Data Scientist Lead

ECS Federal•MacDill AFB, FL

13d

About The Position

ECS Federal is seeking a Data Scientist Lead to support the USCENTCOM Operations Directorate (J3). This senior subject matter expert will lead a team of data professionals, provide oversight for the Data Management team, and enhance the command’s data-driven decision-making capabilities. The role drives strategic initiatives in data engineering, data science, and AI/ML, translating mission needs into technical solutions—from data ingestion and model development through deployment of full-stack AI-driven capabilities that support military operations. The Data Scientist Lead provides technical and organizational leadership across data engineering, analytics, and predictive analytics. The position works with USCENTCOM data leaders to define operational data requirements, advises the team on programming languages and analytics platforms, and communicates technical findings as actionable insights to operational audiences and senior leadership. The role requires occasional domestic and international travel.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen.
Active Top Secret clearance and SCI eligibility.
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Data Science, Analytics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
More than 10 years of relevant work experience, including significant experience leading data science or analytics teams.
Demonstrated experience capturing, implementing, and managing data science requirements for senior Military, Federal Government, or Intelligence Community stakeholders.
Expertise applying advanced AI/ML techniques and frameworks, such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Scikit-learn, to complex problems.
High proficiency in Python and/or R for data engineering, automation, and model development.
Experience building and maintaining data pipelines (ETL/ELT), data warehouses, and data lake/lakehouse architectures.
Familiarity with data visualization and analytics platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, Palantir Foundry, or Maven Smart System (MSS).
Experience with data storage and processing tools such as Apache Spark, Databricks, or Hadoop, and databases such as TSQL, MySQL, Oracle, or PostgreSQL.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing senior leaders.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and oversight for the data engineering, analytics, and predictive analytics team, aligning services with strategic operational objectives.
Lead development and implementation of advanced analytics, statistical models, data governance, and innovative technologies for operational decision-making.
Apply machine learning and AI techniques, including supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning, as well as generative AI such as large language models and multimodal AI.
Oversee development, deployment, and maintenance of fault-tolerant data pipelines for cleaning, tagging, and ingesting structured and unstructured data into data lakes and lakehouses.
Direct the data science lifecycle from exploration and algorithm development through statistical validation and operationalization, ensuring deployed capabilities meet mission requirements.
Coordinate with the USCENTCOM Chief Data Officer and the Operations Directorate Executive Data Officer, and participate in relevant forums to interpret mission needs and define operational data requirements.
Serve as the team’s senior technical advisor on SQL, Python, R, and analytics platforms.
Translate technical information and findings into clear, actionable insights for non-technical operational audiences and senior leadership.
Manage and prioritize multiple projects and tasks in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Be available for occasional travel to domestic and international locations.