Principal Data Scientist - Washington, DC office

JOB SUMMARY:

NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking an experienced Principal Data Scientist to join the Statistics and Data Science department. This position is contingent on contract award. We are open to part-time or full-time candidates. The Principal Data Scientist plays a top role in working with our research teams to produce valuable insights for our clients. This position supports the development of the strategy and vision for our largest data or more complicated analysis projects;

may manage both the activities and the work product of data analysts and/or data scientists; provide input and guidance to task leaders especially regarding data acquisition, questionnaire content, data analysis, and overall data dissemination; design, develop, and deploy algorithms, models, and work flows to discover valuable information in various sources; bring structure to large data sets; evaluate the data, construct models, create business applications, and work closely with organizational leaders to provide input into strategic business implications for the organization.

The Principal Data Scientist is expected to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Location:

This is a hybrid role based in our downtown Washington, DC office, with a regular office presence at our office and the client site. Qualified applicants must be U.S. citizens due to security clearance requirements for projects. DEPARTMENT:
Statistics and Data Science The Statistics and Data Science department implements state-of-the-art statistical methods and develops innovations to deliver reliable data and rigorous analyses that guide critical programmatic, business and policy decisions for NORC clients. The department provides leadership throughout the project lifecycle on study design, data collection, assessment of data quality, quantitative analysis, and dissemination of results. The Statistics and Data Science department also conducts its own research and is a leader in designing and implementing rigorous, efficient methods for sampling, weighting, and imputation for sample surveys and evaluation research.

The department provides expertise and leads NORC strategy on the use of a broad range of methods and techniques, including statistical modeling, machine learning methods, data linkage, statistical matching, statistical disclosure limitation, small area estimation, Bayesian analysis, assessing data quality, data visualization for analyzing and interpreting data, and developing approaches using artificial intelligence (AI) that support NORC’s research. The department collaborates with departments throughout NORC, as well as leading its own projects.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Identify data from multiple sources, perform analysis and recommend applications to add value to project and corporate initiatives, provide insight into important business issues and/or solve a pressing business problem. Employ and oversee advanced machine learning/natural language processing. Oversee AI implementations. Develops the platforms and tools to enhance the organization's analytic capabilities. Work closely with project leaders on implications of the data for processes and decisions.

Provide leadership for large-scale AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics initiatives, including natural language processing (NLP), predictive modeling, record linkage, and synthetic data generation in production environments. Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams of data scientists and technical staff to deliver enterprise-scale AI/ML solutions. Serve as a subject matter expert on Responsible AI, communicating AI governance, risk management, and ethical AI practices to senior leaders, clients, public audiences, and technical teams.

Support the development and implementation of AI governance frameworks aligned with NIST standards and federal best practices. Collaborate with Census and population statistics stakeholders to advance methodologies for survey research, demographic estimation, and population measurement. Recommends methodology and oversees implementation of, data management, merging, cleaning, transforming and harmonizing data. Using a wide degree of…