Data Scientist 2

About the Role

The Department of Management (DOM), Division of Data, Planning, and Improvement is seeking a Data Scientist 2 to oversee the strategic vision, development, and daily operations of the Iowa Justice Data Warehouse (JDW), a critical enterprise data and analytics resource supporting justice-related decision-making across the state.

Responsibilities

• Lead the enterprise-wide Iowa JDW program, including strategy, operations, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement data governance frameworks, ensuring compliance with data privacy and security regulations.
• Manage large-scale data sharing initiatives with key partners including the Judicial Branch, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Corrections (DOC), and DOM.
• Oversee the ingestion and integration of new datasets to enhance the JDW’s value and robustness.
• Administer Business Objects for the JDW, including user access, security groups, and report development.
• Monitor and troubleshoot the JDW’s cloud environment and web applications, ensuring data integrity and system reliability.
• Lead the production of Correctional Impact Statements (approx. 115 per legislative session) and data validation for the annual Prison Population Forecast.
• Drive the development of public-facing dashboards and internal analytics tools to promote transparency and data accessibility.
• Respond to data requests from a wide range of stakeholders including the public, media, legal professionals, and policymakers.
• Compile, clean, and standardize complex datasets for analysis and reporting.
• Utilize SQL, R, and Excel for data transformation, analysis, and visualization.
• Serve as a backup resource to the Iowa Data Hub, supporting broader enterprise data initiatives.

Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum qualification requirements:

• Nine years of full-time work experience in business/data/statistical analytics, economic research, or data science.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in business analytics, economics, data science, statistics, mathematics, management information systems, or industrial management, and experience equal to five years of full-time work in business/data/statistical analytics, economic research, or data science.
• All of the following:
  • Three years of full-time work experience in business/data/statistical analytics, economic research, or data science; and
  • A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described above), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in business analytics, economics, data science, statistics, mathematics, management information systems, or industrial management equals one year of full-time experience; and
  • A total of two years of graduate-level education and/or full-time experience (as described above), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in business analytics, economics, data science, statistics, mathematics, management information systems, or industrial management equals one year of full-time experience.
• All of the following:
  • Three years of full-time work experience in business/data/statistical analytics, economic research, or data science; and
  • A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described above), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and
  • Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in business analytics, economics, data science, statistics, mathematics, management information systems, or industrial management.
• All of the following:
  • Five years of full-time work experience in business/data/statistical analytics, economic research, or data science; and
  • A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described above), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and
  • Possession of a professional certificate in data science, business analytics, or data analytics.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Data Scientist 1.

Skills

• Proven leadership experience in data analytics, program management, or a related field.
• Strong technical expertise in data governance, data integration, and analytics tools.
• Proficiency in SQL, R, Excel, and data visualization platforms.
• Experience working with justice system data or public sector data is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to think strategically while managing complex, detail-oriented projects.

Benefits

• Flexible work environment
• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement savings options (RIC)
• Flexible Spending Accounts

Schedule

This position requires onsite work in Des Moines, IA each week. Employees meeting all expectations of their work responsibilities may request remote work and develop a hybrid/remote schedule collaboratively with their manager. Candidates for this position must reside in the state of Iowa at the time of starting the role.

Additional Information

After a conditional offer of employment, candidates will be subject to a background investigation, which may include verification of education, previous employment/work history, personal references, motor vehicle records, and a criminal history check. The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.