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Job Description:
Parsons is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to support our cutting-edge Drone Armor counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) program. This role provides professional scientific data engineering and data science, requiring the application of data and engineering sciences, mathematics, and electronic phenomena to design, implement, and optimize data-centric capabilities. The Senior Data Scientist will focus on software coding, data interoperability, cloud technology, data mesh, and data tagging to enable advanced analytics, decision-support, and mission effectiveness.
What You'll Be DoingData Science, Analytics & Modeling- Design and implement data science workflows and analytics to support C-UAS detection, tracking, classification, and decision-support
- Develop and apply statistical, machine learning, and optimization techniques to extract insight from multi-source sensor, RF, telemetry, and operational data
- Build, evaluate, and refine models for anomaly detection, threat assessment, and system performance prediction in real-time or near-real-time environments
- Translate mission and system requirements into data-driven approaches, metrics, and analytic products consumable by operators, engineers, and leadership
- Design and implement data pipelines for ingestion, transformation, enrichment, and distribution of data across a data mesh architecture
- Engineer data interoperability solutions across heterogeneous systems, sensors, and platforms, using common data models, schemas, and open standards where appropriate
- Collaborate on the design and implementation of a data mesh or data fabric for Drone Armor, enabling discoverable, shareable, and governed data products across teams and systems
- Ensure data solutions are robust, secure, maintainable, and aligned with program architecture, performance, and interoperability standards
- Architect and implement data pipelines, storage, and analytics capabilities in cloud or hybrid environments (e.g., commercial, tactical, or private cloud)
- Leverage cloud-native services and technologies for scalable data processing, streaming, and model deployment
- Optimize data and analytics workloads for resilience, performance, and cost within cloud-based infrastructures
- Integrate on-premise, edge, and cloud components into cohesive end-to-end data and analytics solutions for mission operations
- Design and implement data tagging strategies (e.g., metadata, security labels, lineage tags) to support discoverability, access control, and policy compliance
- Define and enforce data quality metrics, validation rules, and monitoring to ensure the reliability of analytics and downstream decision-making
- Work with stakeholders to establish data governance practices, including data cataloging, classification, and lifecycle management
- Support the creation of well-documented, reusable data products and datasets within the data mesh
- Work closely with systems engineers, RF engineers, software developers, and operators to understand mission needs and translate them into data and analytics requirements
- Develop visualizations, dashboards, and analytic reports that clearly communicate complex findings to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Mentor junior data scientists and data engineers, providing technical guidance on methods, tools, and best practices
- Contribute to technical reviews, design walkthroughs, and continuous improvement of data science and data engineering practices
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electronics Engineering, or other engineering or technical discipline is required
OR - 8 years of relevant experience in data science, data engineering, or related fields may be substituted for education
- Experience applying data and engineering sciences, mathematics, and electronic phenomena to real-world systems or mission problems
- Experience designing and implementing data pipelines and data interoperability solutions in complex, multi-system environments
- Experience with cloud-based or hybrid data and analytics solutions, including data storage, processing, and model deployment
- Experience working with data mesh or similar distributed data architectures, including data product design and governance
- Experience with data tagging, metadata management, and data cataloging to support discoverability, security, and compliance
- Experience reacting to and resolving data-related issues (e.g., quality, latency, integrity, model performance) in complex or mission-critical systems
- Proficiency in one or more languages commonly used for data science and data engineering (e.g., Python, R, Scala, or similar), including use of relevant libraries and frameworks
- Strong understanding of data engineering concepts: ETL/ELT, streaming, batch processing, APIs, and event-driven data flows
- Familiarity with cloud data and analytics services (e.g., managed databases, data lakes, streaming services, containerized processing)
- Knowledge of data modeling, schemas, and standards used in sensor, RF, telemetry, or ISR/C2 environments is a plus
- Strong analytical and communication skills, capable of explaining complex data and model behavior, trade-offs, and limitations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Must be a US Citizen
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (SECRET or higher; specific level may be defined by program requirements)
- Master’s or higher degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, or related discipline
- Professional certifications in cloud platforms, data engineering, or data science/ML
- Experience supporting DoD, defense, ISR, C-UAS, or other mission/operations-focused data and analytics systems
- Experience working with multi-sensor or multi-int data fusion, track management, or situational awareness systems
- Experience implementing data mesh or data fabric strategies in distributed, real-time, or high-availability environments
- Experience with data processing and orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, NiFi, Spark, Flink, or similar)
- Experience with containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), and CI/CD workflows for data and model deployment
- Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and modern issue tracking/ALM tools
- Experience with visualization and BI tools (e.g., Grafana, Kibana, Power BI, Tableau, or similar) for operational and analytic dashboards
Security Clearance Requirement:
An active Secret security clearance is required for this position.This position is part of our Federal Solutions team.The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what’s next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.Salary Range: $112,200.00 - $196,400.00We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!Parsons is aware of fraudulent recruitment practices. To learn more about recruitment fraud and how to report it, please refer to https://www.parsons.com/fraudulent-recruitment/.
Skills Required
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Electronics Engineering, or other engineering/technical discipline OR 8 years relevant experience in data science/data engineering
- Experience applying data and engineering sciences, mathematics, and electronic phenomena to real-world or mission systems
- Design and implement data pipelines and interoperability solutions in complex, multi-system environments
- Experience with cloud-based or hybrid data and analytics solutions including storage, processing, and model deployment
- Experience with data mesh or similar distributed data architectures, including data product design and governance
- Experience implementing data tagging, metadata management, and data cataloging for discoverability, security, and compliance
- Experience diagnosing and resolving data quality, latency, integrity, and model performance issues in mission-critical systems
- Proficiency in one or more data science/data engineering languages (e.g., Python, R, Scala) and relevant libraries/frameworks
- Strong understanding of data engineering concepts: ETL/ELT, streaming, batch processing, APIs, and event-driven data flows
- Familiarity with cloud data and analytics services, containerized processing, and scalable model deployment
- Strong analytical and communication skills, able to explain complex data and model behavior to technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Must be a US Citizen
- Active Secret security clearance required (ability to obtain and maintain SECRET or higher)
- Knowledge of data modeling, schemas, and standards used in sensor, RF, telemetry, or ISR/C2 environments
- Professional certifications in cloud platforms, data engineering, or data science/ML
- Experience supporting DoD/defense, ISR, C-UAS, or mission/operations-focused data and analytics systems
- Experience with data processing and orchestration tools (Airflow, NiFi, Spark, Flink)
- Experience with containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), and CI/CD workflows for data and model deployment
- Familiarity with visualization and BI tools (Grafana, Kibana, Power BI, Tableau)
Parsons Corporation Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Parsons Corporation and has not been reviewed or approved by Parsons Corporation.
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs are framed as a major value driver, with an ESOP alongside a 401(k) match and additional stock-purchase options contributing meaningfully to total rewards. This structure is positioned as especially attractive for employees who value long-term wealth-building over immediate cash.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as broad and choice-rich, with multiple plan types (PPO, HDHP, and some HMO networks) plus dental, vision, EAP, and wellness resources. The availability of different plan designs and national-carrier coverage supports varied employee needs.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are portrayed as competitive, including PTO, holidays, flexible schedules such as a 9/80 option for eligible roles, and floating holidays in the U.S. Paid parental leave of 160 hours is also highlighted as a meaningful component of the overall package.
Parsons Corporation Insights
What We Do
Parsons is a digitally enabled solutions provider with a focus on making the world safer, smarter, healthier, more sustainable, and more connected. Founded in 1944, Parsons primarily serves the defense, security, and infrastructure markets. Uniquely qualified to deliver cyber/converged security, technology-based intellectual property, and other innovative services, the corporation delivers state-of-the-art solutions to federal, regional, and local government agencies as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. Parsons has a reputation for inclusion and diversity and has been named to the Ethisphere Institute’s list of World’s Most Ethical Companies for 10 consecutive years. Parsons facilitates a culture of innovation by encouraging collaboration among its employees and providing opportunities for career growth. With offices around the globe, people of varied talents and backgrounds, and a wide range of exciting projects, the possibilities at Parsons are endless. For more about Parsons, visit www.parsons.com. Mission: Delivering innovative infrastructure, defense, and security solutions to enable a more sustainable, safer, smarter, and more connected world.









