CST Data Scientist I (Nuclear Physics)

Come join our team at Jefferson Lab, where great minds matter.

Posting Date: 02/27/2026
Range: $78,600 - $139,200 (SCS 1)
Work type: Flexible On-site (working more than 60% on-site)

This 2-year appointment (contingent on continued funding) will focus on projects aimed at applying data science methods to relevant Jefferson Lab mission projects.

What your job will be like:
Design, evaluate and optimize data science workflows for nuclear physics applications and problems. This includes data preprocessing and characterization, development of new deep learning techniques as well as optimization of existing methods.

In this role you will:

• Participate in the research and development in machine learning and data analysis focused on applications such as generative machine learning methods, deep learning on HPC systems, and differential programming for nuclear physics applications
• Conduct technical research in areas of interest to the projects
• Publish research results in highly visible, peer-reviewed venues
• Develop and maintain high quality software for data science projects
• Interact with internal and external researchers and domain scientists for collaboration purposes
• Participate and potentially lead technical presentations on the work
• Participate in team meetings and interact with funding clients

Qualifications We Require:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical area

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with publicly available technical libraries for data analytics (e.g. scikit-learn), deep learning (e.g. Pytorch, Tensorflow) and optimization tools
• Ability to work with large datasets and mine relevant information for use in AI/ML applications
• Proactive, highly motivated self-starter with demonstrated experience in contributing and leading tasks on major projects with multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated ability to develop approaches and solutions to complex problems in the forms of proposals, software, documents or other work products
• Must be able to operate computer equipment in an office or laboratory environment
• Ability to clearly communicate and report the progress on tasks and projects
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively work on project teams

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical area
• 2 or more years' experience in nuclear physics
• 2 or more years of relevant postdoctoral experience
• Experience working on high performance computing systems

About Jefferson Lab
Join a community with a common purpose of solving the most challenging scientific and engineering problems of our time. The Jefferson Lab campus is located in southeastern Virginia amidst a vibrant and growing technology community. A career at Jefferson Lab is more than a job. You will be part of "big science" and work alongside top scientists and engineers from around the world unlocking the secrets of our visible universe. Managed by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC; Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility is entering an exciting period of mission growth and is seeking new team members ready to apply their skills and passion to have an impact. You could call it work, or you could call it a mission. We call it a challenge. We do things that will change the world.

Total Rewards at Jefferson Lab

At Jefferson Lab, we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Our benefits program includes, but is not limited to:

*Medical, Dental, and Vision Care Plans

* Flexible Spending Accounts

* Paid Time-off and Leave Programs (Paid Parental, vacation, holidays, and sick leave)

* 401(k) Plan - 9% Lab Contribution; 100% vested

* Flexible Work Arrangements (Remote & Alternate Work Schedules available)

* Tuition Assistance, Training and Professional Development Programs

* Live near the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay region with access to nearby beaches, mountains, and all major metropolitan centers on the East Coast

Jefferson Science Associates, LLC (JSA) manages and operates the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab).

JSA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities (unless doing so will result in an undue hardship). If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to recruiting @jlab.org or contact Human Resources by calling (757) 269-7100 and selecting option 1 between 8 am -5 pm EST to provide the nature of your request.

Employment with JSA is conditional upon DOE approval if at any time during your employment you are participating in a Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Program or Affiliated activity. Generally, such programs/activities include any foreign-state-sponsored attempt to acquire U.S.-funded scientific research through programs run or funded by the government that target scientists, engineers, students, academics, researchers, and entrepreneurs of all nationalities working or educated in the United States. This includes positions or appointments, both domestic and foreign, titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received and whether full-time, part-time or voluntary.