​​Chief Data Scientist​, Position No. 00259

Title: ​​Chief Data Scientist​, Position No. 00259

State Role Title: Info Technology Specialist IV

Hiring Range: $160,000 - $186,000

Pay Band: 7

Agency: Department of Motor Vehicles

Location: IT SERVICES

Agency Website: www.dmv.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is hiring for a Chief Data Scientist for a position with its IT Services administration in Richmond, VA.

The Chief Data Scientist is Virginia DMV’s senior-most data leader, responsible for shaping and executing our enterprise data strategy. This role combines visionary leadership with hands-on technical expertise, driving innovation in analytics, AI/ML, and data engineering to deliver measurable business impact. A critical component of this role will be designing, implementing, and optimizing the VA DMV’s enterprise data warehouse and data lakes, ensuring that all agency data assets are structured, governed, and accessible for advanced analytics and operational reporting. The Chief Data Scientist will guide multidisciplinary teams of data professionals and collaborate closely with executive leadership to strategically position the agency for effective and innovative management of the VA DMV’s data assets.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, serves approximately 6.2 million licensed drivers and ID card holders with over 8.4 million registered vehicles. In addition, DMV serves a wide array of businesses, including dealers, fuels tax customers, rental companies, driving schools, other state agencies, local governments, and non-profit organizations. DMV operates upon five fundamental core values: Trustworthiness, Respect, Accountability, Integrity, and Teamwork (TRAIT). We don’t just talk about our core values, we live them!

Minimum Qualifications

•Considerable experience delivering enterprise-scale AI/ML solutions and building large-scale data platforms that drive measurable public value.
•Experience overseeing high-impact strategic initiatives.
•Advanced proficiency in programming and database structures for data manipulation, statistical modeling, and ML pipeline development.
•Deep expertise in supervised/unsupervised learning, natural language processing, deep learning, reinforcement learning, and generative AI; skilled with modern frameworks.
•Strong knowledge of ETL/ELT pipelines, data modeling, and distributed computing; experience with Spark, Hadoop, Databricks, or equivalent.
•Cloud Platforms: Mastery of Azure, Platform for large-scale model deployment and MLOps workflows.
•Proficiency in processing high-volume datasets using real-time data tools.
•Expertise with Power BI, or translating complex analytics into clear visual narratives.
• Knowledge of data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) and best practices for secure data handling.
• Version Control & DevOps: Skilled in Git, CI/CD pipelines, and containerization tools.
• Proven experience in building and managing data warehouses and data lakes.

Additional Considerations

•Considerable experience in a senior leadership role.
•Knowledge of DMV data customer and financial structures.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Selected candidate(s) must complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form. DMV participates in E-Verify.

All applicants for employment must consent to a background check. Selected candidates must consent to a fingerprint-based criminal history check, driver record check, and background investigation, if applicable.

As a condition of employment, the DMV will be alerted of any convictions for moving violations, including license suspension.

Submission of an online application is required. DMV does not accept applications, resumes, cover letters, etc., in any other format. When applying for jobs, please ensure your online application or resume is complete with duties and skills associated with your work experience and years of experience to properly assess your skills in the screening process. Candidates are evaluated based on information provided in the application materials. Missing information