Data Scientist

$130K - $155K Chicago, IL, US Mid Level Data Scientist

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Skills & Technologies

AwsAzurePower BiPythonPytorchRagTableauTensorflow

About This Role

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Description

We're looking for an experienced Data Scientist with a background in materials, chemistry, polymers, or chemical engineering to transform how data drives decisions across R\&D and manufacturing. You'll build advanced statistical and machine learning models, develop digital twins, and accelerate our understanding of materials, chemistry, and processes through predictive modeling and optimization. This role sits at the intersection of scientific insight, statistical rigor, and real\-world impact. The ideal candidate pairs strong full\-stack data science skills with domain intuition and thrives in translating complex technical problems into practical solutions.

As a senior individual contributor, you'll lead end\-to\-end modeling initiatives and translate insights into deployed solutions and operational recommendations that improve yield, quality, cost, and cycle time. You'll work across diverse data environments (from small, high\-value R\&D experiments to complex, high\-dimensional production datasets) turning complexity into clear, actionable direction. Your work will directly shape how teams access, use, and trust data, helping build a more agile, innovation\-focused organization.

Beyond building models, you'll help elevate our broader data science capabilities by developing reusable tools, scalable workflows, and high\-quality data assets that amplify impact across projects and teams. This is an opportunity to do meaningful, technically challenging work while shaping how data science is applied in a materials and manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific and Statistical Partnership

  • Partner with scientists, engineers, and manufacturing teams to frame high\-impact problems, assess data quality, and apply rigorous statistical thinking to materials, process, and production challenges.
  • Bring a strong scientific lens to every analysis by ensuring methods are not only technically sound, but meaningful in the context of chemistry, materials behavior, and real\-world process dynamics.

Predictive Modeling, Digital Twins, and Optimization

  • Design, build, and evolve advanced statistical and machine learning models that drive technical decision making across R\&D and manufacturing.
  • Work with domain experts to support development of digital twin and hybrid models that combine first\-principles knowledge with machine learning to simulate, predict, and optimize material and process performance.
  • Own models through the full lifecycle ensuring they are robust, interpretable, and actionable in operational environments.

Data Transformation and Feature Engineering

  • Work across complex, multi\-source datasets spanning laboratory, pilot, and manufacturing environments, transforming raw data into structured, analysis\-ready assets.
  • Engineer meaningful features that unlock insight into structure–property–process\-performance relationships and improve model performance, interpretability, and usability.

Visualization, Communication, and Decision Support

  • Translate complex analyses into clear, compelling visualizations, tools, and narratives that enable teams to quickly understand and act on insights.
  • Deliver recommendations that directly influence R\&D direction, process optimization, and manufacturing performance, and communicate effectively across diverse audiences.

Leadership, Capability Building \& Data Advancement

  • Lead data science initiatives from problem definition through sustained use in decision\-making, working across R\&D and manufacturing.
  • Act as a thought leader to technical teams by shaping analytical approaches, guiding best practices, and mentoring others in statistical thinking and disciplined use of data.
  • Drive improvements in how technical data is structured, captured, and used and develop reusable tools, workflows, and codebases that scale impact beyond individual projects.

Qualifications

  • Education
  • Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related technical field; Master’s or PhD strongly preferred
  • Experience
  • 5\+ years of applying data science, statistics, or advanced analytics to complex problems in materials, chemistry, manufacturing, or related technical environments
  • Track record of delivering measurable impact through modeling and analysis (e.g. improvements in yield, quality, cost, or efficiency) and owning delivery from problem framing through deployment
  • Experience with modeling across data scales and structures spanning small, high\-value experimental datasets to large high\-dimensional production or process datasets
  • Experience working with manufacturing, process, or production systems, and connecting analysis to real\-world operational performance
  • Technical Skills
  • Strong proficiency in Python and modern data science tooling (e.g., pandas, NumPy, scikit\-learn, PyTorch/TensorFlow, LightGBM, SHAP); familiarity with R or JMP is a plus
  • Deep grounding in statistical methods, including both frequentist and Bayesian approaches, with the ability to design experiments, quantify uncertainty, and make decisions under limited data
  • Experience developing predictive and explanatory models, including feature engineering, latent variable methods, and interpretable modeling approaches
  • Strong SQL skills and experience working with structured and relational data; familiarity with cloud\-based data and analytics platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure)
  • Experience creating interactive dashboards or data applications to support decision making (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Streamlit, or Plotly Dash)
  • Experience building and deploying models in production or operational environments, including version control (Git), reproducibility, and lifecycle management practices
  • Experience with digital twins, hybrid modeling approaches, or combining physics\-based understanding (preferred) with data\-driven techniques for prediction and optimization
  • Familiarity with generative AI techniques, large language models (LLMs), or retrieval\-augmented generation (RAG) as applied to scientific or engineering workflows (preferred)
  • Familiarity with materials modeling data or tools (e.g., DFT, MD, CALPHAD) or adjacent scientific computing approaches (preferred)
  • Who you are
  • Strong communicator who can engage effectively with scientists, engineers, manufacturing teams, and leadership and translates complexity into clarity
  • Comfortable operating in ambiguous, cross\-functional environments and taking ownership of high\-impact problems without waiting for direction
  • Self\-directed senior IC who leads through influence by shaping analytical approaches, driving alignment across teams, and raising the bar for how data is used
  • Energized by continuous learning and staying at the forefront of materials informatics, AI/ML, and scientific computing

Additional information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with a pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

  • The compensation range that is described below is the possible base pay compensation that the company believes in good faith that it will pay for this role at the time of posting based on job grade for the position. Individual compensation within this range is based on many factors such as years of experience etc. so the company might pay more or less than the posted range and it is understood that this range may be modified in the future.
  • In addition to base compensation, MonoSol provides a yearly incentive compensation bonus, a profit sharing bonus when eligible, a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurances, short term disability, long term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, term life insurance, voluntary term life insurance, transit flexible spending account (if applicable), employee assistance program, identity theft protection, 401k and paid time off (vacation and sick days).

Compensation range \- $130,000\.00 \- $155,000\.00

Incentive Compensation Bonus Target – 10%

Paid time off amount – 15 days

CLOSING

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by employees assigned to this position. This is not intended as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. MonoSol, LLC reserves the right to make changes to the job description whenever necessary.

Disclaimer

As part of MonoSol, LLC’s employment process, finalist candidates will be required to complete a drug test and background check prior to employment commencing. MonoSol, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or marital status.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.

Salary Context

This $130K-$155K range is below the median for Data Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $155K across 226 roles with salary data).

View full Data Scientist salary data →

Role Details

Company MonoSol LLC.
Title Data Scientist
Location Chicago, IL, US
Category Data Scientist
Experience Mid Level
Salary $130K - $155K
Remote No

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 MonoSol LLC., 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

Aws (30% of roles) Azure (24% of roles) Power Bi (5% of roles) Python (51% of roles) Pytorch (15% of roles) Rag (23% of roles) Tableau (4% of roles) Tensorflow (11% of roles)

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 ($142K) sits 26% below the category median. Disclosed range: $130K to $155K.

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.

MonoSol LLC. AI Hiring

MonoSol LLC. has 1 open AI role right now. They're hiring across Data Scientist. Based in Chicago, IL, US. Compensation range: $155K - $155K.

Location Context

AI roles in Chicago pay a median of $205,100 across 97 tracked positions. That's 6% below the national 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

Based on 463 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for Data Scientist positions is $192,890. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
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.
About 14% of the 3,708 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
MonoSol LLC. is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from Data Scientist positions include Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

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