Data Scientist
Organizational Context
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace and prosperity. WFP utilizes food assistance to support people recovering from conflict, disasters, and climate change impacts. The organization values diversity, inclusion, and invests in employee development, offering a dynamic career path with passionate colleagues.
Job Purpose
The Data Scientist will play a crucial role within WFP's Private Sector Partnerships (PSP) division, specifically supporting the Individual Fundraising (IF) team. This position focuses on leveraging advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI to optimize fundraising performance and enhance long-term donor value. The Data Scientist will transform complex datasets into actionable insights, predictive models, and AI-driven solutions to improve fundraising effectiveness and supporter engagement. This involves collaborating with various teams, designing and deploying machine learning models for segmentation, prediction, and optimization, and applying advanced AI techniques like NLP and LLMs. The role requires a strong foundation in statistics, programming (Python/R), and a proven ability to develop, evaluate, and operationalize data science solutions in a humanitarian context.
Responsibilities
The Data Scientist will be instrumental in enhancing the World Food Programme's (WFP) individual fundraising efforts by leveraging advanced analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. This role involves transforming complex datasets into actionable insights and predictive models to optimize fundraising performance and maximize long-term donor value. Key responsibilities include collaborating with various teams to translate business needs into analytical solutions, designing and deploying machine learning models for segmentation, prediction, and optimization, and applying AI techniques such as natural language processing and large language models. The Data Scientist will also perform exploratory data analysis, feature engineering, and model evaluation to ensure accuracy and scalability. They will work with technical teams to operationalize these models and maintain a repository of solutions. Furthermore, the role requires rigorous review of model performance, contributing to the broader data science community within WFP, and championing the use of data science, ML, and AI within the Private Sector Partnerships division. Deliverables include developing a data science pipeline, enhancing data science infrastructure, creating a model repository, and promoting AI adoption.
Work Experience
The role requires a university degree in a quantitative field (Computer Science, AI, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering) and six years of relevant experience. Demonstrated experience in building machine learning or AI solutions with large datasets is essential. Proficiency in programming languages like Python or R, a strong understanding of statistics, and expertise in traditional machine learning techniques are crucial. Experience with advanced AI, including NLP and LLMs, is highly desirable. Cloud platform knowledge is an advantage.
Skills
Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Predictive Modeling, Natural Language Processing, Large Language Models, Prompt Engineering, Agentic Workflows, Data Analysis, Statistical Modeling, Programming (Python, R), Cloud Platforms, Data Engineering, Business Intelligence, Problem Solving, Collaboration, Communication, Adaptability