Sr. Principal Data Scientist – Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time ## Description At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. Northrop Grumman is seeking an experienced, Senior Principal Data Scientist to support our Product Support Analytics and Innovation team onsite in Rancho Bernardo, California. This position is required full-time, in-office. Hybrid scheduling (time split between in-office and work-from-home) may become available depending on future project needs. # Accomplish We are seeking a first-principles thinker and skilled data scientist to solve complex data challenges. This is not a role for operating pre-built tools; this is an opportunity to architect and build the core data logic of our systems. You will be responsible for creating custom, high-performance statistics and machine learning tools from the ground up, making meaning of complex data sets. Your work will involve deep data modeling, abstracting reusable patterns, and writing modular, maintainable code that stands the test of time. Essential Functions: * Collaborate closely with software engineers, analysts, and other data scientists to understand data requirements and deliver robust, integrated solutions. * Architect and develop custom, maintainable data science solutions from the ground up. * Write and maintain tests and documentation for data architecture, workflows, and processes. * Champion software engineering best practices within the data domain, including comprehensive unit/integration testing, CI/CD automation (Git, Docker), and robust documentation. * Tune and optimize complex algorithms within our on-premise infrastructure. # Succeed: The individual we seek will be self-motivated, proactive, goal-oriented to help us grow our services, become even better at what we do and will possess the following qualifications. Basic Qualifications: * Bachelor’s Degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics discipline from an accredited university, with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, OR Master in STEM with 6 years of relevant experience, OR PhD/Doctorate degree in STEM with 4 years of relevant experience. * Deep understanding of Machine Learning and Deep Learning. * Recent professional experience in software development and/or data engineering. * Strong programming skills in Python and SQL. * Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and version control (e.g., Git, Docker, etc.) * Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Top Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs. Preferred Qualifications: * Master’s degree or higher, in Data Science or related discipline. * Experience with C/C++. * Experience with machine learning pipelines and data science workflows. * Familiarity with SQL Alchemy, Numpy, Pandas, SKLearn, PyTorch. * Ability to troubleshoot and optimize complex data queries and workflows. * Familiarity with big data concepts, machine learning pipelines, and MLOps. * Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot and optimize across the entire data...