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About This Role
At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.\-based company, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, environmental restoration, nuclear medicine and space exploration. With more than 7,800 employees, BWXT has 14 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. We are the sole manufacturer of naval nuclear reactors for U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers. Our company supplies precision manufactured components, services and fuel for the commercial nuclear power industry across four continents. Our joint ventures provide environmental restoration and operations management at a dozen U.S. Department of Energy and NASA facilities. BWXT’s technology is driving advances in medical radioisotope production in North America and microreactors for various defense and space applications. For more information, visit www.bwxt.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.
Welcome to BWXT
We believe in empowering our employees and cultivating a dynamic workplace that fosters growth and collaboration. Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting your career, you'll find opportunities to challenge yourself, learn from seasoned experts, and contribute to nuclear innovation. We require a diverse range of skills to support our work in the markets that drive our business and welcome candidates from all backgrounds and life stages who are passionate about making a difference.
Location: On\-site in Lynchburg, Virginia
Your Day to Day as an Engineering Data Scientist:
- Combines manufacturing experience with data science for nuclear products and process research \& development.
- Applies a knowledge of manufacturing processes, technical analysis, an innate curiosity, and willingness to learn in science capabilities at the Nuclear Operations Group in Lynchburg (NOG\-L).
- Assists in the development of standards for data structure and integrity to support machine learning objectives.
- Performs advanced artificial intelligence projects while ensuring the protection of mission critical systems.
- Learns and deploys a range of machine learning models and processes for cause analysis.
- Works with engineers across NOG\-L product lines to distill and solve manufacturing and inspection problems.
- Interacts with our customer continuously to ensure that expectations are met.
- Also, may include:
- + Implementing large language models to drive productivity in engineering and administrative functions.
+ Develop agentic Al tools for use throughout the plant.
+ Establish machine and deep learning systems for predictive quality.
+ Employ visualization products including analytics, 3D simulation, and data models.
+ Develop sensor platforms and imagery processing on development or production processes.
+ Propose new data science work for customer funding.
Required Qualifications:
- A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or a related discipline, with relevant coursework in data science, machine learning, and/or artificial intelligence.
- A minimum of two (2\) years of manufacturing and/or data science experience is required; however, an advanced degree may substitute for this experience.
- Strong coding skills are required (C\+\+, Python, R, or similar)
- Willingness to learn new tools is a must.
- Experience in simulation or design tools a plus. \-Image processing using OpenCV, Tensorflow or similar packages is a plus.
- Must have demonstrable teamwork, problem solving, and communication skills
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Expertise in NOG\-L product lines is preferred.
- Experience in statistical analysis, signal processing and/or computer vision strongly desired.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary and benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.
- Professional development opportunities, including mentorship programs and sponsorship for continuing education.
- An inclusive atmosphere that celebrates new perspectives and supports collaboration between different generations.
- The chance to be part of a mission\-driven organization making a positive impact on the future of energy.
- Opportunities for continuous learning and training to grow throughout your career!
Pay: $76,000 \- $119,000
The base salary range for this position in Virginia (US\-VA) at the start of employment is expected to be between $76,000 and $119,000 per year. However, the base salary offered is based on local job market factors, and may vary further depending on factors specific to the selected job candidate, such as job\-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to these considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, such as an annual cash incentive in addition to a full range of medical, retirement, and/or other benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided at such time the selected job candidate receives an offer of employment. If hired, the selected job candidate will be employed 'at\-will,’ unless employed at a location and in a position subject to a collective bargaining agreement. The company further reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment, compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and other market factors.
As a federal government contractor, BWX Technologies, Inc. and any subsidiaries, affiliates and related entities (“BWXT” or the “Company”) complies with all federal, state, and local laws and customer requirements regarding health and safety protocols. As such, all BWXT new hires will be required to adhere to applicable Company health and safety requirements within the workplace as a condition of employment.
All candidates must be U.S. citizens. Selected applicants are required to successfully complete a pre\-employment check and drug screening. In addition, the position may require the ability to obtain and maintain applicable federal eligibility requirements for access to classified/sensitive information or matter which involves an extensive criminal and financial background investigation, drug test, previous employment, and reference verifications.
BWXT is committed to the concept of Equal Employment Opportunity. We have established procedures to ensure that all personnel actions such as recruitment, compensation, career development, benefits, company\-sponsored training and social recreational programs are administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, protected veteran or other protected status.
BWX Technologies, Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (BWXT) is not responsible for and does not accept any liability for fees or other costs associated with resumes or candidates presented by recruiters or employment agencies, unless a binding, written recruitment agreement between BWXT and the recruiter or agency exists prior to the presentation of candidates or resumes to BWXT and includes the specific services, job openings, and fees to be paid (“Agreement”). BWXT may consider any candidate for whom a recruiter or agency has submitted an unsolicited resume and explicitly reserves the right to hire such candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency unless an Agreement is in place prior to presentation and such Agreement explicitly encompasses the job opening for which such fees or costs are sought. An email, verbal or other informal contact with any person within BWXT will not create a binding agreement. Agencies or recruiters without an Agreement are directed not to contact any hiring managers of BWXT with recruiting inquiries or resumes. Recruiters and agencies interested in partnering with BWXT may contact BWXT’s Talent Acquisition team at talent\[email protected].
Salary Context
This $76K-$119K range is in the lower quartile for Data Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $155K across 226 roles with salary data).
View full Data Scientist salary data →Role Details
About This Role
Data Scientists extract insights and build predictive models from data. In the AI era, many roles now include LLM-powered analytics, automated reporting, and integration with generative AI tools. The role has evolved from 'the person who runs SQL queries' to 'the person who builds AI-powered data products.'
Modern data science roles fall into two camps: analytics-focused (insights, dashboards, experimentation) and ML-focused (building predictive models, recommendation systems, NLP features). The best data scientists can operate in both modes. The AI shift means that even analytics-focused roles now involve building automated insight pipelines using LLMs, going well beyond one-off reports.
Across the 3,708 AI roles we're tracking, Data Scientist positions make up 8% of the market. At BWX Technologies, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes: analyzing experiment results for a product feature launch, building a predictive model for customer churn, creating an automated reporting pipeline using LLM-powered summarization, presenting insights to stakeholders, and cleaning data (always cleaning data). The ratio of analysis to engineering varies by company, but expect both.
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
Skills Required
Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.
Experimentation design and causal inference are underrated skills that separate strong candidates. Companies care about whether their product changes cause improvements, and can distinguish causation from correlation. A/B testing methodology, Bayesian statistics, and the ability to communicate uncertainty to non-technical stakeholders are high-value skills.
Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.
Compensation Benchmarks
Data Scientist roles pay a median of $192,890 based on 463 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $200,000. This role's midpoint ($97K) sits 49% below the category median. Disclosed range: $76K to $119K.
Across all AI roles, the market median is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($300,000) and Research Engineer ($280,000). By seniority level: Entry: $120,000; Mid: $200,000; Senior: $230,000; Director: $272,150; VP: $250,000.
BWX Technologies AI Hiring
BWX Technologies has 1 open AI role right now. They're hiring across Data Scientist. Based in Lynchburg, VA, US. Compensation range: $119K - $119K.
Location Context
Across all AI roles, 14% (508 positions) offer remote work, while 3,180 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,045 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (810 roles, $277,088 median); Los Angeles (397 roles, $215,000 median).
Career Path
Common paths into Data Scientist roles include Data Analyst, Statistician, Quantitative Researcher.
From here, career progression typically leads toward Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager.
Start with statistics and SQL. Build a real analysis project on public data that demonstrates insight generation alongside model building. The market values data scientists who can communicate findings clearly to business stakeholders. If you want to move toward ML engineering, invest in software engineering fundamentals and production deployment skills.
What to Expect in Interviews
Interviews combine statistics, coding, and business acumen. SQL is almost always tested, often with complex joins and window functions. Expect a case study round where you're given a business problem and asked to design an analysis plan. Coding rounds focus on pandas, statistical modeling, and visualization. The strongest differentiator is how well you communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders during presentation rounds.
When evaluating opportunities: Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.
AI Hiring Overview
The AI job market has 3,708 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 102 entry-level, 1,705 mid-level, 1,469 senior, and 432 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 14% of the market (508 positions). The remaining 3,180 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.
The market median for AI roles is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($300,000 median, 21 roles); Research Engineer ($280,000 median, 147 roles); AI Architect ($254,798 median, 67 roles).
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
The AI Job Market Today
The AI job market spans 3,708 open positions across 16 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,605), Data Scientist (310), AI Software Engineer (259). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.
The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (102) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,705) and senior (1,469) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 432 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.
Remote work availability sits at 14% of all AI roles (508 positions), with 3,180 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.
AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $217,500. Top-quartile roles start at $272,100, and the 90th percentile reaches $325,000. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.
Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $300,000 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $140,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.
The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,890 postings), Aws (1,103 postings), Azure (877 postings), Rag (855 postings), Gcp (631 postings), Prompt Engineering (560 postings), Pytorch (545 postings), Claude (498 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
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