Back to job search
Senior Data Scientist
Job ID: 6949
Business Unit: MTA Headquarters
Location: New York, NY, United States
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Department:
Date Posted: Aug 20, 2024
Description
JOB TITLE: Senior Data Scientist
SALARY RANGE: $105,000 - $125,000
HAY POINTS: 551
DEPT/DIV: Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer/ Data & Analytics
SUPERVISOR: Manager, Data Science
LOCATION: 2 Broadway New York, NY 10004
HOURS OF WORK: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm (7 1/2 hours/day)
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 incumbent in this position will help lead Data & Analytics design and implementation data and programming strategies that are applicable to a wide range of datasets and different types of
analytical problems. They will use languages such as SQL, Python and R and relational database
tools such as Oracle, Postgres, and SQL Server to analyze large datasets, build new ones, and design overall data architectures. The incumbent must have expertise, or the ability to quickly understand and build expertise, in different areas of the MTA to support assumptions and business reviews. The incumbent will need to carefully document their work and be able to explain it clearly in response to questions from all levels of the company. They will design all projects and work outputs to support strategic goals to build data systems and processes that are well-structured and sustainable. Due to the size and complexity of the projects they will be working on, the incumbent will also be required to collaborate closely with operators, data/ process owners, IT and their own colleagues in Data & Analytics to achieve successful outcomes.
analytical problems. They will use languages such as SQL, Python and R and relational database
tools such as Oracle, Postgres, and SQL Server to analyze large datasets, build new ones, and design overall data architectures. The incumbent must have expertise, or the ability to quickly understand and build expertise, in different areas of the MTA to support assumptions and business reviews. The incumbent will need to carefully document their work and be able to explain it clearly in response to questions from all levels of the company. They will design all projects and work outputs to support strategic goals to build data systems and processes that are well-structured and sustainable. Due to the size and complexity of the projects they will be working on, the incumbent will also be required to collaborate closely with operators, data/ process owners, IT and their own colleagues in Data & Analytics to achieve successful outcomes.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Designing data structures and designing and writing code to collect, combine and transform datasets to meet business needs.
- Designing and carrying out quality controls on output data for validity, accuracy and usability by the desired audience.
- Working with business partners to understand reporting needs, design appropriate procedure and outputs to achieve them, and carry out other associated work.
- Breaking down large requests/ problems from senior managers into discrete and solvable
programming tasks. - Documenting work in a thorough manner consistent with team standards so that it can be easily understood by teammates.
- Creating documents explaining the work done – both the outputs/ insights and the pipeline – for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Performing statistical analyses on a wide range of datasets.
- Keeping skill current by learning new algorithms, programming languages and techniques.
- Providing support and instruction (in both business knowledge and coding practices) to less-experienced members of the team.
- Other duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Strong skills in programming for data analytics, most preferably in Python, but other languages such as R and Java are valuable.
- Strong skills in database designs and management.
- Understanding of analytical methods (e.g., probability and statistics, algorithm design).
- Familiarity with transit/ transportation systems, particularly the MTA subway, bus and railroad networks.
- Exceptional ability to read code and interpret data.
- Familiarity with data processing and management support tools, including MS Office, advanced Excel analysis, and business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
- Familiarity with transportation planning theory and practice, especially in large-scale transit systems.
- Ability to collaborate and provide support to all levels of MTA, both technical and non-technical.
- Ability to project manage and help lead team-based projects.
- Proficiency in data management.
- Experience in documenting processes, as well as performing quality checks.
- Ability to keep up with technical innovation and trends in data science.
- Familiarity with KPI metrics and ability to create algorithms to calculate them.
- Ability to deconstruct difficult problems into smaller and simpler pieces.
- Ability to think at a policy and strategic level.
- Strong written communication skills.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Management, Statistics,
Mathematics or Transportation Planning. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. - 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 of 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), including writing queries (generally with PL/SQL) to obtain and manipulate data.
Preferred:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Management, Statistics,
Mathematics or Transportation Planning/ Civil Engineering. - Ability to write, edit, and understand Python code, SQL or R Programming.
- Familiarity with data exploration/data visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, Web Focus, etc.
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.
