[Hiring] Senior Data Scientist @VPD Government Solutions

Role Description

VPD is seeking an experienced Senior Data Analyst who brings together three critical capabilities:

• Strong technical analytical skills
• Exceptional communication and data storytelling skills
• An understanding of the policy and program context in which data are used

The ideal candidate can work hands-on with complex quantitative and qualitative data, but technical analysis is only part of the job. They should be able to:

• Identify what matters in the data
• Understand its implications for programs and policy
• Translate complex findings into clear, compelling visualizations, narratives, briefings, and other products for leadership and non-technical audiences

Beyond technical and communication skills, the ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Resourcefulness in working with imperfect, incomplete, or messy data
• The ability to deliver under compressed or shifting timelines
• A proactive, entrepreneurial approach and a strong bias toward action, even when requirements are ambiguous

Responsibilities include:

• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data, including administrative, program, survey, and other data sources
• Clean, integrate, interpret, and synthesize data to identify trends and generate actionable policy and program insights
• Develop compelling data visualizations, dashboards, reports, and briefing materials
• Use generative AI and AI-enabled tools to accelerate analysis, qualitative synthesis, data cleaning, visualization, documentation, and other analytical tasks while appropriately validating outputs
• Work with ACF program and data staff to translate policy and operational questions into analytical approaches and useful products
• Present findings directly to non-technical partners through briefings, presentations, and written products
• Conduct both rapid-turnaround analyses and longer-term analytical projects
• Collaborate across the Division and with program and data staff, sharing methods, tools, and knowledge to strengthen analytical capacity
• Document methods, assumptions, and workflows to support reproducibility, transparency, and knowledge continuity

Qualifications

• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, including experience with real-world program or administrative data and tools such as Python, R, and SQL
• Exceptional data visualization and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex analyses into clear, actionable insights for technical and non-technical audiences
• Advanced proficiency with data visualization and business intelligence tools, particularly Power BI, Power Query, and/or Tableau
• Demonstrated ability to use generative AI and other AI-enabled tools effectively and responsibly in analytical workflows
• Understanding of human services and social policy; direct knowledge of ACF programs, data, and organizational context strongly preferred
• Ability to independently take a question from problem definition through analysis, interpretation, visualization, and presentation
• Experience working in a federal, state, or other government data environment preferred
• Must be able to successfully complete required federal background and suitability requirements for work in the HHS/ACF environment
• U.S. Citizenship required

Requirements

• BA/BS in a relevant field and 8–10 years of highly relevant experience, or MA/MS and 4-6 years of highly relevant experience

Benefits

• Robust employee benefits package beginning on the first of the month following hire date, including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 401(k) with 5% employer matching
• Flexible time off program
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth
• Employee-centric work culture including company-sponsored events, happy hours, team-building opportunities, frequent communication and information sharing from leadership, a supportive and positive teamwork environment, and an open-door policy