Principal Decision Scientist, Applied Optimization and Simulation 2026 - US

About the role

Aimpoint Digital is an AI and data consulting firm that turns AI ambition into production reality, built on the data and analytics foundation required to scale. This position is within our decision sciences practice which focuses on delivering production solutions via mathematical optimization and machine learning for our Federal customers.

What you will do

As a part of Aimpoint Digital, you will focus on enabling our Federal clients to get the most out of their data. Our Decision Science practice focuses on business, data, and process understanding to identify the best approach to solve our client’s complex problems. We focus on delivering tangible value with models in production, not chasing theoretical boundaries with prototypes. Typical solutions will utilize machine learning, artificial intelligence, statistical analysis, automation, optimization, and data visualizations. As a Lead Decision Scientist you will be expected to work independently on client engagements, manage tasking for more junior decision scientists, take part in the development of our practice, aid in business development, and contribute innovative ideas and initiatives to our company. As a Principal Decision Scientist you will:

Become a trusted advisor working with clients to design and build end-to-end analytical solutions from initial solution architecture design through feature engineering, modeling, deployment, and maintenance

Work independently to solve complex decision science use-cases across various industries using mathematical optimization, simulation, machine learning, statistical/mathematical modeling, and analytics to solve use cases for our federal clients

Use your experience with decision science to build and manage agentic workflows to complete modeling tasks

Flexibly lead projects, from hands-on single developer engagements through complex projects coordinating between account management and a team of developers across Aimpoint

Manage or mentor junior decision scientists through their career at Aimpoint

Synthesize insights and construct narratives to influence decision making using optimization, simulation, statistics, ML modeling, and other techniques

Write code in Python following software engineering best practices

Take models from development to production in client environments following DecisionOps/MLOps best practices

Collaborate with stakeholders and customers to ensure successful project delivery

Assist with technical proposal and GTM material development

Contribute to the Aimpoint perspective on agentic and AI accelerated decision science

Lead and deliver internal practice development initiatives

Who we are looking for

We are looking for collaborative individuals who want to drive value, work in a fast-paced environment, and solve real business problems. You are a coder who uses AI to write efficient and optimized code. You are a problem-solver who can deliver simple, elegant solutions as well as cutting-edge solutions that, regardless of complexity, your clients can understand, implement, and maintain. You genuinely think about the end-to-end machine learning pipeline as you generate robust solutions. You are both a teacher and a student as we enable our clients, upskill our teammates, and learn from one another. You want to drive impact for your clients and do so through thoughtfulness, prioritization, and seeing a solution through from brainstorming to deployment. In particular you have these traits:

MS/PhD in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or other STEM-related field

MS + 5-6 years practical experience

PHD + 4-5 years practical experience

Strong theoretical knowledge of optimization techniques, including linear programming and integer programming and/or dynamic programming and graph theory

Proficiency in a programming language such as Python, and/or proficiency in an optimization platform, AIMMS/AMPL/GAMS/Pyomo

Practical experience with open-source solvers and commercial solvers, such as Gurobi, CPLEX or XPRESS

Required competency in Python for data manipulation and modeling via classical ML methodologies

Demonstrated evidence of experience with end-to-end model development including but not limited to:

Requirements gathering

Solution design / architecture

EDA / data validation

Model development and testing

Model deployment

Model maintenance

Business user handoff / training

Experience communicating complex topics and results to high-level stakeholders. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required.

Self-starter with excellent communication skills, able to work independently, and lead projects, initiatives, and/or people

Want to stand out?

Consulting Experience

Databricks Machine Learning Associate or Machine Learning Professional Certification

Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification or SnowPro Advanced: Data Scientist Certification

Claude certification or experience to generate skills / agents for decision science tasks

Experience with mathematical optimization and data science for Federal clients

We are actively seeking candidates for full-time, remote work within the US.

Posting text as published by Aimpoint Digital.

The evidence behind this listing

Workplace

Remote Employer field

Seniority

staff+ From the job title

Employment type

full time

Location as listed

Atlanta, GA

Pay and work authorization

Stated pay

Not stated

Visa sponsorship

Not stated

Security clearance

Not established

Citizenship

Not established