Objective 

Nonprofit organization DataKind is requesting proposals from junior and mid-level data scientists. 

Context 

DataKind is a global nonprofit dedicated to harnessing the power of data science and artificial intelligence (AI) in the service of humanity. DataKind matches skilled volunteers from academia and industry with visionary changemakers, collaboratively designing innovative solutions to tough social challenges. 

People are at the center of our process: DataKind follows human-centered design principles that focus on questions such as “why?”, “for whom?” and “should we?” before we get going on the “what?”. We’ll continue our work until all people and all communities can use digital technology for the outcomes they want to see, with an emphasis on including those who have historically been excluded from the technology sector or will be impacted by the intervention. 

Engagement Description 

The Data Scientist Consultant will be responsible for the following in addition to any other projects assigned by their manager:

• Help manage data science and business intelligence products hosted by DataKind.
• Advance data science solutions beyond prototype phase. 
• Carry out feasibility studies and exploratory analyses for proposed new projects and areas of opportunity.
• Provide data science support for the portfolio of volunteer data science projects at DataKind.
• Advance internal analytics reporting and automation capabilities.

This is a 6-month engagement (from mid October 2022 through April 2023), full-time remote role (40 hours/week). The consultant should be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet on some nights or weekends with volunteer teams or to help run DataKind events. 

Compensation

$75 - $150/hour

Based on the candidate’s level of experience.

Qualifications 

• At least 3 years of data science work experience, preferably including experience in a nonprofit or start-up context.
• Experience in machine learning/AI with confidence in applying, tuning and evaluating a wide variety of AI algorithms, from logistic regression and random forests to deep learning.
• Fluency in Python, SQL, github, NLP, data visualization. 
• Desired experience in Tableau, Docker, Airflow, Databricks, R, DBT, Great expectations, AWS, Azure, user interfaces.
• Comfort and skilled in communicating highly technical information to semi- and non-technical audiences.
• Proven track record of successfully supporting full lifecycle tech/AI projects.
• Ability to motivate people to collaborate towards a shared goal, to keep them engaged throughout the process, and to intervene as needed.
• Demonstrated customer service orientation that will allow you to represent DataKind well to our volunteers and partners alike.

Proposal 

By 9:00am ET on Friday, September 30th, 2022, interested parties are requested to provide the following:

• A resume describing relevant professional experience
• A cover letter that includes a short description of why you are interested in the position and outlines how your qualifications align with the role
• If possible, a relevant work sample that demonstrates your ability to break down complex concepts in a compelling, approachable way. This could be any medium - github profile, thesis, blog post, etc. - and could have redacted information as needed. 
• Two references (name, phone number, and email address) from similar work, including a brief description of each project scope

We particularly encourage women, people of color, and people holding identities that are underrepresented in technology to apply. 

Selection 

Strong proposals will be contacted for further discussion. These will be selected based on relevance of past experience and alignment with DataKind’s goals and budget.

DataKind is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Naturally, DataKind is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages candidates from underrepresented groups in tech to apply. DataKind does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected category. 

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis