DATA SCIENTIST

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state, and around the world. UW employees bring their energy, creative problem-solving skills to their work and are dedicated to building stronger minds and a healthier world. UW is Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, your experiences, perspectives, and unique identities will be honored at the University of Washington. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

The Office of Finance, Planning, and Budgeting (OFPB) encompasses the major central financial, planning, and budgeting functions for the University of Washington, including:
Institutional Data & Analysis
Policy, Planning & State Operations
University Business Services
Finance & Budget Strategy

The Institutional Data & Analysis team (IDA), part of FPB, is responsible for analyzing and reporting on data that support the planning activities of the University administration in collaboration with campus stakeholders. The office provides data-informed insights to guide institutional decision-making and supports strategic planning efforts. In addition, IDA is responsible for responding to various internal and external requests for information about students, faculty, and staff, as well as other critical areas of University activities.

IDA partners with Academic and Student Affairs, Finance & Budget Strategy, central UW-IT, Academic Personnel, and other campus stakeholders to deliver data and analytics through self-service dashboards and reports, publicly available data on the website, and custom requests for reporting and analysis. IDA supports campus and college-level strategic planning, accreditation, peer benchmarking, and program review through these mechanisms. IDA is responsible for institutional and often cross-domain data, reporting, and analytical support on behalf of the Executive Office.

Reporting to the Director of Institutional Data & Analysis, the Data Scientist will work as part of the IDA team. This role will involve developing clear research objectives and questions, working with executives, faculty and staff across the university to collect and refine data, producing descriptive and inferential analyses, synthesizing findings in written and graphical reports, and presenting results to audiences.

We encourage applicants to apply even if they do not feel they satisfy all the skills listed below; we understand that it will take some time for the successful applicant to strengthen specific position skills where needed, to learn about the university systems, campuses, and vendor collaborators, to develop a deep understanding of the UW Finance, Planning & Budgeting environment itself. You will join a supportive team that will partner with you in these efforts; we are an open, ethical, highly engaged, and collaborative community based on trust, transparency, and mutual respect. We believe in the importance of quality of life, embracing diversity and equity, making a difference, and having fun.

Position Complexities:

This position will require the individual to learn about the changing higher education landscape, understand data elements in a complex and evolving data environment, research, and develop objectives and questions that support the analytical strategy and strategic priorities. As the Data Scientist with the IDA team, this individual will work closely with other FPB teams as they integrate finance data, reporting expertise, relationship building, and the ability to interface with financial planning and analysis experts.

Strategy/Program/Project Management
Able to work with all levels of leadership and staff; communicate effectively (written and verbally)
Ability to blend technical/process skills, leadership, and group facilitation
Excellent organization skills to prioritize a diverse workload
Able to independently problem-solve or work collaboratively on a team to approach complex issues and relationships with finesse, patience, tact, and confidentiality
Using predictive analytics and data mining to develop data models for student enrollment management, student success, financial aid modeling and related reporting;
Integrate new concepts and technology
Gather and analyze detailed data and then link that to broader strategic concepts to ensure program needs are met
Prepare data visualizations and report summaries based on data modeling and analysis
Assist with data management, organization, querying, and maintenance;
Create and update tools and resources for program users
Assist in the university-wide efforts to utilize advanced analytics in support of strategic planning and mission fulfillment
Excellent listening and interpersonal skills are needed to comprehensively identify solutions to both articulated needs and subtextual assumptions
Work with a diverse group of individuals; placing a value on diversity, equity, and inclusiveness
Follow trends in the market; identify, develop, and disseminate best practices

Campus leadership:
Collaborate, communicate, and represent the IDA team in working groups in data and analysis
Support the complex structure of large higher education institution while balancing the need for coherence and direction from FPB to the institution
Support the integration of unit priorities and programs into IDA and university priorities
Lead and move projects forward effectively, even in situations where s/he/they has little or no direct control of or influence over project partners
Build and maintain trusted relationships with internal partners (central partners and unit partners) and external partners (community, vendors, and suppliers)
Work closely with analytical peers and the UWIT data and analytics teams to develop and deliver tools and resources for greater campus use.

Leadership Skills:

Comprehensively identify solutions to both expressed needs and underlying assumptions, excellent listening and interpersonal skills are required. Time management and prioritization are also essential skills for the successful candidate, who must have a critical eye and a keen sense of relevance to maintain scope while working with detailed datasets that have a high degree of outliers.
Remain calm in stressful and challenging situations
Exercise sound judgment at all times
Effectively manage strategic issues as well as tactical, and operational details
Effectively manage high level university leadership, faculty, staff and community leaders and volunteers to the University

Duties & Responsibilities:

Program Management

Analysis and Reporting
Extract, integrate, manipulate, and analyze academic data from various sources such as Academic and Student Affairs, Finance and Budget Strategy, and the Office of Academic Personnel
Build and analyze sustainable statistical models and data processing pipelines using knowledge of best practices with partners and various sources in machine learning and statistical inference
Provide expert-level knowledge through data visualization and collection, analysis, and reporting of institutional data for both internal and external stakeholders and University Leadership
Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and compliance with relevant regulations
Manage key components of analysis and reporting projects-includes defining tasks, managing the work, and being accountable for the deliverables of assigned components

Data Solution & Design
Design and implement data solutions to support information and analysis goals with units in pursuit of standard data terms, analytical methods, and reporting needs that support short and long-term informational and analysis goals
Provide recommendations and implement solutions to improve, simplify, and automate Business Processes, Data Usage, Data Modeling, and Data Analysis
Support the development and build of new data models and database structures
Design, develop, test and document reports, and data visualizations institutional reporting, analysis, and data management activities
Produce documentation of data mining, modeling, and analytical processes to build completed reports in a timely manner and accurately
Continue to contribute to university-wide efforts to operationalize core data management
Regularly partner with campus units within and external to the Finance, Planning, & Budgeting to ensure projects follow University-wide data standards while remaining in compliance
Address and solve for data needs as the national landscape evolves. Work closely with UWIT and data domain chairs to ensure the University's essential data improvement and modernization objectives are realized in the context of core data management
Facilitate meetings and design sessions to validate, prioritize, and document data visualization and reporting requirements

Administration
As needed, serve as a backup to the Director of Institutional Reporting
Attend meetings, attend seminars or participate in other opportunities to develop and enhance expertise in the intersection of data, higher education, and reporting
Train, mentor, and cross train IDA team members to develop skills to increase machine learning and data modeling within Finance, Planning, and Budgeting
Other duties as assigned

Lead Responsibilities:

This position will support institutional analysis projects and requests for information; development of reports, dashboards, and other work products; and provide analytical guidance to the Director of Institutional Reporting.

Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in math, statistics, social sciences, or other information technology, or related field and 6 years of progressive reporting and analysis experience.

OR Master's Degree AND 4 years of progressive experience

OR PHD AND 2 years of progressive experience

Equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired may substitute for degree.

2 years combined experience as a researcher, data analyst, or data scientist

2 years of progressively responsible management experience; demonstrated commitment to developing others to become leaders

Proficiency in advanced technical and programming skills with statistical packages (i.e. STATA, SPSS, SAS, R); coding languages (R, Python, Java, C++) relational databases (i.e. MS Access, SQL) or other data management, querying, and statistical tools.

Proficiency in data querying and cleaning- on the job experience with tools for reporting, statistical analysis and ad hoc requests;

Extensive knowledge of data structures and ability to efficiently manipulate/query data

Ability to flex between conceptual, big picture planning and detail-oriented research

Excellent analytical, mathematical, and creative problem-solving skills, with keen attention to detail

Excellent listening and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate ideas in both technical and user-friendly language; highly self-motivated and self-directed, with an ability to bring enthusiasm and energy to a collaborative team environment;

Excellent negotiation, facilitation and consensus building skills

Exceptional oral and written communication skills as well as group presentation skills.

Ability to conduct research into higher education policy

Advanced Microsoft Office skills

Experience in the design, development, and execution of analytical tools and products that provide decision support

Proficiency in data querying and cleaning using SQL- on the job experience with tools for reporting, statistical analysis and ad hoc requests; strong knowledge of data structures and ability to efficiently manipulate/query data

Demonstrated experience in working on diverse groups and teams; respects, values, and contributes to Finance, Planning, and Budgeting and UW's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Desired:

A master's degree or additional experience in a related field.

Extensive use of a variety of data, visualization, and statistical tools.

Experience with oversight of third party data software vendors.

Experience with data, analysis, or reporting team.

Knowledge or experience supporting or using Statistical Analysis/machine learning tools (R, Python, SAS,SPSS, STATA)

Application Process:The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at [redacted] or [redacted].

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required