As a Senior Data Scientist with the Advanced Analytics and Evaluation team, you will provide innovative analytic and data science support for client facing projects across the State of California. You will serve as the senior data scientist on a wide variety of data science projects from across the state. You will serve as a key advisor on exploratory, statistical, and predictive analytics to inform data-driven decisions.
You will help evaluate and decide on the best approach for projects from both an ethical lens, as well as statistical lens. You will help advise teams across the state on responsible, effective, and ethical data science practices.
You will collaborate with the team’s data engineers,data analysts, and other subject matter experts on the projects. CalData works across all departments in the state, with data that reaches all Californians. You will find the problems and challenges we engage with need the heart as much as the mind.
Location: This position provides telework opportunities in accordance with agency telework policies. ODI is currently operating in a hybrid work environment with staff reporting to the office 2 days a week to either Sacramento HQ or our Oakland Hub. Effective July 1, 2025, all agency employees will be required to report to the office 4 days a week.
Annual salary: $137,928 – $169,752 (based on experience and qualifications)
Benefits: The state offers many benefits, including pension, health benefits (including after retirement), life insurance, employee assistance program, and much more.
Last day to apply: Until Filled
What you’ll do
- Serve as the senior data scientist for advanced analytics and data science projects from across the state.
- Help define best practices in advanced analytics and data science and help grow these practices within ODI and across the state.
- Participate in project solicitation, vetting, and scoping processes to identify client projects across the state.
Desirable qualifications
We encourage applications regardless of whether you think you meet 100% of these skills below.
Experience experimenting with generative AI models and a keen interest in exploring their potential applications within the public sector, while maintaining a focus on ethical considerations and responsible implementation
Personal Skills
- Enjoys collaborative processes and developing a shared understanding of topics
- Ability to communicate with technical and non-technical audiences
- Investigative ability and intellectual curiosity
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to learn and embrace new technologies
- Demonstrated ability working with diverse groups of stakeholders
- Comfort with risk and trying new things
- Ability to work independently and as part of a small team
- Commitment to equity and the use of data to meet the needs of all Californians
Technical/knowledge skills
- Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience in mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, machine learning, AB testing, or data science in an applied context using statistical programming languages, SQL, and other scripting and statistical tools
- Proficiency in data visualization and data communication best practices
- Substantial experience in Python and/or R
- Fluency in SQL
- Strong proficiency in the mathematical and statistical concepts and theories needed to be able to ethically execute known methods and to research, evaluate, and adopt new methods.
- Broad experience with and knowledge about a range of statistical methods and tools, including predictive and inferential statistics as well as experimental design
- Experience with data cleansing, processing, and wrangling and creating data pipelines using tools such as python, ETL tools or the language of your choice
- Experience conducting data analysis on a variety of datasets and issue areas and presenting and communicating the results of the analysis to a range of audiences
- Experience considering the impacts of analytic work on multiple communities, including communities of color, in technical analysis.
Desirable qualifications
- Experience defining requirements and advising on data infrastructure requirements to support data science function
- Experience planning and managing multiple analytical projects independently, including working with clients
- Experience delivering projects across multiple data & subject domains
- Experience with operations management and analysis
- Experience with one or more data visualization tools
- Experience with modern web-based data visualization using libraries like D3, jQuery or similar
- Experience conducting geospatial analysis
- Experience tailoring machine learning solutions to solve problems and/or generate new insights
- Experience advising other data teams on leading practices and approaches
About ODI
We deliver better services to Californians through technology and design. We do so through close partnership with other state departments. Our goal is to create programs and products that are more equitable and effective. We listen to Californians who use a program now or may do so tomorrow and learn about what they need.
We:
- Build tools and products
- Create and enhance digital services
- Conduct research
- Identify data solutions
- Offer training
We are a cross-discipline staff with blended backgrounds in:
- Design
- Engineering
- Product
- Operations
- Data
- Research
- Policy
- Strategy
Learn more about ODI’s vision and mission.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion at ODI
Diversity, equity, and inclusion help us deliver better government services to Californians.
- Fostering diversity inspires better ideas and more innovative thinking.
- Feeling included nurtures a shared sense of community. This drives us to take collective action on challenging problems.
- Prioritizing equity ensures we build solutions for people whose needs are often overlooked.
We acknowledge our history and present of implicit and structural injustice, bias, and discrimination. We see, hear, and accept each other and the lived experiences we bring to our work. We support each other in learning and developing so we can help all Californians thrive.
We understand this work is never done. That’s why we commit to constant improvement.