Research Scientist Intern

The Leidos Surface Transportation Solutions Portfolio is seeking a Transportation Research Scientist intern to support computer science application in the ground transportation areas of Operations, Safety, Freight, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), and Automated Vehicle (AV) technologies. We are looking for detail-oriented, proactive, self-motivated and highly organized candidates with excellent communication and writing skills.  The ideal candidate must have hands-on experience in AI development, ability to think analytically and apply general concepts to other applicable topics. This internship offers a unique opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals in a fast-paced and collaborative environment. You will be involved in developing and implementing AI/ML algorithms for transportation safety, contributing to proposal development, and drafting technical reports.

The intern will support project execution and software development for several clients including the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), State and Local DOTs, and other non-Federal customers.

The candidate will be responsible for assisting more senior positions and/or performing functional and technical duties. The candidate will perform work that is varied and may include stakeholder engagement, software development, research, data collection, and reporting activities. The successful candidate will be an “up and comer” natural leader with ambition, vision, and a passion for improving transportation system through advanced technology.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with team members to design, develop, and deploy AI/ML models and algorithms.

• Support data management, transfer, analysis and visualization on various transportation safety and operations projects including use of big data and incorporating AI/ML tools

• Assist in the development and integration of data science capabilities across multiple task orders within the program.

• Develop document, reports, manuals, presentations to communicate project results, both orally and in writing, in a way that is understandable and usable by the target audience(s) for the projects

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Required Education & Experience:

• A Junior or Senior student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in relevant technical fields such as computer science, data science, electrical engineering.

• Masters’ Degree or Ph.D. candidates in a related field (such as transportation, infrastructure modelling, and system network optimization) is preferred.

• Strong programming skills in languages such as Python, Java, C#, or C++

• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks and libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn)

• Understanding of data structures, algorithms, and data science development principles

• Effective communication skills and ability to work well in a team environment.

• Strong understanding of technical writing and proposal development

The following skills/traits/experience are required for this position:

• Passion for data science and data governance

• Automation and advanced technology development & evaluation experience

• Project management skills and attention to detail

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to reach/influence target audiences.

• Proven ability to juggle multiple projects and project deliverables concurrently, prioritize workflow, and communicate progress.

• Ability to identify and solve challenges – technical, human, research, management, etc.

• Expertise in all standard Microsoft Office tools and programs.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:DESIRED SKILLS/TRAITS/EXPERIENCE:

• Experience working in an applied research/development/testing environment.

• Experience in transportation planning and operation domains

• Ability to perform well under the pressure of multiple competing deadlines.

• Hands-on experience in data analysis and visual analytics

• Familiarity with the principles of System Engineering

• Research record in transportation human factors and data-driven prediction modelling

Original Posting Date:

While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.