Senior AI/ML Researcher (TS/SCI)

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next.  Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Person, defined as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Asylee, or Refugee.

Note on Cleared Roles: If this position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

Do you enjoy turning real-world problems into mathematical solutions and applying AI/ML to geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) data? We tackle our customers’ toughest challenges with innovative approaches and custom tools. We’re seeking an experienced AI/ML researcher to work across the full workflow—from data acquisition and model development to pipeline evaluation, application prototyping, and hardware-based solution implementation.

Responsibilities:

• Contribute to multi-discipline AI/ML research teams using multi-INT data (with emphasis on GEOINT) to design, implement, and evaluate machine learning solutions.
• Engineer and transform diverse data types to support all phases of the AI/ML workflow.
• Architect, develop, and integrate novel AI/ML models (e.g., computer vision, semantic activity detection, geospatial analytics, signal processing).
• Design, implement, and assess edge-based AI/ML solutions across hardware and software stacks.
• Stay current on AI/ML advances from industry and academia, applying them to government mission challenges.
• Provide subject matter expertise, mentoring, and strategic advice to government and internal teams on AI/ML trends, approaches, and delivery strategies.
• Communicate progress, results, risks, and challenges to government clients, partners, and project leadership.
• Support program execution by integrating diverse data science skillsets, managing sprint projections, assessing risks, and occasionally traveling for meetings and demonstrations.

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Must be a U.S. citizen with an active TS/SCI and the ability to obtain a CI polygraph.
• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Applied Geography, or related field, with 7+ years of experience designing, developing, testing, and deploying AI/ML models across diverse data types.
• Minimum 2 years of experience with synthetic training data generation, low-shot learning, and robust ML, as well as cloud-based platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) and AI/ML services (e.g., SageMaker, Watson Studio).
• Experience working with remote sensing and GEOINT datasets, including EO, RF, and SAR imagery, and familiarity with government collection platforms.
• Ability to work effectively with geographically distributed teams and onsite in Herndon, VA or Westminster, CO.
• Strong communication skills demonstrated through technical writing (e.g., proposals, white papers, academic publications) and speaking engagements (e.g., briefings, conference presentations), with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Data Science, Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science, Applied Geography, or a related field.
• Proficiency with the Python data science stack (e.g., numpy, pandas, matplotlib, sklearn) and geospatial libraries (e.g., gdal, geopandas, shapely).
• Experience with deep learning algorithms for image science (e.g., YOLO, SSD, DetectNet) and containerization platforms (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, Cloud Foundry).
• Strong background working in Linux environments and using version control tools such as Git and GitLab.
• Ability to design and implement compute hardware and infrastructure solutions to support both edge and backend AI/ML applications.
• Experience with communication hardware and signal processing, including antenna design/implementation, RF signal propagation, and software-defined radios.

Pay Transparency: In support of pay transparency at Vantor, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings.  The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job-related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits: Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.  If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. 

The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting.

To apply, submit your application via Vantor's Career page.

EEO Policy: Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.