Director, Data Science, Data.FI

Director, Data Science, Data.FI

About Palladium:

Operating in over 50 countries, Palladium is a global consulting and implementation company working in partnership with governments, businesses, investors, and communities to design and deliver solutions that create lasting positive impact. We address some of the world’s most complex challenges across infrastructure, economic growth and natural capital, health, energy, climate and environment, and digital transformation—strengthening systems, institutions, and markets to support inclusive and sustainable development. Our more than 2,100 staff worldwide work as trusted advisors across diverse contexts, combining deep technical expertise, implementation techniques, and innovative technology to deliver locally informed, client-focused solutions that help organizations achieve measurable, sustainable impact.

Palladium is part of GISI’s global family of companies, which aims to create solutions for the world’s most complex challenges. With annual revenues of $14 billion, GISI’s approximately 15,000 employees are engaged in projects across 100 countries worldwide providing construction, program/project management, and engineering consulting services.

This Opportunity:

Palladium is seeking a Director, Data Science to oversee the design and execution of data science projects related to population and patient health using supervised and unsupervised machine learning and other data science tools. Applications leverage deidentified patient data, aggregate health reporting data, survey data, geospatial data, among others. Experience with health applications, particularly using sparse and/or poor-quality data and data related to developing countries, is preferred. Expertise in NLP and geospatial analytics are of additional interest. Projects will result in outputs ranging from reports and analyses to deployed models generating information for decision makers in real time.

Location:

This role is based out of Palladium’s Arlington, VA office. Please note that applicants must have the right to work in US, as visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Palladium supports a hybrid working model with 3 days in office and 2 days remote.

Reporting Lines:

The Director reports to the Technical Director, Digital Practice

Primary Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical input in the design, planning and delivery of data science projects
  
• Ensure quality of all phases of data science lifecycle, including feature generation, model training and testing, and deployment
  
• Communicate aspects of data science work to technical and non-technical audiences
  
• Represent Palladium to governments, donors and other stakeholders, providing thought leadership at international meetings, ministry-level events, technical working groups and communities of practice
  
• Formulate data science partnerships, collaborations and strategies, strengthening relationships for country ownership of projects
  
• Identify, build, and maintain relationships with partners and consultants who can provide technical expertise in health and other sectors of international development
  
Mentor selected mid-level staff working in headquarters and field offices

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Project Management

• Develop work plans, including budgets and staffing plans, interfacing with clients and staff
  
• Maintain project documentation, including project schedules, architectural schemas, training materials. Ensure project team follows best practices in coding, data storage, and version control
  
Contribute to progress and financial reporting

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Business Development

Contribute proposal development through contributions to strategy, partnerships and written contributions to the technical approach and capability statements

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Essential Criteria:

• Professional experience in implementing data science projects including leading data science project teams, managing client engagement, and deploying solutions
  
• Experience with data science projects in low and middle income countries, including deploying solutions within host country information systems
  
• Expertise in programming with open-source statistical languages including Python and R required
  
• Experience working with large datasets on cloud-based platforms and/or with distributed computing tools such as Apache Hadoop and Spark is preferred
  
• Project experience using the above tools for supervised and unsupervised machine learning, including regression analysis, classification, deep learning, cluster analysis, etc.
  
• Project experience with geospatial analytics and NLP is preferred
  
• Documented experience managing a diverse portfolio or work and ability to work in a dynamic and agile environment with changing requirements and priorities
  
• Experience in negotiating workplans with clients, constituting teams, recruiting personnel, and budgeting
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  
Knowledge and experience applying the Principles for Digital Development

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Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply early as the position may close once a suitable candidate is found. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual, or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.