Applied Scientist (Optimization and Decision Systems) - Colorado Springs, CO

Why choose Davidson? What makes this position unique? 100% Paid Medical Benefits Competitive 401K Tuition Reimbursement Beautiful New Building Hybrid Work Environment Flexible Working Hours - Core Availability Hours are 0900-1500 CST and 0900-1200 on Fridays High-Performing Team Innovative Work SWS Group Growth Opportunities for all Davidson has distinguished itself in the aerospace and missile defense industry with an outstanding reputation for excellence. Specifically, we're recognized for hiring noted experts, experienced engineers and scientists dedicated to designing and delivering advanced, intelligent technology solutions in defense of our Nation. Davidson Technologies Inc. is seeking a Data Scientist onsite in Huntsville, AL. This position is an integral part of a fast-paced, innovative research and development (RD) program for the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Missile Defense Advanced Simulation (MDASim) involving the creation of advanced MS, Optimization, and AI capabilities to enhance MDASim. The program works cross-functionally with innovative team members skilled in Modeling Simulation (MS), Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), DevSecOps, and Cybersecurity. All team members should be able to: Experiment with innovative theories, ideas, and concepts to expand the realm of the possible Self-organize and participate in an Agile development lifecycle Ask questions and build consensus within a cross-functional team Provide design inputs and collaborate to decompose, estimate, and refine backlog requirements Communicate and collaborate through verbal and visual methods (e.g., diagraming, whiteboarding) Experience Level: Technical Professional or Experienced Technical Professional High Level Role and Responsibilities: Candidate will serve as the Data Scientist for a team of data and AI experts working in the RD space. Primary responsibilities include close collaboration with data team members, collaboration with functional SMEs, and developing advanced optimization models for customer product enhancement. The role consists of developing optimization models and algorithms within a software product across a cross-functional team to provide value to our customer. It is expected that customer needs will continue to evolve over time and likely trend towards AI/ML solutions, so the ideal candidate will have a strong optimization/OR background, experience with AI/ML technologies, and a general understanding of software best practices for code deployment. Technical Requirements: Required: Bachelor's degree in a STEM or STEM-adjacent field Demonstrable experience applying analytical and programming skills to solve optimization problems Proficient in building optimization models with one of the following languages: Python, C, C++, R Strong algorithmic understanding of classical optimization techniques. (e.g., linear programming, gradient descent). Algorithmic understanding of heuristic and black box approaches for optimization, such as GA, SA, BO, and PSO. Familiarity with ML algorithms, such as DT, RF, SVM, NN, ConvNN, LSTM, etc. Understanding of Python's common data stack (NumPy, Pandas, SciPy) Experience with common ML frameworks for Python (scikit-learn, Tensorflow, PyTorch) Experience with collaborative programming tools (Git, Gitlab) Excellent communication skills Preferred: 5+ years of relevant experience in Operations Research/Machine Learning Demonstrable experience building ML models in Python Experience with data manipulation and ML for big datasets Experience with MLOps tools (Kubeflow, MLflow, DVC) Knowledge of modern application development to include containerization (Docker/K8S) Familiarity with Agile processes/development methodology Clearance: Currently hold or able to obtain TS/SCI clearance