Data Specialist I

An incumbent to this position reports directly to the Chief Information Officer or their designee. Under the general direction of the CIO or their designee, the Data Specialist I develops, supports and enhances Buffalo's data programs, analyzes data and information to generate insight into City of Buffalo operations, and assists with improving the efficiency of interdepartmental data sharing. The Data Specialist I develops and implements techniques and analytics applications to transform raw data into intelligence using data-oriented programming languages, statistical and mathematical computations, and visualization software; apply data mining, data engineering, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from structured and unstructured datasets; and visualize, summarize, interpret, and report data findings.

Assists in developing and implementing plans and goals for the program;

Partners with departments to develop and build data models in support of analytic use cases to drive evidence-based decisions and increase operational efficiency;

Maintains open datasets and conducts routine portal maintenance and development to ensure data integrity and optimize value of open data;

Conducts ad-hoc analysis using statistical techniques and provides ongoing reports for select City initiatives;

Contextualizes and visualizes data to illuminate areas of need for the City;

Summarizes results, creates written reports and collaborates with staff to develop business intelligence solutions;

Provides input on current approaches and recommends improvements to best achieve goals;

Performs data extraction, aggregation, and quality checks from multiple sources and tables in support of trend identification and root cause analysis;

Designs, develops and maintains Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) processes for the data program

Assists in the design, development, and maintenance of the City's Data Catalog

Performs other tasks as delegated by the Chief Information Officer or their designee.

A) Bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education, in Data Analytics, Data Science, Data Mining, Information Management, Computer Science, Statistics, Engineering, Data Visualization, or a related field;

OR

B) Associates Degree from a college, university, or business/technical institute accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education in Dana Analytics, Data Science, Date Mining, Information Management, Computer Science, Statistics, Engineering, Data Visualization or a closely related field, and one (1) year of full-time qualifying experience* (see below);

OR

C) Completion of a program of instruction (minimum of 300 hours) in Data Analytics, Data Science, Data Mining, Computer Science, Statistics, Engineering Data Visualization, or a closely related field, and five (5) years of 

full-time qualifying experience* (see below);

OR

D) An equivalent combination as defined within the limits of A, B, and C

• QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE

Must be working experience with technical data models, research, data collection,  statistics and analytical report preparation, preferably in a government setting - working with data analytics software programs such as Tableau, Microsoft Power B1, SAS, IBM Watson, Python, Excel and Google Analytics. Experience in at least one query/data program language such as SQL, R, and Python.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Thorough knowledge of principles and practices of open data and data science;

Thorough knowledge of federal, state and local laws and policies governing open data and data management;

Good knowledge of the geographic, social and economic structure of the City of Buffalo;

Analytical capabilities (i.e., quantitative data analysis and qualitative investigation such as research, interviews, and observations);

Skill in reporting and visualization software, with strong presentation skills;

Skill in using various computerized platforms and formats for disseminating data to and from multiple data sources;

Skill in project management, performance management, and facilitation;

Skill in Microsoft suite, statistical language and scripting such as R, SQL and Python;

Skill in reporting and visualization software, with strong presentation and UX/UI skills;

Ability to learn new systems and technology;

Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing;

Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with others;

Self-starter with good organizational skills;

Creative and critical thinking;

Exceptional drive for impact;

Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.