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Cognitive Science Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Steampunk

AI Evaluation Scientist

Mclean, VA · On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, or a related field. * 2+ years of experience evaluating ...

Steampunk

AI Evaluation Scientist

Mclean, VA · On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, or a related field. * 2+ years of experience evaluating ...

Steampunk

AI Evaluation Scientist

Mclean, VA

$105K - $145K/yr

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, or a related field. * 2+ years of experience evaluating ...

Steampunk

Prompt Engineer

Mclean, VA

$115K - $140K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Data Science, or a related discipline. * 5+ years of total experience. * 2+ years of experience in AI/ML, NLP, content design, U ...

Steampunk

Prompt Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$115K - $140K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Data Science, or a related discipline. * 5+ years of total experience. * 2+ years of experience in AI/ML, NLP, content design, U ...

Steampunk

Prompt Engineer

Mclean, VA

$115K - $140K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Data Science, or a related discipline. * 5+ years of total experience. * 2+ years of experience in AI/ML, NLP, content design, U ...

Varsity Tutors

Linguistics Tutor

Blacksburg, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

... including cognitive science and education. * Effective Teaching Methods: Ability to identify concepts students commonly struggle with, explain material using multiple approaches, and adapt ...

Varsity Tutors

Linguistics Tutor

Leesburg, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

... including cognitive science and education. * Effective Teaching Methods: Ability to identify concepts students commonly struggle with, explain material using multiple approaches, and adapt ...

Varsity Tutors

Linguistics Tutor

Virginia Beach, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

... including cognitive science and education. * Effective Teaching Methods: Ability to identify concepts students commonly struggle with, explain material using multiple approaches, and adapt ...

Varsity Tutors

Linguistics Tutor

Salem, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

... including cognitive science and education. * Effective Teaching Methods: Ability to identify concepts students commonly struggle with, explain material using multiple approaches, and adapt ...

Varsity Tutors

Linguistics Tutor

Norfolk, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

... including cognitive science and education. * Effective Teaching Methods: Ability to identify concepts students commonly struggle with, explain material using multiple approaches, and adapt ...

Varsity Tutors

Linguistics Tutor

Charlottesville, VA · Remote

$18 - $40/hr

... including cognitive science and education. * Effective Teaching Methods: Ability to identify concepts students commonly struggle with, explain material using multiple approaches, and adapt ...

VSolvit

MID LEVEL UX-UI DESIGNER

Chesapeake, VA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

... Human Factors, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Front-end Web Development, or a related field. * Demonstrated Proficiency in modern design tools, with a strong preference for Figma.

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Cognitive Science information

See Virginia salary details

$23.3K

$56.9K

$75.8K

How much do cognitive science jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for cognitive science in Virginia is $56,921.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47,600.00 and $61,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Cognitive Science position, and why are they important?

To thrive in a Cognitive Science role, you need a solid grounding in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and data analysis, usually supported by at least a bachelor's or master's degree in a related field. Familiarity with statistical analysis software (such as SPSS or R), programming languages (like Python or MATLAB), and research tools is highly advantageous. Outstanding collaboration, critical thinking, and clear communication skills set top candidates apart in multidisciplinary teams. These skills and qualifications enable professionals to analyze complex cognitive processes and contribute innovative solutions to real-world human-computer interaction, AI, or behavioral research challenges.

What are the typical career progression opportunities for someone in a Cognitive Science role?

Professionals in cognitive science often start in research assistant, data analyst, or user experience roles and can progress to positions such as lead researcher, UX researcher, cognitive engineer, or even project manager depending on their interests and expertise. With experience and additional qualifications, some transition into roles in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, neurotechnology, or higher education as professors or principal investigators. Opportunities for advancement are often influenced by your ability to publish research, collaborate across disciplines, and acquire advanced degrees or certifications. Many cognitive science professionals also find pathways into related industries including technology, healthcare, and education, allowing for diverse and rewarding career trajectories.

What is a Cognitive Science job?

A Cognitive Science job involves applying knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, philosophy, and linguistics to understand how humans and machines think, learn, and process information. Professionals in this field work in diverse industries, including technology, healthcare, research, and user experience design. Common roles include data scientist, UX researcher, AI specialist, and cognitive psychologist. These jobs often require analytical thinking, programming skills, and expertise in human behavior or machine learning.

What are the most commonly searched types of Cognitive Science jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Cognitive Science jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Cognitive Science jobs in Virginia? For Cognitive Science jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Cognitive Science jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Cognitive Science jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Cognitive Science jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Cognitive Science job openings:
Cognitive Science jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cognitive Science job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $56,921 per year, or $27.4 per hour.
AI Evaluation Scientist

AI Evaluation Scientist

Steampunk

Mclean, VA • On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

Other

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

Overview
We are looking for an AI Evaluation Scientistto design and execute evaluation processes that ensure our predictive and generative AI systems are accurate, reliable, safe, and aligned with mission requirements. This role is essential for establishing trust in AI solutions and supporting continuous improvement across the AI lifecycle. The AI Evaluation Scientist will work closely with engineers, data scientists, governance analysts, and product teams to develop evaluation metrics, build test harnesses, analyze model behavior, and support responsible deployment.
Contributions
Responsibilities include:
  • Implement evaluation frameworks for AI models, including accuracy, robustness, relevance, bias, hallucination rate, and safety metrics.
  • Build and maintain automated evaluation scripts, tests, and pipelines that assess AI model outputs and detect performance drift over time.
  • Develop benchmark datasets, challenge sets, and scenario-based test cases tailored to mission and user needs.
  • Perform structured error analysis and behavioral audits of LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, and predictive models, documenting findings and improvement recommendations.
  • Collaborate with AI Developers, LLMOps Engineers, and Data Scientists to support iterative experimentation, model hardening, and quality improvements.
  • Contribute to the design of human-in-the-loop evaluation workflows, integrating qualitative and quantitative insight into evaluation reports.
  • Assist in mapping evaluation outcomes to responsible AI principles such as fairness, transparency, reliability, and safety.
  • Partner with AI Governance Analysts to ensure evaluation outputs support compliance, documentation, and risk assessments.
  • Stay current with emerging evaluation tools, frameworks, metrics, and research related to LLM assessment and generative AI reliability.
  • Document evaluation processes, criteria, and results for both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • You will contribute to the growth of our AI & Data Exploitation Practice!

Qualifications
  • Ability to hold a position of public trust with the U.S. government.
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, or a related field.
  • 2+ years of experience evaluating machine learning models, NLP systems, or generative AI models (LLMs preferred).
  • Familiarity with evaluation metrics, statistical testing, dataset creation, and experimental design for AI systems.
  • Proficiency in Python and relevant libraries such as PyTorch, Hugging Face, scikit-learn, LangChain.
  • Proficiency in AI evaluation frameworks such as Ragas.
  • Experience analyzing structured and unstructured data, including text, documents, and embeddings.
  • Understanding of LLM behavior, prompt evaluation, retrieval pipelines, or RAG architectures.
  • Exposure to responsible AI concepts and governance-aligned evaluation criteria (e.g., fairness, transparency, reliability).
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret model weaknesses, extract insights, and recommend actionable improvements.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present evaluation findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Experience working in agile or iterative development environments is a plus.
  • Familiarity with OWASP LLM Top 10 Risks.
  • Relevant certifications (helpful but not required):
    • NIST AI RMF (AISIC)
    • INFORMS CAP
    • AWS/Azure/Google ML Certifications

About steampunk
Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $105,000 to $145,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk's total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.
Identity Statement
As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers - and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.

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