Lead Scientist

The Lead Scientist will serve as a technical and scientific leader for high-visibility initiatives that enable large-scale research through cloud computing and Generative AI (GenAI). This role will guide adoption of advanced computational capabilities across a complex research ecosystem and lead a cross-organizational GenAI Community of Practice. The ideal candidate combines deep scientific expertise with experience leading multi-stakeholder initiatives at scale.

Contributions

• Serve as lead for a high-profile, large-scale initiative providing access to cloud and GenAI resources across a distributed research community
• Provide scientific and technical leadership to accelerate research outcomes through adoption of cloud and GenAI technologies
• Guide national- or enterprise-level efforts to integrate advanced computational capabilities into research workflows
• Lead and coordinate a GenAI Community of Practice, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across a large, diverse population of scientists, technologists, and stakeholders
• Facilitate cross-organizational collaboration to identify research needs, prioritize use cases, and share best practices for responsible and effective use of GenAI
• Engage with senior leadership, researchers, and technical teams to communicate strategy, progress, and impact of cloud and GenAI initiatives
• Represent the initiative in scientific, technical, and stakeholder forums, including working groups, workshops, and briefings
• Contribute to development of guidance, frameworks, and best practices for cloud and GenAI use in research environments
• Support governance, coordination, and continuous improvement of large-scale research enablement efforts

• Advanced degree (PhD strongly preferred) in biomedical science, computational biology, data science, computer science, or a related scientific discipline
• 10+ years of experience
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale scientific, technical, or research enablement initiatives
• Strong background in scientific research and familiarity with modern computational approaches, including cloud computing and/or GenAI
• Experience guiding adoption of new technologies within research or scientific organizations
• Proven ability to lead and coordinate cross-organizational communities, working groups, or collaborative networks
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with scientists, technologists, and senior leadership
• Local to Washington, DC metro area

Preferred

• NIH experience
• Onsite 2 days a week
• Experience supporting research initiatives in large, complex, or regulated environments
• Experience establishing or leading Communities of Practice or cross-institutional collaborations
• Familiarity with responsible AI, ethical considerations, or governance in research contexts
• Experience working at the intersection of science, technology, and strategy
• Background in cloud-based research platforms or large-scale data ecosystems

Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $125,000 to $160,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk's total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.

Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology , we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company , we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers - and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com .