Senior Data Scientist at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

Requisition ID: 1702

Position Summary

• We’re seeking a passionate Senior Data Scientist to be a leader in data science and engineering on IPA’s global research and data science (GRDS) team. You lead meaningful impact on global development through innovative data science.
• In this role, you’ll collaborate with an international team to drive technical innovation and research methods at IPA. We value your unique perspective and creative problem-solving skills as you work on applied machine learning projects that leverage predictive modelling, natural language processing, and large language models.
• Your expertise in Python, SQL, and cloud computing will be instrumental in transforming complex data across diverse research projects to generate actionable insights.
• We’re committed to fostering an inclusive environment where you can grow, learn, and contribute to data and research projects that matter. We value unique perspectives and offer a supportive environment where team members can grow professionally while contributing to meaningful research and data science solutions.

Responsibilities
60%:

• Lead data science and machine learning projects
• Develop and optimize scalable data infrastructure and analytics pipelines
• Drive the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, including NLP and LLMs
• Develop original code for research and data software solutions
• Provide feedback to peers and mentor colleagues through code review and testing
• Mentor research and data science colleagues, fostering a culture of innovation and inclusion
• Lead the development of training on data science software solutions, methods, and tools
• Contribute to GRDS research resources on project management

40%:

• Collaborate with leadership and international partners on high-impact projects
• Managing complex data science projects, often with a high degree of ambiguity
• Manage Strategic partnership with IPA country offices, sector programs, policy teams, and Right-fit Evidence unit to plan, implement, and ensure timely completion of research and data science projects
• Provide direct technical assistance to IPA research Projects
• Deliver, weekly, monthly and quarterly updates to internal IPA stakeholders on project and product development for research and data science projects
• Represent the organization at conferences and in the broader data science community

Qualifications
Required:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Data Science, or related discipline)
• 4+ years’ experience in a data science or data engineering setting
• 2+ years’ experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and analytics databases (Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift, Motherduck, Clickhouse)
• 2+ year(s) customer-facing, project-delivery experience, professional services, and/or consulting experience
• Proven leadership in developing Python data science projects and/or projects
• Proficiency in SQL for database querying and analytics
• Proven experience with version control systems like Git
• Familiarity with working with data APIs and integrating diverse data sources
• Ability to lead and maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity

Preferred:

• Technical knowledge of best practices for applied machine learning
• Background in applying NLP techniques and working with LLMs
• Strong understanding and ability to present data analysis through impactful data storytelling and visualization
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Experience with project management tools (e.g. Jira, Asana)
• Experience with data engineering tools for ELT (e.g. dlt, SQLMesh, dbt)
• Experience with additional data science and econometrics software such as R or Stata
• Familiarity with research quality standards and best practices in survey data collection and data management
• Experience working with international development organizations or research institutions
• Familiarity with ICT for development concepts and applications
• Ability to work in one (or more) of the following languages: Spanish, French, Swahili

Work Model:

• Hybrid remote + country office work environment;
• International travel at least 1-2 times per year.