Data Analytics Specialist

“What's the best way to visualize a hundred thousand data points?”
“Can I retrieve the postal codes from all these addresses?”
“How do I fix this exploding join?”

If you're still reading this, chances are you have a knack for data. And if you have a knack for data, you might be a great fit here at the Data Science Deployment and Support Unit.

As a part of the Business Intelligence and Practice Division, our role is to enhance the ministry's evidence-informed decision making by applying cutting-edge data science tools and methods to integrated human services data. Our work includes:

• Exploring, analysing, and deriving new insights from our data assets;
• Building, deploying, and maintaining statistical and machine learning models;
• Automating data preparation and analysis processes;
• and much, much more

If you are ready to contribute your data science skills to improving the lives of Ontarians, we would love to hear from you!

What can I expect to do in this role?

As a Data Analytics Specialist, you will work with data scientists, analysts, and developers across our division to deliver novel data science solutions to tangible, real-world problems. Just some of the things you can expect to do day-to-day include:

• Retrieving, cleaning, assessing, preparing, and documenting data assets for use in data science projects;
• Carrying out novel descriptive, exploratory, inferential, and predictive analyses, and presenting results to key decision makers;
• Creating novel data visualization and communication tools and telling strong data stories;
• Connecting and working with your colleagues beyond ministry lines to deliver integrated data, analytics, and data science services

We also believe strongly that data science and continuous learning go hand-in-hand, and we reflect that by offering an environment where our team can learn, grow, and apply new skills while supporting a continuous stream of value delivery to our clients.

How do I qualify?

Technical Knowledge and Expertise:

• You have knowledge and experience applying theories, principles and best practices in the field of data science and advanced analytics, data modelling, data mining and evidence-informed decision-making.
• You have knowledge and experience working with data querying languages (e.g. SQL, Hive, Cypher) and/or data science programming languages (e.g. Python, R, Scala) to load, clean, aggregate, integrate, and otherwise prepare data for analytics/data science use.
• You have knowledge of data management principles, technologies, and best practices for working with high-volume structured and unstructured data assets.
• You have the ability to learn business requirements gathering for the creation and management of data assets.
• You have the ability to learn data engineering tools, approaches, methods, and best practices (e.g., data pipelining).

Analytics Knowledge and Expertise:

• You have knowledge and experience applying techniques for descriptive and exploratory analytics, such as aggregation, summarization, group-wise analysis, and data visualization.
• You have knowledge of data science approaches, methods, and techniques, such as predictive analytics and machine learning, and ability to learn the corresponding data requirements.
• You have the ability to learn public sector policy and program research, development, and analysis principles, practices and methods.

Communication Skills:

• You have the ability to create data-related technical documentation products such as data dictionaries and data glossaries.
• You have the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical colleagues.
• You have the ability to create standard analytics products for communication of analytics results, such as slide decks, reports, and methodology documents.

Project Management Skills:

• You have experience working on projects with multiple team members and competing priorites.
• You have the ability to learn Agile project management methodologies.
• You have the ability to learn basic principles of software development lifecycles and how they affect data operations.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Remember: The deadline to apply is Monday, February 1, 2021 11:59 pm EST. Late applications will not be accepted.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.