Job Description:
Position Summary
We are looking for an innovative and results-driven Data Scientist to join the unit. As a Data Scientist, you will be responsible for leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to extract valuable insights from large, complex data sets. The ideal candidate should possess a strong background in statistics, programming, and machine learning, with the ability to translate findings into actionable strategies for government departments to implement.
The role will report to the DAU Team Lead and would require active interaction with other team members (Data Analyst, Data Engineers, etc.), senior researchers, consultants and partner organisations for effective project delivery.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Problem Statement formulation
- Participates actively in the formulation of the problem or the objective statement, along with the Lead / Data Analyst and relevant experts including, but not limited to, data analysis, modeling, mapping and visualisations
Data Collection and Preparation
- Collaborates with Data Engineers/Analysts to collect, clean, and preprocess large volumes of structured and unstructured data from various sources including databases, APIs, spreadsheets, etc., for analysis
- Ensures data availability and quality
- Creates the analysis dataset, including creation of derived variables
Statistical Analysis and Modeling
- Works with statistical and economics experts in assessing various modelling strategies and finalising the appropriate one (model, methodologies, etc), clearly documenting the reason for the choice and the expected outcomes
- Applies strategy / model development methodology and testing to the analysis dataset
- Develops and implements machine learning models to predict outcomes and identifies patterns, where appropriate
- Uses machine learning models developed to build predictive models and classifiers, tuning parameters for optimal performance
- Optimises models for performance and scalability
Exploratory Data Analysis
- Performs Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) to understand characteristics of data including visualising data distributions, identifying outliers, and uncovering preliminary patterns in data
- Prepares the initial draft of insights/presentation for internal discussion
- Identifies relevant features and variables to enhance model accuracy
- Collaborates with the Economist or other domain experts to incorporate industry-specific knowledge into analyses
Data Insight and Visualization
- Collaborates with the Data Analyst/Economist to interpret the results of analyses and models, to provide actionable insights assisting the unit to make effective decisions
- Creates visualisations to effectively communicate complex findings and insights to stakeholders to convey trends, patterns, and anomalies
- Develops / integrates above with existing interactive dashboards for ongoing monitoring and reporting, where needed
Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities
- Postgraduate in Quantitative discipline (Mathematics / Statistics / Economics) or other data centric disciplines from a reputed institution
- Skilled in using tools like R, Stata, Python
- Skilled in machine learning algorithms, statistical modelling, and data analysis.
- Familiarity with big data technologies and distributed computing (e.g., Spark) is a plus.
- 4 to 6 years proven experience in statistical modelling and analysis, especially involving Governments administrative datasets
- Skilled in handling large and disparate datasets, including real-world data
- Experience of designing experiments, testing hypotheses, building models, conducting advanced and complex multi-dimensional data analysis
- Demonstrated experience of application of advanced statistical, predictive modelling, machine learning techniques to build, maintain, re-calibrate, and redevelop models / algorithms
- Must be fluent in Hindi and English. Knowledge of any language spoken in Chhattisgarh is a plus.
Personal Characteristics and Desired Qualities
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically about business challenges
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders
Ability to build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships both within and outside the organisation
Ability to set priorities, plan timelines and meet deadlines.
Intellectual curiosity and ability/willingness to constantly learn
High ability to collaborate and actively listen to others, understanding and valuing others views
Public-spirited and generous temperament
Continuous Learning and Research
Stay abreast of the latest developments in data science, machine learning, and related fields.
Contribute to research activities and evaluate emerging technologies for potential implementation
Location and Compensation
This role will be based out of Chhattisgarh. Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidates experience levels.
Pre-reads
- Concept note on CEGIS
- A glimpse into life at CEGIS - CEGIS Retreat 2024
- CEGIS Snapshot 2023-24
- Podcast episodes with Prof. Karthik Muralidharan one each on education and healthcare in India.
- You are also encouraged to read more of Prof. Karthik Muralidharans work here and through his book Accelerating Indias Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Indias Development.
About CEGIS
Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS pronounced See-Jis) aims to improve lives by helping Indian state governments deliver better development outcomes.
The four key characteristics of any high-performing organisation are (a) measuring outcomes through reliable, high quality data that enables goal setting and monitoring progress towards these goals; (b) strategic use of personnel competency based hiring and training, skilling, and performance appraisals to determine job assignments, pay, and promotions to achieve the goals above; (c) strategic budgeting where resource allocation is based on evidence and cost-effectiveness; (d) and creating efficient systems to leverage external actors (including for-profit and nonprofit organisations). The Indian State needs to perform better on all four fronts above, by enhancing its capacity. CEGIS partners with states to improve this capacity by focusing on these four pillars of the State.
Informed by cutting-edge research and evidence as well as a practical orientation toward implementable ideas, CEGIS works with State Governments in India to enable a transformative improvement in their functioning. This vision and Theory of Change (ToC) is an outcome of extensive research done by Prof. Karthik Muralidharan (CEGIS Co-Founder and Scientific Director) and strategic philanthropic support provided by Mr. Ashish Dhawan (CEGIS Co-Founder).
Prof. Karthik Muralidharan is the Tata Chancellors Professor of Economics at the University of California, San Diego. Over the past two decades, he has led extensive research projects in India across education, health, and social welfare. His book, Accelerating Indias Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance, systematically analyses Indias governance challenges and provides actionable, evidence-based strategies, emphasising state-level reforms as critical for Indias advancement.
Ashish Dhawan is a leading Indian philanthropist and the Founder-CEO of The Convergence Foundation (TCF). He is also the Founding Chairperson of Ashoka University and the Central Square Foundation, and is a governing board member of the Gates Foundation. Before his second career as a philanthropist, Ashish was among Indias most successful private equity investors.
CEGIS Approach and Model of Functioning
Our solutions to enhance governance are co-created with state governments in a state-led way, where we focus on deep partnerships with states with an iterative cycle of think-demonstrate-document-transfer. We work closely with the top bureaucratic leadership, front-line workers and public officials in Finance, Planning, Human Resources and a few other priority line departments.
In alignment with our four principles or pillars of change - outcome measurement, personnel management, strategic public finance, states and markets, CEGIS is currently working with the governments of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, NCT of Delhi, Assam, and a few Government of India entities like the NITI Aayog and Capacity Building Commission (CBC) across a range of projects and sectors. Through CEGIS flagship offering, the KPI (Key Performance Indicators) Survey, we are helping enable state governments we are working with to collect better quality citizen level data, make informed, evidence-based decisions, and institutionalise this process of securing periodic citizen-level feedback.
We are setting up a Financial Analytics Unit (FAU) to enhance analytical capacity and increase the effectiveness of budgetary allocations of the Finance Department in another state. In alignment with our personnel management workstream, we are also working with the HR/Administrative Reforms & Training Department to set up and institutionalise an in-house Capacity Building Unit (CBU) that aids the adoption of competency-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Performance Management Systems (PMS) with a few of these entities. Similarly, to improve the value of public money, we are working at the interface of states and markets which encompasses procurement, regulation, and policy formulation. Our solutions are constantly being refined based on real-time feedback and are designed to be customised and replicated across contexts.
About Chhattisgarh - Data Analytics Unit (CG DAU)
The Department of Good Governance and Convergence (DGGC), Government of Chhattisgarh recognises that a comprehensive understanding and analysis of governance related data is critical for effective and efficient management of funds, functions, functionaries, planning and policy design. In this context, the DGCC has envisioned building an institutional decision support system anchored around a Data Analytics Unit (DAU).
The primary objective of the unit will be to deliver advanced analytical work on programmatic data (outputs, outcomes) and its determinants, typically:
Diagnostics to determine causality and correlations
Stress testing, Simulations and Scenario building
Predictive analysis
Ad hoc analysis, as required for senior stakeholders
The DAU will be staffed with experts in economics, finance, data science, data analytics, data engineering and interdisciplinary research, and the unit is expected to be a key resource for the Government of Chhattisgarh. The DGCC invites qualified and experienced candidates to apply for the post mentioned below, on a contractual basis.
CEGIS@5: A Journey of Learning & Building Capacity
Since its incorporation in 2019, despite the enormous challenges posed by COVID, CEGIS has gained significant momentum in building strong collaborations with the government(s) as a trusted partner who can provide both thought leadership and implementation support on key governance reforms. CEGIS position as a non-profit that does not take any funding from the government (other than in-kind contributions of office space/staff) has been a key enabler in earning this trust.
Beginning with 2 state government engagements in the first 2 years of its inception, today CEGIS is working across several Indian states with 15+ projects across several sectors, including education, nutrition and local governance. From a small group of founding members, we have grown by leaps and bounds to become a team of 150+ members located across the country. Helmed by a former bureaucrat with invaluable governance experience, state and solution team leads with decades of domain expertise, and enabling functions led by professionals with considerable corporate careers, the team at CEGIS brings together knowledge and experience that spans various sectors - from developmental economics, research, and governance to management consulting and social entrepreneurship.
Over the last 5 years, we have also been able to garner support for our vision and theory of change from a diverse range of foundations and philanthropists whose partnership has enabled us to build our own organisational capacity as well as continue to experiment and improve our solution design to augment state capacity and governance. We believe that this approach will gradually enable all government officials to achieve their goals more effectively, thereby improving the ability of the State to deliver services to all Indian citizens in the decades to come. To explore what the mission of CEGIS is and the impact we hope to have, please take a look at this video of our CEO, Dr Vijay Pingale.
Note: CEGIS has zero tolerance to sexual harassment. We therefore expect each applicant to self-declare related to the same. CEGIS could, if required, initiate a prevention of sexual harassment-based background verification. If an applicant is reported of misconduct, appropriate action that may include employment termination would be taken. Please Click the link for self-declaration.
Compensation: Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidates experience levels.