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Senior Machine Learning Scientist Jobs in Potomac, MD

Protagonist

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Washington, DC

$118K - $162K/yr

Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts ... Protagonist is looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer who builds production-ready systems ...

Protagonist

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts ... Protagonist is looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer who builds production-ready systems ...

Pantheon Data

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$140K - $200K/yr

Position Overview Pantheon Data is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to design, build, and ... Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related ...

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All JobsMachine Learning Scientist JobsSenior Machine Learning Scientist JobsSenior Machine Learning Scientist Jobs in Potomac, MD

Senior Machine Learning Scientist information

See Potomac, MD salary details

$68.8K

$114.3K

$170.1K

How much do senior machine learning scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior machine learning scientist in Potomac, MD is $114,333.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $94,600.00 and $129,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior machine learning scientist?

Senior Machine Learning Scientists are experienced professionals who design, develop, and implement advanced machine learning models to solve complex business or research problems. They are responsible for leading projects, mentoring junior team members, and staying updated on the latest AI and data science technologies. Their work often involves analyzing large datasets, selecting the right algorithms, and optimizing model performance for real-world applications. In addition to technical expertise, they often collaborate cross-functionally to align machine learning solutions with organizational goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior machine learning scientist?

To thrive as a Senior Machine Learning Scientist, you need expertise in machine learning algorithms, statistical analysis, programming (usually in Python or R), and an advanced degree (often a Ph.D.) in a quantitative field. Experience with tools such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, cloud platforms, and version control systems is typically expected, along with knowledge of deploying models in production environments. Exceptional problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills help you translate complex data insights into actionable business solutions and mentor junior team members. These skills are crucial for developing innovative models, ensuring robust deployment, and driving impactful data-driven decisions.

What are some common challenges senior machine learning scientists face when deploying models to production environments?

Senior Machine Learning Scientists often encounter challenges such as ensuring model scalability, maintaining model performance over time, and addressing data drift once models are deployed to production. Collaborating closely with engineering and operations teams is crucial to streamline deployment pipelines and monitor models for real-world reliability. It’s also important to communicate findings and potential risks to stakeholders, and to regularly update models based on new data or business requirements. These aspects make strong cross-functional teamwork and problem-solving skills essential in this role.

What is the difference between Senior Machine Learning Scientist vs Data Scientist?

AspectSenior Machine Learning ScientistData Scientist
CredentialsMaster's or PhD in CS, ML, or related fieldBachelor's or Master's in CS, Statistics, or related field
Work EnvironmentFocus on developing ML models, algorithms, and researchData analysis, visualization, and business insights
Industry UsageUsed in AI-driven companies, tech firms, research labsCommon across industries for data analysis and reporting

While both roles involve working with data, Senior Machine Learning Scientists focus on developing advanced ML models and algorithms, often requiring research and deep technical expertise. Data Scientists typically analyze data to generate insights and support decision-making. The roles overlap but differ mainly in technical depth and focus area.

Is a senior machine learning scientist a high paying job?

A senior machine learning scientist typically earns a high salary due to advanced skills in data analysis, programming, and model development, often exceeding average tech industry wages. Compensation varies by industry, location, and experience, but it generally reflects the specialized expertise required for the role.

What are popular job titles related to Senior Machine Learning Scientist jobs in Potomac, MD?

For Senior Machine Learning Scientist jobs in Potomac, MD, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Machine Learning Scientist jobs in Potomac, MD look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Machine Learning Scientist jobs in Potomac, MD are:

What cities near Potomac, MD are hiring for Senior Machine Learning Scientist jobs?

Cities near Potomac, MD with the most Senior Machine Learning Scientist job openings:

Senior Machine Learning Scientist jobs near you

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Protagonist

Washington, DC

$95K - $141K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

Job Description

Protagonist is looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer who builds production-ready systems for mission-critical work. You bring strong engineering discipline, systems thinking, and a bias toward scalable, well-architected solutions-owning the full ML lifecycle from design to deployment. 

You're a builder and strategic partner across engineering, product, and client-facing teams, expanding what AI can do at Protagonist. You stay curious and current with advances in ML, infrastructure, and software development. 

Responsibilities
  • Partner with product, engineering, and data science teams to identify high-impact NLP use cases and turn business needs into ML solutions that deliver measurable value 
  • Own production NLP pipelines spanning narrative detection, NER, span classification, stance and characterization analysis, event extraction, deduplication, and knowledge-base entity linking over multi-language, noisy real-world text 
  • Design, build, and operate production NLP pipelines, narrative detection, event classification, entity resolution and linking, deduplication - over multi-language, noisy real-world text at scale 
  • Build and maintain ML workflows in Metaflow orchestrated on Argo Workflows and Kubernetes (EKS), including GPU-accelerated training and batch inference 
  • Develop LLM-powered features on AWS Bedrock: RAG pipelines with vector search on OpenSearch, tool-using agents, and document-analysis workflows - within GovCloud/ITAR constraints 
  • Fine-tune and deploy transformer models (classification, embeddings, entity linking) for domain-specific and foreign-language content 
  • Establish ML evaluation frameworks regression testing, hallucination detection, quality metrics and define success criteria with product managers 
  • Integrate ML services into our Django/PostgreSQL platform and event-driven infrastructure (Kafka, Redis, OpenSearch) 
  • Lead technical discussions to align cross-functional teams on ML strategy, architecture, and implementation 
  • Mentor others, share knowledge, and help evolve ML practices-balancing innovation with practical delivery 
Requirements
  • U.S. person eligible to work on government contracts; active or prior SECRET clearance preferred 
  • Bachelor's and 5 years of experience, or master's degree and 3 years of experience, in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related technical field 
  • Proven track record building and deploying production ML systems, with deep NLP expertise (transformers, LLMs, embedding models) 
  • Strong Python skills and fluency with PyTorch and the Hugging Face ecosystem 
  • Hands-on experience with AWS (GovCloud experience a strong plus), Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, and CI/CD pipelines 
  • Experience with ML orchestration and experiment tracking (e.g., Metaflow, Argo Workflows, MLflow, or similar) 
  • Experience with vector search and document indexing (OpenSearch/Elasticsearch or similar) 
  • Experience building LLM applications,  RAG, agents, prompt engineering, and evaluation 
  • Skilled at scaling ML for multi-modal (text, image, video) and domain-specific applications, and working effectively across engineering, product, and business teams 
Ideal Candidates 
  • Experience integrating ML into full-stack products (Django/REST APIs, React frontends) or decision-support tools 
  • Experience operating in compliance-constrained environments 
  • Strong communicator and cross-functional collaborator 
  • Self-starter who thrives in ambiguity and startup-like environments 
Join Us

If you're passionate about technology and making an impact, apply today! Protagonist is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and innovative environment where everyone's voice can make a difference.

Protagonist is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Salary Range: $95,000-$141,000 based on education and level of relevant experience.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Apply