Data Scientist, Early Childhood Policy Research Group

Data Scientist, Early Childhood Policy Research Group

Job no: 541190
Work type: Staff Full-Time
Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)
Categories: Computer Science, Grant or Research Administration, Engineering, Early childhood education/Childcare
Department:  - ED-CTR EXCEL EARLY CHILD STUD

Classification

Title:

Data Scientist III

A Bachelor’s Degree in data science, statistics, bioinformatics, analytics, or similar field and five years of experience;
Master’s Degree in data science, statistics, bioinformatics, analytics, or similar field and three years of experience;
Doctoral Degree in data science, statistics, bioinformatics, analytics, or similar field and one year of experience.

Job Description:

• Construct, validate, maintain, and annually refresh CNA indicators at the state, coalition, county, and sub-county levels, including composite measures and indices such as the Florida Index of Child Care Access (FLICCA).
• Apply and maintain operational definitions and indicator logic for need, supply, demand, access, affordability, and service gaps, and recommend refinements to the ECPRG Principal.
• Evaluate measurement quality using appropriate statistical and psychometric criteria, including reliability, construct and criterion validity evidence, dimensionality, scaling and weighting, and stability across time and reporting units.
• Select and apply quantitative methods appropriate to the research or policy question and the available data, including descriptive and inferential analyses, trend and change analysis, benchmarking, comparisons across reporting units, and defensible treatment of missing, suppressed, or small cell data.
• Apply small number suppression, disclosure avoidance, and reporting thresholds to all coalition-facing products.
• Conduct sensitivity and robustness checks and document assumptions, limitations, and known sources of bias.

• Maintain working knowledge of the Sunshine Portal data structure and data elements across contributing sources, including School Readiness, Voluntary Prekindergarten, SNAP, Temporary Cash Assistance, IDEA Part B and BEESS, Homeless Education, Bureau of Vital Statistics, HIPPY, and Children's Medical Services Title XXI records.
• Maintain data element documentation, including codebooks, variable definitions, valid value ranges, derivation logic, and crosswalks, and update documentation as agency systems and reporting requirements change.
• Implement data quality standards and automated processes for validation, anomaly detection, completeness, and coverage, and resolve data issues with originating agencies.
• Resolve structural and methodological questions affecting measurement validity, including unit of analysis alignment across child, household, provider, and coalition levels; enrollment and eligibility periods; fiscal year and reporting period boundaries; and changes in definitions or data series.
• Maintain data models, schemas, and secure storage environments in accordance with applicable data sharing agreements, FERPA, HIPAA where applicable, and UF requirements for restricted data.
• Maintain reproducible, version-controlled codebases and technical documentation sufficient for audit, replication, and continuity of operations.

• Provide data science and analytic support for The Children's Trust Thrive by 5 (TB5) contract, including project-specific measurement, data integration, reporting, quality improvement, and evaluation activities.
• Translate contract requirements and project objectives into analytic plans, measures, data structures, workflows, and reporting products in consultation with project leadership.
• Develop, maintain, and analyze datasets required for TB5 performance monitoring, quality improvement, program analysis, and other contracted deliverables.
• Produce dashboards, analyses, reports, tables, figures, and technical documentation required by the TB5 contract and related ECPRG initiatives.
• Collaborate with project leadership and external partners to identify data needs,…