New

Sr. Data Scientist

Vaco
$160,000.00 - $175,000.00 / yr
United States, Texas, Houston
Jan 30, 2026
Overview We have a client seeking a Senior or Staff Data Scientist to join a growing Data Science team in a highly autonomous, hands-on role. This position is ideal for a technically strong practitioner who can own AI/ML solutions end-to-end while also serving as a technical leader and mentor within the team. This is a production-focused role, not a research-only position. The ideal candidate is passionate about applied AI, generative AI, and agentic AI, and thrives in an environment where they are expected to design, build, deploy, and support AI solutions in real-world production environments. Key Responsibilities Design, develop, and deploy machine learning and AI solutions across the organization Own the full lifecycle of data science solutions, from development through production deployment and ongoing support Lead predictive analytics initiatives and contribute to the generative AI and AI agent roadmap Build and enhance MLOps pipelines, including CI/CD, monitoring, and model lifecycle management Partner with product managers and business stakeholders to translate business needs into scalable AI solutions Mentor and guide junior data scientists and contribute to team technical development Support platform migrations and greenfield builds within Databricks environments Role Breakdown Data Science / AI Solutioning: ~60% MLOps: ~30% Data Engineering: ~10% Required Experience & Skills 5-7+ years of enterprise data science experience Strong background in machine learning and predictive analytics Proven experience deploying ML models into production environments Solid understanding of MLOps, CI/CD pipelines, and SDLC best practices Experience with Databricks or Azure ML (at least one required) Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills Self-starter mindset with demonstrated leadership potential Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. EEO Notice Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law. Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com . Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal. By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal. Privacy Notice Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies. California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here. Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here. Residents of all other states may access our policies here. Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here. Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here. Pay Transparency Notice Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to: the individual's skill sets, experience and training; licensure and certification requirements; office location and other geographic considerations; other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.