Data Scientist I - Family & Education

Sea Alaska•Colorado Springs, CO

37d

About The Position

The Data Scientist I will conduct research and perform data analysis including developing and validating statistical models, creating dashboards, writing analysis reports, and providing recommendations for improving data analysis and models for clients. This role requires integrating data from child welfare, adult protection, juvenile justice, and family support programs. It also involves working with education data for early childhood and K-12, along with datasets from other state agencies, to support longitudinal research and cross-system analysis. The Data Scientist must be adept at combining large, disparate data sets to uncover insights, inform strategic planning, and support policy development. Responsibilities include designing and maintaining ETL processes to ensure data accuracy and integrity, managing data using a variety of statistical methods and tools, and presenting findings that support cross-sector collaboration and continuous improvement in services. The position involves coordination with other data scientists and analysts, collaboration with multiple participating entities, and ensuring alignment and consistency across data sources. The individual is also responsible for reporting progress and outcomes to executive leadership and contributing to statewide initiatives that enhance family well-being and safety.

Requirements

Strong verbal and written communication skills; able to present complex information clearly.
Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills; comfortable working with diverse stakeholders.
Proven organizational and time management skills with attention to detail.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, occasionally high-pressure environment.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with data visualization tools.
Knowledge of early childhood and K-12 education data systems and related datasets.
Experience with statistical and data mining techniques.
Coding proficiency in Python, R, SQL, or similar languages.
Research-based Master's degree or PhD in a relevant field (Applied Statistics, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Operational Research, Statistics, Mathematics, etc.)
5+ years of experience working in a data analyst role using statistical methods to solve business problems
Experience with SQL and other data querying tools
Experience visualizing/presenting data for stakeholders using: Tableau, PowerBI, R Shiny, , etc.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of machine learning techniques (e.g., clustering, decision trees, neural networks) and their practical applications would be beneficial.
Passion for discovering insights in large datasets and collaborating with stakeholders to improve outcomes.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate a strong understanding of early childhood systems, policies, and data, as well as K-12 education data and related policies.
Design and manage data collection, acquisition, and maintenance processes to ensure integrity and accuracy.
Formulate research questions, apply critical thinking, and select appropriate analytical methods to address data requests.
Conduct statistical and policy analysis, evaluate scenarios, and deliver actionable, data-driven recommendations.
Prepare and present clear, insightful reports, dashboards, and narratives for diverse audiences.
Assess new data sources and techniques and implement processes to monitor and improve model performance.
Collaborate with internal teams and client stakeholders to identify opportunities and implement effective, data-driven solutions.
Maintain comprehensive documentation to ensure sustainability and knowledge transfer.
Design and manage systems for large datasets including RDBMs, NoSQL, and streaming data environments.
Create integrated, curated data sources for comprehensive analysis.
Implement analytics dashboards and reporting tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI, R Shiny).
Automate QA/QC and data quality monitoring using KPIs.
Develop exploratory and confirmatory analytic reporting processes.
Design and implement automated data quality and validation workflows.
Develop and deploy descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive statistical models.
Promote a data-driven culture across the organization.
Develop and deploy machine learning models for classification and prediction.
Build interactive, predictive, and prescriptive reporting tools.
Perform other duties as assigned.