-art technology and methodology research, evaluation, and recommendations.

15-30% travel required.

Required:

Bachelor's degree in data science, computer science, or a related technical discipline with 6+ years of experience.
• Familiarity with designing and managing IT infrastructure.
• Understanding of machine learning techniques and algorithms, such as k-NN, Naive Bayes, SVM, and Decision Forests, as well as modern large-language models (LLAMA, BERT, GPT, etc.).
• Experience with modern software development frameworks (DevSecOps, MLOps) and DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF), AI RMF, and/or Enterprise Risk Management.
• Familiarity with designing and developing microservices ML architectures, and model and software containerization.
• Familiarity with program application interfaces (APIs) and cloud services (e.g., AWS, MS Azure).
• Experience transitioning legacy systems to cloud environment optimized applications.
• Understanding of nuclear weapon effects.
• Ability to provide recommendations derived from complex set of requirements and work independently and complete tasking with minimum guidance and supervision.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, research-oriented group that has several concurrent projects.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office products and use of MS Teams, Workflows, and PowerBI.
• Excellent writing, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Active Secret clearance and the ability to attain and hold a TS clearance; SCI eligible.
• Able to work fully onsite based on client needs.

Desired:

• Master's degree in data science, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience with federated machine learning and federated data processing and ingestion.
• Experience in DoD Dev/Sec/Ops delivery of software capabilities.
• Experience in nuclear weapon effects.
• Knowledge of the DoD Architecture Framework (DoDAF).
• Active TS/SCI clearance.