Social Behavioral Science Remote Jobs in Washington, DC

Who We Are

The Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) is a self-sustaining nonprofit enterprise. Founded to help bridge the gap between policy and practice, our mission is to enable people and the planet to meet the pace of change by expanding access to new technologies that power more sustainable and equitable outcomes.

We are a fully remote team of award-winning professionals with decades of applied expertise and end-to-end GIS capabilities. By embracing whole-system thinking and state-of-the-art technology, we enable partners across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to tackle complex, real-world challenges—like housing affordability, ecosystem conservation, water management, and sustainable infrastructure—with greater clarity. Our work liberates and connects key information, creates nuanced pictures of complex situations, and makes land, water, and social data easier to use, understand, and act on. We use tools like satellite data and artificial intelligence to deliver insights for impact.

At CGS, we believe that technology can be a tool for positive change. We are dedicated to building a diverse team that represents the communities and systems we live and work in. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every listed qualification, we encourage you to apply. We value potential, curiosity, and lived experiences, and know a more inclusive team makes us a stronger organization.

About the Lincoln Institute

CGS was established in 2020 at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, which seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, the Lincoln Institute integrates theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide and has office locations in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Washington, DC; Phoenix, Arizona; and Beijing, China.

Position Overview

The Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to provide technical expertise for complex geospatial data science, remote sensing, and environmental modeling projects. This role will help design, improve, and oversee end-to-end analytical workflows that turn large and varied geospatial datasets into reliable, decision-ready information.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Data Science, the Senior Data Scientist will work closely with data scientists, AI engineers, cloud engineers, project managers, and subject-matter experts. The position will collaboratively lead technical planning, guide implementation, troubleshoot difficult problems, and ensure that methods, validation, and documentation meet a high standard of scientific and client-facing quality.

The successful candidate will combine deep applied expertise with the ability to enable and empower others. They will translate complex scientific and technical questions into practical workflows, mentor technical contributors, and advance research and development that improves our methods, efficiency, and impact across wetlands, water, conservation, infrastructure, and other mission-motivated applications.

What You Will Do

Technical Expertise and Workflow Design

• Lead collaboratively the design of end-to-end geospatial data science and remote sensing workflows, from problem definition and data acquisition through modeling, validation, interpretation, and delivery.
• Translate project goals and scientific questions into clear plans, technical requirements, milestones, and quality standards.
• Guide the selection and use of authoritative datasets, remote sensing products, geospatial methods, statistical approaches, and machine learning techniques.
• Anticipate risks, resolve complex technical issues, and make pragmatic discernments that balance scientific rigor, delivery needs, and available resources.
• Support technical members to refine common processes and establish repeatable methods across projects.

Scientific Quality and Validation

• Design or oversee accuracy assessments, validation strategies, sampling approaches, uncertainty analyses, and other quality-control methods.
• Ensure methodologies are reproducible, well documented, and appropriate for the intended use and context.
• Review code, models, data products, technical reports, and client deliverables for scientific and analytical quality.
• Clearly communicate methodological limitations, uncertainty, and appropriate interpretation of results to technical and non-technical audiences.

Team Enablement and Technical Delivery

• Enable data scientists and other technical contributors to execute defined processes independently and consistently.
• Provide hands-on troubleshooting, code review, technical guidance, and mentoring across multiple projects.
• Develop templates, reusable code, documentation, and training materials that strengthen team capability and reduce delivery risk.
• Work closely with project managers to estimate effort, plan technical work, manage dependencies, and keep delivery aligned with scope and schedule.

Research, Development, and Organizational Impact

• Foster, or contribute to, research and development that improves CGS methods, model performance, processing efficiency, and data products.
• Evaluate emerging datasets, geospatial foundation models, cloud capabilities, and systematic methods for practical use at CGS.
• Contribute technical expertise to proposals, scopes of work, client presentations, publications, and strategic partnerships.
• Represent CGS in technical discussions with clients, partners, funders, government agencies, and the broader scientific community.

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree and equivalent experience in data science, geography, remote sensing, hydrology, environmental science, engineering, computer science, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience conducting the full research life cycle, including hypothesis development, experimental design, execution, and communication of findings.
• 5 or more years of professional experience applying geospatial data science, remote sensing, environmental modeling, or a closely related field to solve real-world problems and address stakeholder needs.
• Demonstrated experience designing and stewarding complex analytical workflows and enabling others to execute them successfully.
• Advanced Python skills and substantial experience with raster and vector processing, GIS software, and large geospatial datasets.
• Proficiency in statistics, data science, machine learning, and remote sensing.
• Applied experience with hydrology, geomorphology, terrain assessment, or a related Earth or environmental science domain.
• Experience with geospatial machine learning or deep learning methods and the ability to discern when different approaches are appropriate.
• Experience with Git/GitHub, reproducible analytical practices, and collaborative code development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong interpersonal skills with the ability to explain complex methods and findings to varied audiences.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring, reviewing, or nurturing the work of technical contributors through accountability and empathy.
• U.S. Citizen, or legally authorized to work in the United States with no need for future sponsorship

Helpful Experience (Nice to Have)

• Experience with wetland science, ecology, wetland mapping, field delineations, or related regulatory applications.
• Experience with cloud-based geospatial processing using AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Google Earth Engine, or similar environments.
• Experience with geospatial foundation models, embeddings, or multimodal models.
• Experience building or improving scalable analytical pipelines and production data products.
• Experience authoring peer-reviewed publications, major technical reports, or comparable evidence of rigorous scientific kind.
• Experience supporting government, nonprofit, or consulting clients and translating research into applied choices.

Application Process

Please submit a cover letter and resume. The cover letter should succinctly describe your interest in joining the CGS team; why you are qualified; and what relevant expertise and experience you offer. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Compensation Overview

The salary market range for this role is posted above and dependent on level of education and years of experience. We value internal and external equity and encourage those who may be missing qualifications to submit their materials still.

Our Benefits

Our Benefits Benefits highlights include but are not limited to (a) 3x employer contribution towards retirement matching your employee contribution up to 15%, (b) health insurance with no deductible (c) dental insurance, (d) vision insurance, (e) copay assistance through an employer-funded health reimbursement account, (f) short-term disability coverage, (g) long term disability coverage, (h) paid parental leave, (i) voluntary insurances such as accident insurance, (j) health care flexible spending, (k) dependent care flexible spending, (l) paid time off for holidays, vacation, personal, sick, bereavement, and jury duty, (m) office closure between December 24 Jan 1 each calendar year, (n) flexible schedule and option for a compressed 4 day workweek, (o) tuition and staff development reimbursement, (p) pet insurance, and (q) Employee Assistance Program.

Our Values

Cooperation and Teamwork, Forthright Feedback, Initiative, Acceptance of Responsibility, Multicultural Sensitivity

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is dedicated to creating an inclusive work environment by hiring, training, promoting, and carrying out personnel procedures with respect to compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, or terminations, on the basis of individual merit, experience, and ability without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture, length of hair, protective hairstyles or cultural or religious headdresses), color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), ancestry, citizenship status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, military service, serious medical condition, expunged juvenile record, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, status as a victim, credit information, homelessness status, reproductive health decision making, or any other characteristic protected by law or otherwise. 

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Non-Smoking Organization

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a Non-Smoking organization. Smoking and the use of tobacco products are prohibited at all times and on all property owned, leased, or under the control of Lincoln Institute of Land Policy at all times, including, but not limited to indoor and outdoor grounds, walkways and sidewalks, parking lots, company vehicles, and private vehicles parked on Lincoln Institute of Land Policy property.

MA Polygraph Statement

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.