Senior Principal Data Scientist

**Description** **Your greatest work is ahead!** Leidos' **Defense Systems - Sensor Systems Analysis & Engineering (SSA&E) Portfolio** is seeking an experienced **Data Scientist** to serve as a machine learning (ML) SME within our Sensor Systems Analysis and Engineering Department. You will join a diverse team of engineers, scientists, and software developers to create unique solutions for complex problems. Our team tackles critical challenges that support the current and future defense of our nation, including the rapidly growing domains of machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI). You will work within an established, highly skilled team alongside other contractors and our customers. Joining us means the opportunity to collaborate with leading experts while growing your career in areas that excite you. You will quickly become an integral member of the team and will be entrusted with significant and meaningful responsibilities. Because of this, we seek driven, engaged professionals who demonstrate exceptional character-our work often involves sensitive and unique challenges that require a high degree of trust from our customers. **If this sounds like an environment where you can thrive, keep reading!** Leidos **Defense Systems Sector** provides a broad portfolio of systems, solutions, and services across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace domains for customers worldwide. Our portfolio includes enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. We tackle the world's toughest security challenges in support of "can't fail" missions. _To explore and learn more, click here!_ **Are you ready to make an impact? Share your resume with us today!** **Primary Responsibilities** + Serve as a recognized SME in applied statistics and ML/AI, with extensive experience collaborating with researchers across government laboratories and academia. + Work closely with engineers and scientists to solve problems across ML, data science, statistics, computer vision, and image/signal processing to support weapon automatic target recognition (ATR) development. This requires ATR expertise in multiple sensor modalities, including passive EO/IR, SAR, and LIDAR/LADAR. + Lead and conduct research in ATR development, signal information estimation, ML model forensics and interpretability, out-of-distribution detection, and adversarial attack detection/mitigation. **Basic Qualifications** + Bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, data science, computer science, or a related engineering/science field with 25 years of relevant experience OR Masters degree in mathematics, statistics, data science, computer science, or a related engineering/science field with 15-20 years of relevant experience OR Doctorate with 13-16 years of relevant experience + Experience leading teams of scientists and engineers in the development of novel ML solutions. + In-depth knowledge of classical ML techniques as well as modern deep learning (DL) architectures for supervised and unsupervised learning. + Strong background in applied statistics and statistical testing, including non-parametric approaches and high-dimensional data analysis. + Experience developing advanced statistical methods for evaluating neural networks or other ML frameworks. + Experience conducting forensic analyses of DL models and ATR systems to identify weaknesses or issues. + Experience developing ATR solutions-including object detection, pose estimation, tracking, and recognition-for EO/IR/RF/LiDAR sensing domains. + Familiarity with hyperdimensional computing concepts and ML applications. + US citizen, possess and maintain an active DoD security clearance ( **SECRET or higher** ) required. If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares. **Original Posting:** December 3, 2025 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. **Pay Range:** Pay Range $148,850.00 - $269,075.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law. **About Leidos** Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit . **Pay and Benefits** Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at . **Securing Your Data** Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos' name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [email protected] . If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ( . **Commitment to Non-Discrimination** All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws. \#Remote REQNUMBER: R-00171461 All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. Leidos will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in accordance with relevant Laws. Leidos is an equal opportunity employer/disability/vet.