IN-IDOH Data Scientist

Job Description

The Data Scientist plays a key role by creating in-depth analyses by leveraging data science techniques, methods, and interpretations to convey accurate, meaningful insights that empower IDOH and other partners to make informed decisions in support of the health, safety, and well-being of the citizens of Indiana.
Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

The essential functions of this role are as follows:
• Provides mentoring and guidance to other, more junior Data Scientists and staff
• Support the development of internal web applications or interactive tools that help operationalize and deliver data science products across the organization.
• Acts as mentor and DS SME for other more junior DS users across the state and key external stakeholders
• Engages with key business stakeholders on large projects and initiatives to understand their analytical and operational challenges and translate these needs into data solutions
• Assesses the structure, content, and quality of the data through examination of source systems and data samples
• Collaborates with other DS professionals, data engineers, and BI professionals around data/table structures to optimize architecture, ETL procedures, dashboards, and other self-service needs
• Prioritizes requirements and create rapid prototypes and minimally viable products for end users
• Looks for opportunities to improve current processes or find efficiencies by applying industry best practices as a DS professional
• Mines and analyzes data from state databases to drive insights into problems and efficiency in processes while maintaining the standards of organizational excellence
• Interprets data and from multiple sources using a variety of analytical techniques, ranging from simple data aggregation, to data mining, to more complex statistical methodologies
• Uses and monitors the input for code repositories like GitHub for code version control
• Provides end user education for interpretation of business data
• Tests and evaluates data solutions as it relates to upgrades to existing software
• Provides maintenance and support for existing data solutions for the agency
• Documents and communicates technical specifications to ensure that proper techniques and standards are incorporated into deliverables and understood by the end users
The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.
Job Requirements:

• The ideal candidate in this role should minimally have either:
• A Bachelor’s Degree with course work in analytics, statistics, computer science, informatics, and/or mathematics and 2+ years of experience and passion for leveraging data to drive significant organizational impact, or
• a Master’s Degree with course work in analytics, statistics, computer science, informatics, and/or mathematics, or
• 4+ years of experience and passion for leveraging data to drive significant organizational impact.
• Considerable knowledge using computer languages (R, Python, SQL, etc.) to manipulate and draw insights from large data sets as well develop software for automation
• Broad knowledge of advanced statistical techniques and concepts (regression, properties of distributions, statistical tests and proper usage, etc.) and experience with applications
• Broad knowledge of a variety of machine learning techniques (clustering, decision tree learning, artificial neural networks, etc.) and their real-world advantages and drawbacks
• Strong understanding of relational and dimensional databases, theories, principles, and practices
• Exceptional analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving abilities
• Must inhabit strategic thinking
• Strong written/oral communication and presentation skills
• Resourceful self-starter and highly motivated team player
• Able to perform well in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with data manipulation to include cleansing, standardizing, and transforming.
• Experience in leading workshops or training sessions with a user community a plus
• Experience with the following concepts or tools is not a requirement but considered a plus (geocoding and geospatial data, shiny, network diagraming, neo4j, Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience generating and distributing visualizations to a broad range of audiences
• Effective communicator and someone who enjoys getting to understand nuances of a problem
• Proficiency using frameworks such as Shiny, Dash, Flask, or Streamlit to build user-facing interfaces, connect to backend data pipelines, and deploy lightweight analytic applications.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:

The Data Scientist Intermediate may have supervisory responsibilities for lower data scientists (state employees or contractors).

Difficulty of Work:
The Data Scientist is required to manage multiple, complex, completing large scale data solutions/products, provide leadership and mentorship to team members, and provide thought leadership and continuous improvement strategies for the organization.

Responsibility:
The Data Scientist works closely with higher-level staff and/or management to outline general objectives and boundaries that the Data Scientist will follow to meet the requirements. Unusual problems or deviations from guidelines or practice are discussed with the manager. Work is reviewed for attainment of objectives and compliance with policy and practice.

Personal Work Relationships:
Works with core internal team of project managers, engagement directors, data scientists, data engineers; as well as agency staff, agency leadership, and community partners on dashboard projects.