Data Scientist

$121K - $191K Silver Spring, MD, US Mid Level Data Scientist

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About This Role

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Summary

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This position is being filled under a stream\-lined hiring authority, Title 21 of the United States Code (21 US Code 379d\-3a) as amended by the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, section 3072 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Section 3624\. The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career\-conditional appointment and be paid under the provisions of this authority. This position is being recruited based on the

Title 21, Pay Table 2, Band C

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

-----------------------

### The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

### Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration. This is a 21st Century Cures Act authority announcement. Traditional federal rules regarding rating, ranking, and veterans' preference do not apply.

Duties

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  • The incumbent will serve as a specialist to design data modeling processes, uncover hidden patterns in the data, and create algorithms and predictive models to extract insights that improve the assessment of the state of pharmaceutical quality.
  • Applies advanced statistical and machine learning methods, to analyze complex, multivariable datasets, identify patterns and anomalies, and generate actionable insights from OQS\-managed data.
  • Produces well\-documented analytical products using coding best practices, data wrangling and transformation techniques, probabilistic record linkage, and proficiency in one or more statistical programming languages and open\-source frameworks.
  • Develops and maintains scalable, production\-ready data science solutions by employing software engineering practices and leveraging cloud\-based environments, automated workflows, and data pipeline engineering principles.
  • Designs and develop data visualizations, to communicate complex analytical findings clearly and accurately to both technical and non\-technical audiences in support of data\-driven decision\-making.

Requirements

----------------

### Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
  • The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career\-conditional appointment within the competitive service.
  • Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
  • FDA participates in e\-Verify: All new hires must complete the I\-9 form; this information will be processed through e\-Verify to determine your employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service. Please go to http://www.sss.gov for more information.
  • Financial Disclosure may be required.
  • Ethics Clearance may be required.
  • Background Investigation Requirement: All employees must pass a security investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
  • Certification of Accuracy: All information concerning eligibility and qualification is subject to investigation and verification. False representation may be grounds for non\-consideration, non\-selection, or appropriate legal action.
  • Probationary periods are required for new employees appointed to competitive service positions for the first time; or reinstated employees who return after a break in service of 30\-days or more and who have not completed a probationary period.

### Qualifications

*In order to qualify for the* Data Scientist *position which falls under the* 1560 *occupational Series, you must meet the following* requirements by 11:59 pm EST on 07/24/2026*:*

Basic Qualification Requirements:

Education: A Bachelor's degree or higher in data science, statistics, informatics, bioinformatics, information science, computer science, mathematics, computational biology, engineering, operations research, economics, public health, physics, quantitative analysis and/or methodologies or related field. The degree must be from an accredited program or institution.

OR

Comparable work in or demonstrated understanding in data science or a related field (through project portfolios, research, certifications, etc.)

AND IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST ALSO MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HIGHEST QUALIFYING DEGREE: BAND C

1\. Have a Bachelor's degree and also have 4 years of relevant comparable work experience in or demonstrated understanding in data science or a related field that involved designing, developing, and adapting mathematical, statistical, computational, econometric, and other scientific methods and techniques.

2\. Have a Master's degree and also have 3 years of relevant comparable work experience in or demonstrated understanding in data science or a related field that involved designing, developing, and adapting mathematical, statistical, computational, econometric, and other scientific methods and techniques.

3\. Have a Doctorate and/or J.D. degree and also have 1 year of relevant comparable work experience in or demonstrated understanding in data science or a related field that involved designing, developing, and adapting mathematical, statistical, computational, econometric, and other scientific methods and techniques.

4\. Have a MD, DO, DDS, DPM, or DVM degree.

5\. Have 6 years of relevant comparable work experience in or demonstrated understanding in data science or a related field that involved designing, developing, and adapting mathematical, statistical, computational, econometric, and other scientific methods and techniques.

NOTE: Applicants must submit all relevant transcripts that demonstrate you possess the required education to meet the Basic Qualifications.

### Education

Pay careful attention to the Qualifications and Education sections to identify vacancies where a transcript is required. Even if you hold a similar position or are a current employee, you are not exempt from transcript requirements.

TRANSCRIPTS: Positions which are scientific or technical in nature often have very specific educational requirements. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities, see the Foreign Education section below for additional requirements.

Electronic Transcript Caution: If you have obtained your transcripts electronically, the file might contain security measures that could prevent our application system from reading the file. Therefore, you should consider asking the institution to provide the file in a non\-secured electronic format. Alternatively, you could scan or take a photo of the printed copy of the transcript. If your uploaded transcript cannot be read by our system, you may receive consideration and credit for the information we can access.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. *For further information, visit the* *U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation**.*

To be acceptable, the foreign credential evaluation must include/describe at a minimum, the following information: (1\) The type of education received by the applicant; (2\) The level of education in relation to the U.S. education system, and state that its comparability recommendations follow the general guidelines of the International Evaluation Standards Council; (3\) The content of the applicant's educational program earned abroad, and the standard obtained; (4\) The status of the awarding foreign school's recognition and legitimacy in its home country's education system; and (5\) Any other information of interest such as what the evaluation service did to obtain this information, the qualifications of the evaluator, and any indications as to other problems such as forgery.

*Note:* *Some positions require the completion of specific courses or a specified number of credit hours. Therefore, the foreign credential evaluation should provide information similar to that of an official transcript, to include a list of the courses taken, quarter and/or semester hours awarded, the cumulative grade point average (GPA), honors received, if any, date degree awarded.*

Applicants can request an evaluation from a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services listed below:

  • National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
  • Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE)

*Credential evaluations are not free, and applicants are responsible for the cost of the selected service.*

*For more information about this requirement, please visit the* *U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation*.

### Additional information

The application limit, if applicable, for this advertisement is: No Limit.

Additional Conditions of Employment:

  • Pre\-employment physical required: No
  • Drug testing required: No
  • License required: No,
  • Mobility agreement required: No
  • Immunization required: No
  • Bargaining Unit: No
  • Telework eligible position: Telework is at the discretion of the supervisor.
  • Financial disclosure statement, OGE\-450, required: Please be advised that this position may be subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest regulation and may require the incumbent of this position to divest of certain financial interests. Applicants are advised to seek additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting this position.

This position may require financial disclosure reporting and will be subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest regulation. If you are hired, you may be required to divest of certain financial interests. You are advised to seek additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting any job offers. For more information please visit the FDA Ethics web page: https://www.fda.gov/about\-fda/jobs\-and\-training\-fda/ethics.

Additional Information:

  • Additional selections may be made for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement.
  • Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non\-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.
  • If you are serving, or have served in the last 5 years (from 07/24/2026) as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non\-career SES appointee, HHS/FDA may be required to obtain approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prior to beginning employment. You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed. If you have served or are currently serving, you must provide a copy of your SF\-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting this appointment. In addition, you will be required to respond to the question in the assessment and certify your responses to the questionnaire. *See* *Political Appointee FAQ \- OPM* *for more.*

Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post\-accident drug testing upon hiring. To demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug\-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug\-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.

*All requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement (*07/24/2026*); only education and experience gained by this date will be considered. You must continue to meet all requirements throughout the entire hiring process.*

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

========

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full\-time, part\-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

-----------------------------

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. This is a Title 21 announcement. Traditional rating and ranking of applications, and veterans' preference does not apply to this vacancy.

If you are referred to the hiring manager for consideration, you may be further evaluated based on an interview; review of requested work samples, writing samples, most recent performance evaluation(s), or professional references; or results of an oral presentation or work\-related test.

Failure to comply with any of the additional assessment requirements will result in removal from further consideration.

*Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.*

Required Documents

----------------------

Resume: *At a minimum, your resume should list the position title, employer name, start and end dates (including month and year), salary (or grade and step), hours worked per week, and a list of duties performed or accomplishments, for EACH position listed.* A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements.

  • USAJobs \- What to Include
  • USAJobs \- Page Limit

Your two (2\) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part\-time, full\-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).

Transcripts: If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on education, unofficial transcripts or a list of courses must be provided. See the Qualifications and Education Requirements section of this announcement.

Professional Licensure: If the position has a licensure requirement, a copy of your professional license must be provided. See the Qualifications and Education Requirements section of this announcement.

Additional Documents (if applicable):

  • Cover Letter
  • DD\-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other supporting documentation not listed above
  • PCS Orders
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF\-15
  • SF\-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

### If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

----------------

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free\-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are optional and will not be scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

To apply for positions with the Food \& Drug Administration, you must have a https://secure.login.gov/ account, and be signed in to that account, before you click "Apply Online". See the USAJOBS Help Site article "How does the application process work?" for more on this process. Additionally, you must provide a resume and any required supporting documentation listed on the announcement, and you must complete all assessment questionnaires BEFORE 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement, 07/24/2026\. We recommend that you start the application process early enough that you can complete and submit your application before this deadline.

Please note that you cannot submit documentation or make changes to your application after the close date.

If you would like to learn how to use USAJOBS including: accessing and managing your account, adding saved documents, building a resume, or starting an application; we recommend you visit the USAJOBS How To site, and read up on any topic that you need help with. This site is located at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how\-to. Additionally, if you need technical assistance with USAJOBS (such as account issues) please visit the main USAJOBS Contact us at: USAJOBS \- Contact us FDA's Applicant Help Desk is not able to support USAJOBS\-related issues.

The Food \& Drug Administration uses a system called Application Manager (USA Staffing) to post jobs and accept applications. If you are not familiar with Application Manager or you encounter any difficulty with the site, we recommend that you visit the Applicant HELP Site at:

https://appsupport\-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en\-us

. This help site contains step\-by\-step instructions for completing the application process, submitting documentation, and completing questionnaires, and should be very helpful to you!

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. The FDA will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who are not able to apply online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Applicant Help Desk. Decisions on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case\-by\-case basis.

If after reviewing the USAJOBS and Application Manager help sites, you're not able to find the answer to your question or concern, or if you wish to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk at 866\-807\-3742, or e\-mail ERIC@fda.hhs.gov.

The Applicant Help Desk is staffed between the hours of 7am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for government holidays. *If you contact the Applicant Help Desk, please provide the following Vacancy Identification Number* *(VIN)* 13005865 s*o that we may assist you faster.*

*To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below.*

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13005865

### Agency contact information

FDA Applicant Help Desk

Phone

866\-807\-3742

Email

eric@fda.hhs.gov

Address

*FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research*

*10903 New Hampshire Ave*

*Silver Spring, MD 20993*

*US*### Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful.

You will receive application status updates via email and via USAJOBS as the process unfolds.

Your feedback matters. Please complete this brief survey and let us know how we are doing.

Overview

------------

Accepting applications

Posted today · Apply by 07/24/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 24, 2026

This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more

Location

Few vacancies in the following location:

Silver Spring, MD

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Salary

$121,785 \- $191,352 per year

Pay scale \& grade

AD 00

Promotion potential

00

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full\-time

Travel Required

25% or less \- You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

  • 1560 Data Science Series

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Competitive Service

Represented by a union

No

Drug test

No

Security clearance

Other

Position sensitivity and risk

Non\-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

  • Credentialing
  • Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required

No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

FDA\-CDER\-26\-T21\-13005865\-TH

Control number

877007100

Salary Context

This $121K-$191K range is above the median for Data Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $155K across 226 roles with salary data).

View full Data Scientist salary data →

Role Details

Title Data Scientist
Location Silver Spring, MD, US
Category Data Scientist
Experience Mid Level
Salary $121K - $191K
Remote No

About This Role

Data Scientists extract insights and build predictive models from data. In the AI era, many roles now include LLM-powered analytics, automated reporting, and integration with generative AI tools. The role has evolved from 'the person who runs SQL queries' to 'the person who builds AI-powered data products.'

Modern data science roles fall into two camps: analytics-focused (insights, dashboards, experimentation) and ML-focused (building predictive models, recommendation systems, NLP features). The best data scientists can operate in both modes. The AI shift means that even analytics-focused roles now involve building automated insight pipelines using LLMs, going well beyond one-off reports.

Across the 3,708 AI roles we're tracking, Data Scientist positions make up 8% of the market. At U.S. Food and Drug Administration, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

What the Work Looks Like

A typical week includes: analyzing experiment results for a product feature launch, building a predictive model for customer churn, creating an automated reporting pipeline using LLM-powered summarization, presenting insights to stakeholders, and cleaning data (always cleaning data). The ratio of analysis to engineering varies by company, but expect both.

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

Skills in Demand for This Role

Python (51% of roles) Aws (30% of roles) Azure (24% of roles) Rag (23% of roles) Gcp (17% of roles) Prompt Engineering (15% of roles) Pytorch (15% of roles) Claude (13% of roles)

Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.

Experimentation design and causal inference are underrated skills that separate strong candidates. Companies care about whether their product changes cause improvements, and can distinguish causation from correlation. A/B testing methodology, Bayesian statistics, and the ability to communicate uncertainty to non-technical stakeholders are high-value skills.

Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.

Compensation Benchmarks

Data Scientist roles pay a median of $192,890 based on 463 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $200,000. This role's midpoint ($156K) sits 19% below the category median. Disclosed range: $121K to $191K.

Across all AI roles, the market median is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($300,000) and Research Engineer ($280,000). By seniority level: Entry: $120,000; Mid: $200,000; Senior: $230,000; Director: $272,150; VP: $250,000.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration AI Hiring

U.S. Food and Drug Administration has 1 open AI role right now. They're hiring across Data Scientist. Based in Silver Spring, MD, US. Compensation range: $191K - $191K.

Location Context

Across all AI roles, 14% (508 positions) offer remote work, while 3,180 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,045 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (810 roles, $277,088 median); Los Angeles (397 roles, $215,000 median).

Career Path

Common paths into Data Scientist roles include Data Analyst, Statistician, Quantitative Researcher.

From here, career progression typically leads toward Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager.

Start with statistics and SQL. Build a real analysis project on public data that demonstrates insight generation alongside model building. The market values data scientists who can communicate findings clearly to business stakeholders. If you want to move toward ML engineering, invest in software engineering fundamentals and production deployment skills.

What to Expect in Interviews

Interviews combine statistics, coding, and business acumen. SQL is almost always tested, often with complex joins and window functions. Expect a case study round where you're given a business problem and asked to design an analysis plan. Coding rounds focus on pandas, statistical modeling, and visualization. The strongest differentiator is how well you communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders during presentation rounds.

When evaluating opportunities: Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.

AI Hiring Overview

The AI job market has 3,708 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 102 entry-level, 1,705 mid-level, 1,469 senior, and 432 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 14% of the market (508 positions). The remaining 3,180 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.

The market median for AI roles is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($300,000 median, 21 roles); Research Engineer ($280,000 median, 147 roles); AI Architect ($254,798 median, 67 roles).

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

The AI Job Market Today

The AI job market spans 3,708 open positions across 16 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,605), Data Scientist (310), AI Software Engineer (259). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.

The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (102) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,705) and senior (1,469) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 432 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.

Remote work availability sits at 14% of all AI roles (508 positions), with 3,180 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.

AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $217,500. Top-quartile roles start at $272,100, and the 90th percentile reaches $325,000. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.

Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $300,000 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $140,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.

The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,890 postings), Aws (1,103 postings), Azure (877 postings), Rag (855 postings), Gcp (631 postings), Prompt Engineering (560 postings), Pytorch (545 postings), Claude (498 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 463 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for Data Scientist positions is $192,890. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.
About 14% of the 3,708 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from Data Scientist positions include Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

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