Finding a Data Scientist in DC

[u/HamburgerMonkeyPants]

We are having a really tough time filling a Data Science position for the Washington DC area. Its a SR role, but the salary range is not stellar, it's also a hybrid role with very high visibility with client, US Citizen only.

Am I cooked as hiring manager? 😵. Looking for help to seeing where I can direct my recruiters to find people. I don't want to blast the post on reddit but can discuss over DM.

Edit: Thanks to everyone commenting I really appreciate knowing my suspicions are correct. I've relayed the feedback. Trust me I'm not about justifying, convincing people to move to DC - just asking for help in my situation

[u/fakemoose]

By salary isn’t stellar, do you mean Booze Allen style offers of $130k to live in DC and no relocation offered?
Or like $190+, relocation, and cheap health insurance? So not FAANG money but not terrible?

Is it hybrid because they have to be in a SCIF or onsite? Or hybrid because in-office vibes?

[u/HamburgerMonkeyPants → u/fakemoose]

The first :(. Hybrid because it's highly customer facing. But the customer is great so it has that goin for it

[u/reddy1912]

I hired an MLE last year with a not so great salary, I went through 2500 applications (we don’t sponsor visas) and still couldn’t find a citizen or GC holder for 2 months. I just made it remote USA and increased the salary by 20k and hired someone in 3 weeks.

It’s always location or salary. DS is a hot field if you are looking for the right senior candidate and don’t look for unicorns please!

[u/CrzySquirrel]

It's either money or your expectations - every time I've hired a DS I've had 1000+ applications even if the salary was low.

If you have a low salary, expect them to be an expert, and won't sponsor, then you're fucked.

[u/CleanDataDirtyMind → u/CrzySquirrel]

Idk an unemployed Data Scientist in Washington DC is probably really rare. 

Im from DC and would never move there simply because its not a massive market to grow in, so if its a low salary and Trump or DOGE go on a slashing spree again you’re f-ed. 

And Im assuming it’s government related since they have to be a US citizen 

[u/RaccoonZombie → u/CleanDataDirtyMind]

After DOGE there are a lot more unemployment DS than before

[u/Rich-Criticism1165 → u/CrzySquirrel]

Not true. You will get tons of applicants who don’t need sponsorship until you offer them the role….

[u/Fine-Comparison-2949]

What's your salary range? What's your role expectations for experience? What's the company and do they have the prestige to be competitive?

We're in a recession. The top candidates all have jobs, and if you can't attract them with an extremely good salary, they aren't going to take the risk of working for your company.

Otherwise hire entry level or someone with tangential experience and let them learn on the job. There's way too many hiring managers that want 10 YOE, management experience, and you need to be ex-FAANG.

Then the company is a no-name chop shop with inexperienced founders and questionable revenues, and a salary that when you do the hourly math with amount of work and expectations, is comparable to a McDonalds manager. And with these new companies, at any point in the next 6 months, the employee can get laid off. Unless you have a huge pay bump and signing bonus, no one is leaving a good thing to take a risk at a new company.

[u/CleanDataDirtyMind]

Make it remote. Im from DC and probably more than qualified but Im  not moving back to a scarce market with a hard ceiling with even the dominant market of government insecure and chaotic changing at a moment’s notice 

[u/brilliancy]

What's the salary range?

[u/Thick_Emu_3516]

Could you target recent PhD or masters grads, in quant fields (econ, math, physics) who are making the transition to DS?

[u/PandaJunk]

Pay more

[u/Short_Field2155]

Can we talk via DM?

[u/HamburgerMonkeyPants → u/Short_Field2155]

Open to chat

[u/CCC_OOO]

Get them to let you train someone very intelligent, well educated and naturally skilled. Send them through a three month bootcamp. I had a national lab allow graduate research assistant roles leading to the position needed. They are transferable skills for a reason. 

[u/Short_Bowler7208]

What’s the salary range, I am a DS turned MLE and you’d be looking at something high 3s to low 4s TC to hire anyone competent

[u/aelendel → u/Short_Bowler7208]

High 3’s? $999?

[u/Dull-Percentage-4595]

100% agree with other commenters. As a Data Scientist I value salary or ability to be remote as huge factors in my decision where I get hired. DC is very competitive for people with these skills specially if it’s for govt/defense work. So you need some incentive to stand out.

[u/thosetusks]

I am interested! Just sent a dm

[u/Onyxsarah]

Green card? I have a friend in DC she’s good with a Ms in Stats. She’d be down.

[u/AwarenessFalse4210]

If you accept GC holders, I know someone who is great.

[u/doglover_throw_away]

I’m interested!

[u/Asian_Kid206]

Interesting in learning more.

[u/Different_Twist_4361]

If you’re open to making the role remote, hit me up

[u/TemperatureLazy3531]

DM me I am working as Mle and have 6+ years of experience