Data Scientist

Overview

The Data Scientist will play a crucial role in advancing the CDC Foundation's mission by leveraging data to inform strategic decisions and initiatives in a public health organization. This role is aligned to the Workforce Acceleration Initiative (WAI). WAI is a federally funded CDC Foundation program with the goal of helping the nation’s public health agencies by providing them with the technology and data experts they need to accelerate their information system improvements.

Working within Alabama Department of Public Health, Office of Informatics & Data Analytics, the Data and Informatics Specialist will utilize advanced analytics, statistical techniques, and machine learning algorithms to derive insights that support public health efforts. This project will improve the accuracy and consistency of case classification in ALNBS by reducing reliance on manual review and strengthening automated classification. A Data Science and Informatics role will apply classification rules and automated LOINC crosswalks to improve case classification assignment and laboratory data alignment.

These efforts will reduce errors and improve data quality and interoperability. The Data Scientist will be hired by the CDC Foundation and assigned to the Alabama Department of Public Health, Office of Informatics & Data Analytics. This position is eligible for a fully remote work arrangement for U.S. based candidates.

• Develop, implement, and improve data analysis and visualization tools for use by organization staff, to provide timely, relevant information that informs decisions affecting the public’s health.
• Analyze diverse datasets related to public health issues to identify gaps, error patterns, and inconsistencies in case classification assignments.
• Creation and maintenance of automated crosswalks mapping laboratory results to standardized LOINC codes.
• Design, development, and piloting of an automated or semi-automated classification tool.
• Testing and refinement of classification logic against historical (as appropriate) and current surveillance data.
• Documentation of business rules, workflows, and quality assurance processes.
• Apply statistical methods and machine learning algorithms to extract actionable insights.
• Continuously optimize algorithms for enhanced accuracy and performance.
• Create compelling visualizations and reports to communicate findings to partners and decision-makers.
• Present data-driven insights in a clear and understandable manner to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with the public health organization and its partners to understand their data needs and objectives.
• Provide data-driven support and guidance to inform public health policies and initiatives.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends, technologies, and methodologies in data science and analytics.
• Explore innovative approaches to address complex public health challenges and improve data analysis capabilities.
• Up to 10% domestic travel may be required.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Data Science, Statistics, Epidemiology, or related field. Master’s or PhD in related field preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Proficiency in Python and other programming languages such as SAS, or R.
• Experience with data manipulation and analysis tools (e.g., SQL, Pandas, Num Py).
• Knowledge of machine learning frameworks (e.g., Tensor Flow, Scikit-learn).
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI).
• Strong analytical thinking and problem solving abilities.
• Experience applying natural language processing (NLP) techniques to real-world datasets.
• Ability to work with and interpret large, complex datasets and derive meaningful insights.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of infectious disease surveillance and laboratory data workflows.
• Ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical partners effectively.
• Flexibility to adapt to evolving project requirements and priorities.
• Professional certifications in data science, machine learning, or public health analytics preferred.
• Outstanding interpersonal and teamwork skills; collegial; energetic; and able to…