ABOUT THE POSITION

This position is for a Data Scientist (Transportation Safety) to join our team in VHB's Metro DC or North Carolina offices. The selected candidate will support a wide range of data-driven transportation safety, planning, and research projects for the state departments of transportation, federal agencies, and local governments. The position will involve working with large datasets, conducting statistical analysis, developing visualizations, and supporting research and technical documentation. The ideal candidate is interested in transportation safety, statistical modeling, data science, and emerging analytical methods. This position provides an opportunity to work on real-world projects involving roadway safety analysis, vulnerable road user analysis, systemic safety screening, behavioral analysis, and data visualization.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for VHB in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Mine and analyze structured and unstructured data, including crash records, roadway inventories, demographic data, surveys, and geospatial datasets, to identify patterns, trends, and risk factors.
• Apply statistical and machine-learning methods, including regression, classification, clustering, and forecasting, to transportation safety and planning problems.
• Evaluate model fit and predictive performance and assess uncertainty, sensitivity, potential bias, and limitations using appropriate validation techniques. Document methods, assumptions, and results to support review and reproducibility.
• Identify and recommend new applications for existing data sources and opportunities to collect or integrate additional data.
• Extract data from databases, application programming interfaces, spreadsheets, text files, and other systems. Clean, link, transform, and quality-check data from multiple sources.
• Use Python, R, SQL, and related tools to automate data preparation, analysis, model execution, validation, and reporting. Develop reusable code and maintain clear technical documentation.
• Apply transportation safety methods, including crash prediction, Safety Performance Function development, before-and-after evaluation, systemic safety screening, risk scoring, and prioritization.
• Prepare and distribute analytical findings. Communicate methods, results, and practical implications to project teams, clients, management, and other technical and nontechnical audiences through effective visualizations, reports, and presentations.
• Work closely with the manager and more experienced data scientists to receive direction and guidance throughout projects, including guidance on analytical methods, missing data, model selection, and interpretation of results.
• Participate in professional development activities aligned with career goals and project needs.
• Perform all job functions in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations and VHB policies and procedures.

Skills and Attributes

• Fundamental knowledge of statistical modeling, quantitative methods, machine learning, data mining, simulation, and advanced mathematics.
• Experience applying quantitative methods to real-world problems through academic research, internships, or professional work.
• Experience using many of the following technologies: Python (Pandas, NumPy, SciPy), R (tidyverse), SQL, Tableau, Power BI, advanced Microsoft Excel, machine learning, statistical analysis.
• Ability to identify information needs, conduct research, and evaluate the quality and suitability of data sources.
• Excellent intrinsic problem-solving, analytical, and mathematical skills.
• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous and technically challenging environments.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Team-oriented with the ability to perform multiple tasks independently in a timely manner and collaborate effectively and positively with coworkers.
• Self-motivated, highly organized, and detail-oriented.

Qualifications

• 0-2 years of experience with advanced analytics in either an academic or professional setting
• Master's degree in Transportation Engineering, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or equivalent discipline; or equivalent experience

The full-time annual base salary range for this position in Washington, DC and North Carolina is $85,000 - $95,000. The base salary offered will be determined based on job-related factors, including geographic location, internal equity, experience, credentials, skills, education, work schedule, and other factors permitted by law. The posted salary range reflects base pay only. Additional compensation and benefits available to eligible employees are outlined in our Total Rewards Program.

Annual base salary is one component of VHB's Total Rewards package. In addition to base pay, eligible employees may receive annual incentive compensation bonuses, spot bonuses, and merit-based salary increases, providing opportunities to increase earnings beyond base pay. VHB also offers a differentiating work experience, including a comprehensive benefits package that includes eligibility to participate in the VHB 401(k) plan, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, wellness programs, tuition reimbursement, and recognition programs.

Details on VHB's benefits package can be found here: Benefits Checklist

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