Data Scientist Series (Levels 1, 2, 3)

Description

JOB TITLE: Data Scientist Series (Levels 1, 2, 3)
DEPT/DIV: Chief Strategic Officer / Data & Analytics
SUPERVISOR: Manager, Data Science
LOCATION: 2 Broadway
HOURS OF WORK: 9:00a - 5:30p (7 1/2 hours/day)

COMPENSATION

LEVEL TITLE SALARY HAY POINTS
1 Data Science Analyst $70,000 - $90,000 393
2 Data Science Specialist $78,000 - $102,400 479
3 Senior Data Scientist $105,000 - $125,000 551

This position is eligible for telework which is currently one day per week. New hires are eligible to apply 30 days after their effective date of hire.

SUMMARY:

The MTA delivers subway, bus and commuter rail service and operates tolled bridges and tunnels in the New York City metro area. It is the largest public transportation provider in the Western Hemisphere, with millions of daily riders and a multi-billion-dollar budget. Delivering service and maintaining our infrastructure is increasingly data-driven, so data scientists are now central to the MTA’s operations and decision-making. As a member of the Data & Analytics team, you will work on a dynamic, growing team tasked with helping to define and achieve the MTA’s strategic priorities and address its most pressing challenges. Your work will become public data and influence critical decisions affecting millions of New Yorkers.

Our work combines new approaches and algorithms with a deep knowledge of our operations to deliver deeper insights into our performance. Our outputs are used by a wide array of stakeholders: from the MTA Board and senior execs to front-line managers to our open data customers. If you want to use your programming skills to solve complex problems and improve public transit in NYC, then we’d like to talk to you.

Data Scientists perform deep dives into large data sources and analytic challenges across the MTA. They build datasets, analytical frameworks, and performance tracking tools to drive improvements in service quality, operational efficiency and productivity, management performance, and other business needs. For each project, they develop expertise in specific business units, often working closely with operators and data/ process owners as well as teammates and leadership. With the knowledge and insights gained in business reviews, data scientists build analytic products, generally using programming expertise in Python, SQL, or R. Data Science Specialists (Level 2 data scientists) and Senior Data Scientists (Level 3 data scientists) have more experience, training, and knowledge; take on more project management responsibility; ensure project designs incorporate MTA strategic goals; and proactively add to the data sets, tools, methodologies, and other resources used by the Data & Analytics team in their work. Senior Data Scientists partner with the Manager, Data Science to help lead project design and management as well as knowledge and resource creation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

All Data Scientists must be able to:

• Write code to combine and transform datasets to meet specific business needs and carry out project tasks
• Apply quality controls to output data to ensure accuracy and usability by the desired audience
• Develop reports in a variety of formats (Power BI, automated emails, etc.) to share insights (these tasks generally involve partnering with the reporting team)
• Document work, especially coding, in a thorough manner, following team standards, for easy understanding by current and future teammates
• Create output/insight documents to explain data pipelines, methodologies, findings, and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences
• Break down large requests/problems from senior managers into discrete and solvable programming tasks
• Perform statistical analyses on a wide range of datasets
• Keep skills current, learning new algorithms, programming languages and techniques
• Other duties as assigned

Data Science Specialists must also be able to:

• Devise workstreams and tasks plans for Data Science Analysts and themselves to support efficient and on-schedule execution of project objectives
• Design data structures, testing and quality controls, and reporting procedures and protocols required to carried out tasks, workstreams, and overall projects
• Review code written by project team members and all colleagues as requested for efficiency, clarity, and adherence to best practices
• Revise work plans when unplanned events occur, communicating updates and rationales to stakeholders and teammates
• Proactively seek out and/or build new datasets, algorithms and best practices as part of the team’s knowledge base

Senior Data Scientists must also be able to:

• Devise project plans, including comprehensive workstreams, scheduling, and staffing, in conjunction for the Manager, Data Science
• Liaise with operations staff to bring their specific knowledge into project design and analysis
• Develop new techniques, algorithms, and tools to combine data and extract insight from available input as required for project execution
• Identify and develop new opportunities for data- and analysis-driven improvements and efficiency at the MTA
• Advance data-driven decision-making across the company through stakeholder partnering, meaningful metric and tool design, and effective communications
• Mentor less-experienced members of the team to build their business and coding/analytic knowledge and skills
• Partner with and support the Manager, Data Science, as needed

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

All Data Scientists must have:

• Strong skills in programming for data analytics, most preferably in Python, but other languages such as R and Java are valuable
• Exceptional ability to read code and interpret data
• Ability to deconstruct difficult problems into smaller and simpler pieces
• Skills in analytical methods (e.g., probability and statistics, algorithm design)
• Experience documenting processes and carrying out data quality checks
• Experience in advanced Excel analysis and other data processing and management support tools
• Familiarity with data exploration and visualization using business intelligence tools like PowerBI
• Familiarity with KPI metrics and ability to create algorithms to calculate them
• Familiarity with MTA operations
• Ability to keep up with technical innovation and trends in data science
• Strong written communication skills

Data Science Specialists must also have:

• Strong skills in database designs and management
• Experience in data exploration and visualization using business intelligence tools like PowerBI
• Experience developing KPI metrics based on business objectives
• Ability to think at a policy and strategic level
• Strong knowledge of MTA operations and ability to work effectively with all levels of MTA personnel, both technical and non-technical
• Familiarity with transportation planning theory and practice, especially in large-scale transit systems

Senior Data Scientists must also have:

• Experience project and workstream design
• Experience designing quality control testing and project documentation standards
• Experience reviewing the work of and mentoring less experienced colleagues
• Experience developing new analytic tools and making policy and strategic recommendations in support of agency and team objectives
• Experience playing a lead role in project management and client management
• Ability to communicate effectively with clients and all stakeholders on project status and findings

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

All Data Scientists must have:

• A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Management, Statistics, Mathematics, Transportation Planning, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• A minimum of (1) year of experience working in a data science, data engineering role, or a position with similar programing and data management content
• A minimum of (1) year of experience building datasets, automating tasks through scripts, writing database queries and debugging/ maintaining code
• A minimum of (2) years’ experience with Python and SQL programming
• Experience with relational databases (e.g., Oracle, Postgres, SQL Server), including writing queries (generally with PL/SQL) to obtain and manipulate data

Data Science Specialists must also have:

• At least (2) years’ experience working in a data science or data engineering role, or another position with similar programing and data management content
• A minimum of (2) years’ experience building datasets, automating tasks through scripts, writing database queries and debugging/ maintaining code
• A minimum of (3) years’ experience with Python and SQL programming
Minimum (2) years’ experience with relational databases (e.g., Oracle, Postgres, SQL Server)

Senior Data Scientists must also have:

• A minimum of (3) years of experience in data science or data engineering, or another position with similar programing and data management content. A Master’s degree may substitute for one year of experience.
• A minimum of (3) years’ experience building datasets, automating tasks through scripts, writing database queries and debugging/ maintaining code
• A minimum of (4) years of experience with Python and SQL programming
Minimum of (3) years of experience with relational databases (e.g., Oracle, Postgres, SQL Server)

OTHER INFORMATION:
Pursuant to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”).

Equal Employment Opportunity
MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including with respect to veteran status and individuals with disabilities.

The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.