Data Scientist Development Program

Newly hired Data Scientists may be enrolled in the three-year Data Science Development Program (DSDP), in which they will both broaden and specialize their data science skills by taking courses and touring with a variety of mission offices (each for several months). You will have the opportunity to collaborate with NSA's experts in data science, related technical domains, and specialized subject areas while tackling NSA's highest priority mission challenges. You will have opportunities to attend technical conferences with experts internally and from industry and academia and participate in internal technical roundtables. The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

Applicants who meet minimum qualifications may be asked to complete the Data Science Examination (DSE) evaluating their knowledge of statistics, mathematics, and computer science topics that pertain to data science work. Passing this examination is a requirement in order to be considered for selection into a data scientist position.

Degree must be in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Applied Statistics, Machine Learning, Data Science, Operations Research, or Computer Science. A degree in a related field (e.g., Computer Information Systems, Engineering), a degree in the physical/hard sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy), or other science disciplines (i.e., behavioral, social, library, and life) may be considered if it includes a concentration of coursework (typically 5 or more courses) in advanced mathematics (typically 200 level or higher; such as calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, and calculus based statistics) and/or computer science (e.g., algorithms, programming, data structures, data mining, artificial intelligence). College-level Algebra or other math courses intended to meet a basic college level requirement, or upper level math courses designated as elementary or basic do not count.

Note: Degrees in related fields will be considered if accompanied by a Certificate in Data Science from an accredited college/university.

ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL
Entry is with a Bachelor's degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: designing/implementing machine learning, data mining, advanced analytical algorithms, programming, data science, advanced statistical analysis, artificial intelligence, computational science, software engineering, or data engineering.

FULL PERFORMANCE
Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. Relevant experience must be in two or more of the following: designing/implementing machine learning, data mining, advanced analytical algorithms, programming, data science, advanced statistical analysis, artificial intelligence, computational science, software engineering, or data engineering. Data science at the National Security Agency (NSA) is a multi-disciplinary field that uses elements of mathematics, statistics, computer science, and application-specific knowledge to gather, make, and communicate principled conclusions from data. Data Science is a broad field and a team effort, spanning all the expertise needed to derive value from data. It encompasses AI Engineering, Data Engineering, ML Ops Engineering, and Human Perception and Cognition Engineering in addition to the traditional applications of data science.

Data science is present in every aspect of the mission. NSA Data Scientists tackle challenging real-world problems leveraging big data, high-performance computing, machine learning, and a breadth of other methodologies. We are looking for critical thinkers, problem solvers, and motivated individuals who are enthusiastic about data and believe that answers to hard questions lie in the yet-to-be-told story of diverse, complicated data sets. You will employ your mathematical science, computer science, and quantitative analysis skills to develop solutions to complex data problems and take full advantage of NSA's capabilities to tackle the highest priority foreign intelligence and cybersecurity challenges.

As a Data Scientist, your responsibilities may include:
- Exploratory data analysis and exploratory model-fitting to reveal data features of interest
- Machine-learned predictive modeling
- Identifying and analyzing anomalous data (including metadata)
- Lead or contribute to cross-functional teams to develop and implement Al (including generative AI) that can help solve some of our most challenging problems.
- Apply modern engineering techniques to develop decision support software prototypes.
- Propose and execute novel, cutting-edge research in Al-enhanced decision systems.
- Designing and developing analytics and techniques for analysis
- Analyzing data using mathematical and statistical methods
- Implement ML pipeline and workflows
- Leverage skills in modern data architecture, cloud engineering, data transformation, and management of structured and unstructured data sources.
- Build continuous integration and delivery pipelines for ML applications.
- Construct usable data sets from multiple sources to meet customer needs
- Developing conceptual design and models to address mission requirements
- Developing qualitative and quantitative methods for characterizing datasets in various states.
- Performing analytic modeling, scripting, and/or programming
- Working collaboratively and iteratively throughout the data-science lifecycle
- Communicate with a team of data scientists, data engineers, AI engineers, ML-Ops engineers, and stakeholders.
- Evaluating, documenting, and communicating research processes, analyses, and results to customers, peers, and leadership
- Creating interpretable visualizations.
- Work with mission owners to design, develop, and deploy new architectures for ML and automation applications such as ELT functions, HPC/compute infrastructure, AWS/Azure solutions, database solutions, and optimization of DevOps procedures. The ideal candidate has a desire for continual learning along with excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication (oral and written), and interpersonal skills who is:
- Accountable
- Proactive
- Detail oriented
- Able to solve complex problems
- Proficient with critical thinking and reasoning to make analytic determinations
- Effective at working in a collaborative team environment
- Able to bridge the gap with both technical and non-technical audiences

Knowledge, skills, and relevant experience in one or more of the following is required:
- Designing and implementing machine learning
- Data mining
- Advanced analytical algorithms
- Programming
- Data science
- Advanced statistical analysis
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computational science
- Software engineering
- Data engineering

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