Data Science Systems Engineer, Early Career

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

As a member of our Advanced Concepts and Technology team within Government Services and Solutions, you'll be our data explorer and rapid prototyper — the person who takes a rough idea and a messy dataset and comes back with something that works. Our team serves U.S. Government customers and mission partners, and the solutions you build matter in the real world: operational environments, national security applications, and defense programs where better data means better decisions. You'll dig into internal and external data streams to surface insights, identify emerging opportunities, and build proof-of-concept solutions that shape what we can engineer with data for government customers and beyond. This isn't a role for someone who needs a perfectly scoped ticket; it's for someone who gets energized by an open question and a blank canvas.

• Investigate internal and external data streams to surface patterns, anomalies, and opportunities that inform new engineering and business solutions
• Rapidly prototype data-driven tools and analytical systems, translating loosely defined ideas into working proof-of-concept solutions with speed and creativity
• Design and implement data pipelines to ingest, process, and analyze structured and unstructured data from diverse sources — both batch and streaming
• Partner closely with engineers, program managers, and subject matter experts to understand data needs and co-develop novel solutions
• Evaluate emerging data technologies, AI tools, and analytical frameworks for potential adoption — and bring your findings back to the team with a clear recommendation
• Communicate technical insights and prototype results clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Engage across teams and data sources to discover what's possible, then build it — working hand-in-hand with engineers and business leaders to move quickly from insight to working prototype

Additional Details

• This position may be site-based or home‑based. Site‑based employees work 3+ days (60%+) per week from a Viasat office or work location within a standard five‑day work week. Home-based employees work 3+ (60%+) days per week from home or another remote location. Viasat embraces a flexible work environment and onsite/hybrid work is determined by individual roles and teams. Relocation assistance is available pending eligibility.

• Education: Completion of Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Data Science, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, or related technical field
• Experience: This role is intended for someone with 0-3 years of full-time, relevant industry experience
• Citizenship: This position requires U.S. Citizenship
• Clearance: This position requires the ability to obtain U.S. Secret Security Clearance
• Additional:
  • Proficiency in Python; working knowledge of SQL
  • Demonstrated ability to work with ambiguous, loosely defined problems — you can take a direction and run with it
  • Strong analytical instincts: you know how to interrogate data and push past surface-level findings
  • Hands-on experience with exploratory data analysis (EDA) — turning raw data into questions, and questions into findings
  • Clear communicator — able to translate technical findings into plain language for mixed audiences
  • Self-motivated learner with the drive to independently research and build
  • Eager to pick up new tools, languages, and problem domains on the fly — comfortable diving into the unfamiliar and treating "I've never done this before" as a starting point, not a blocker
  • Ability to travel up to 25%

• Working knowledge/experience with AI tools and agents for development, document creation, research, etc.
• Familiarity with batch and streaming data technologies (Apache Kafka, Spark, or similar)
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) or distributed data platforms (Databricks, Hadoop)
• Exposure to ML frameworks (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch) and experiment tracking tools (MLflow or similar)
• Experience with time-series analysis, predictive modeling, or statistical testing
• Experience with data visualization and dashboarding tools (Tableau, Power BI, Streamlit, Matplotlib, or similar)
• Proficiency in R or Scala for data processing and analysis
• Familiarity with REST APIs and lightweight application development (Flask or similar)
• Prior internship, research, or project work applying data science to real-world problems
• Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and version control (Git/CI-CD)
• Linux/Bash experience

$95,000.00 - $150,000.00 / annually.
For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $118,000.00- $177,000.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at careers.viasat.com/LifeAtViasat/Benefits.

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.