Senior SAR Imagery Scientist (AI/ML Validation) | TS/SCI at Xcellent Technology Solutions
Springfield, VA
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Jul 7, 2026
Springfield, VA
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
This role centers on evaluating and validating AI and machine learning models against operational SAR imagery for NGA's AI accreditation program. Day-to-day work involves imagery analysis, quality control of analytic outputs, structured model testing, and refining workflows to improve algorithm performance. It suits an experienced SAR exploitation specialist comfortable with scripting tools and geospatial data who can also mentor junior analysts and engage with government stakeholders.
Senior level · 7+ years · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · TS/SCI clearance
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $135,107 (middle half $108,024–$176,763).
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (6)
The degree requirement is tiered: no degree with 10+ years, Associate's + 8 years, Bachelor's + 7 years, or Master's + 5 years. Because equivalent experience is explicitly accepted in lieu of any degree, the degree requirement is set to None. The overall years minimum reflects the lowest years figure tied to a degree (Bachelor's + 7 years), as the no-degree path requires 10 years at the role level.
The CI Polygraph is listed as a willingness requirement ('willingness to undergo'), not a current hard gate, but the active TS/SCI is a firm requirement. Clearance is set to TopSecretSci accordingly.
Computer vision and machine learning appear only under the 'Desired' section and are marked preferred.
SOC classification is a judgement call: the role is primarily scientific/analytic (SAR phenomenology, AI/ML model validation, imagery exploitation) rather than pure software development. 15-2051 Data Scientists is the best fit given the ML validation and analytic modeling focus; 15-1299 is noted as a runner-up given the specialized GEOINT/imagery science nature of the work.
Ignored 2 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): geospatial analysis, AI/ML model evaluation.
Requires a TS/SCI clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
Read the full posting
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