Senior Data Scientist

Job Description

SALARY RANGE (Grade 15) CSA245: $89,993.11/yr. -- $134,991.01/yr. (Commensurate with experience)

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) seeks a Senior Data Scientist to lead the development of advanced analytics that support performance audits and evaluations of public programs. This role is central to transforming complex government datasets into predictive and prescriptive insights that inform audit findings and drive operational improvements across agencies.
The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in data science, machine learning, and cloud technologies, with a strong understanding of public sector operations and accountability frameworks. This position requires a strategic thinker who can design scalable models, mentor staff, and communicate technical findings to diverse stakeholders.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Supervised by the Director of Data Analytics.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Design and implement advanced statistical and machine learning models to identify trends, anomalies, and risk indicators in government data.
• Develop reproducible data pipelines and scalable analytics solutions using Python, SQL, and Microsoft Azure tools (e.g., Synapse, Data Factory, Azure ML).
• Collaborate with audit teams to translate programmatic goals into data-driven methodologies and tools.
• Build dashboards, visualizations, and reporting tools that communicate complex findings clearly to auditors and decision-makers.
• Evaluate data quality, completeness, and relevance; recommend strategies for data improvement and integration.
• Lead exploratory data analysis and feature engineering to support model development.
• Stay current with emerging technologies, methodologies, and regulatory standards relevant to public sector data science.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior analysts and auditors.

The Office of the State Auditor is committed to providing equal employment opportunities. Employment actions such as recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting individuals are based upon a policy of non-discrimination. Employment decisions and actions are made without regard to race, color, gender, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, military status, genetic information, political affiliation, or veteran's status.

Qualifications

SALARY RANGE (Grade 15) CSA245: $89,993.11/yr. -- $134,991.01/yr. (Commensurate with experience)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The successful candidate will possess and/or demonstrate:
• Master's degree or higher in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5-10 years of professional experience in data science, preferably in government, public policy, or performance auditing.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, and Microsoft Azure data tools.
• Strong knowledge of supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques, including regression, classification, clustering, and anomaly detection.
• Experience working with large, complex datasets from government or public sector sources.
• Ability to communicate technical findings to non-technical audiences with clarity and impact.
• Demonstrated commitment to public service, ethical standards, and continuous improvement.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Demonstrated experience and expertise in the following areas will also be important considerations:
• Experience supporting performance audits or program evaluations in a government setting.
• Familiarity with government data systems, administrative records, and regulatory frameworks.
• Certification in cloud technologies (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate).
• Experience with data governance, privacy, and security practices in public sector environments.
• Knowledge of DevOps practices and version control tools (e.g., Git) for collaborative development

The Office of the State Auditor is committed to providing equal employment opportunities. Employment actions such as recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting individuals are based upon a policy of non-discrimination. Employment decisions and actions are made without regard to race, color, gender, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, military status, genetic information, political affiliation, or veteran's status.