DATA SCIENTIST

Organizational Context

This position is within the Policy and Best Practices Service (PBPS) of the UN Secretariat's Department of Peace Operations (DPO) in New York. PBPS supports peacekeeping operations by developing guidance, sharing best practices, and providing policy support. The Data Scientist role contributes to enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of these operations, particularly in addressing mis/dis/malinformation and hate speech.

Job Purpose

The Data Scientist's primary purpose is to support peacekeeping operations by monitoring, analyzing, and responding to mis/dis/malinformation and hate speech. This involves leveraging data to identify trends, optimize program development, and improve business strategies. The role will develop technology solutions for analyzing the digital information environment, utilize predictive modeling for enhanced outcomes, and assess data sources for effectiveness. Collaboration with stakeholders across the organization and with external partners is key to identifying opportunities for data-driven solutions and ensuring data integrity and compliance with privacy regulations.

Responsibilities

Analyze large, complex datasets to extract insights using appropriate techniques and platforms. Prepare reports that effectively communicate trends and patterns with relevant data and visualizations. Ensure data integrity and compliance with privacy regulations and UN best practices. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify opportunities for leveraging data to drive business solutions, including liaising with technology providers, civil society, international organizations, and Member States. Mine and analyze organizational databases to optimize program development, advocacy, and business strategies. Assess the effectiveness and accuracy of new data sources and gathering techniques. Develop technology solutions for monitoring and analyzing the digital information environment. Utilize predictive modeling to enhance user experiences and business outcomes. Develop and implement A/B testing frameworks and monitor model quality. Coordinate with functional teams to implement models and track outcomes. Develop processes and tools for monitoring model performance and data accuracy.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressive experience in data science, data analytics, applied mathematics, or information management is required. Experience in developing technology solutions for mis/disinformation and in training on digital information analysis is also required. Experience with data science tools (e.g., Jupyter, R, Python) and using data to inform strategies is desirable.

Skills

Data analysis, data visualization, statistical and computational methods (clustering, classification, forecasting, machine learning, regression), data protection, stakeholder engagement, technology solution development, predictive modeling, A/B testing, model performance monitoring, data integrity, compliance, professionalism, teamwork, planning, and organization.

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