Lead Research Scientist

Job
Location: UPPER MARLBORO, MD, United States
Date Posted: Dec 17, 2025
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Research Scientist
Schedule: Full-time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: No
Minimum

Clearance Required:

None
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: Public Trust
Potential for Remote Work: Remote

SAIC’s Identity and Data Sciences Laboratory (IDSL) is seeking a Lead Research Scientist and subject matter expert in the field of biometrics and identity. The ideal candidate will have a background in experimental methods, written communication, and statistical data analysis using modern tools. The IDSL performs applied research on state-of-the-art biometric and identity technologies, including facial recognition, digital and physical identity document validation, and other artificial intelligence systems, measuring their performance and assessing applicability to new client use cases.

• Work with the IDSL technical director to develop research projects that address clients’ applied research and operational questions.
• Develop required analytic methods using on-premises and cloud-hosted computing resources.
• Design experiments and analyses to frame research problems and answer research questions while avoiding unnecessary complexity.
• Develop publication-quality data visualizations that clearly communicate findings.
• Work on multiple projects simultaneously, balancing short and long-term tasks.
• Lead applied research projects in collaboration with other IDSL scientists and domain experts, leveraging extensive biometric datasets at the IDSL or recommend new data collections to meet research needs.
• Prepare complex research reports, technical whitepapers, and other deliverables that maintain operational relevance and meet client requirements.

• BS with 14 years or more of experience; (4 years experience in lieu of degree).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust requiring U.S. Citizenship.
• Strong skills in SQL, R, Python.
• Experience using statistical methods for data analysis and visualization.
• Demonstrated experience with biometric and identity systems such as biometric image capture, image quality assessment, recognition algorithms, presentation attack detection, morph attack detection, and/or document validation.
• Demonstrated experience performing applied research.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong teamwork, resilience, and adaptability.
• Demonstrated self-direction and desire to learn.
• Experience with government use-cases of biometric and identity systems.
• Experience with NIST, ISO, FIDO or other technical standards.
• Familiarity with privacy and security considerations for handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
• Experience with cloud service providers such as Azure, AWS, and/or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Experience with visualization tools such as ggplot2, matplotlib, or Grafana.
• Familiarity with version control systems such as Git.
• Demonstrated record of delivering research reports, technical whitepapers, and professional deliverables.

Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

Please apply through the internal career site here >