Job Summary

Located in the nation’s capital, The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is the chief legal office of the District of Columbia. The OAG enforces the laws of the District, defends, and provides legal advice to the District’s government agencies and protects the interests of the District’s residents. This position is located in within the Immediate Office.

The Immediate Office sets the direction for OAG. It is responsible for establishing the policy priorities that OAG pursues and ensuring that the OAG consistently provides high quality legal services to the District and the District agencies OAG supports.  OAG seeks a Senior Data Scientist with a policy or social science background to continue developing and growing OAG’s data analytics and research to complement the core mission of the agency.

The position will place particular emphasis on juvenile and criminal justice: using agency data to evaluate the effectiveness of the office’s criminal and juvenile justice work; looking at data from the juvenile justice, abuse and neglect, and child support systems to inform the work the office does with vulnerable youth; and making appropriate aggregate public safety data available to the public in line with open and transparent government. The Senior Data Scientist will help build and expand the work of the data team, including assisting the First Assistant Attorney General with guiding the work of two data scientists who report to the Senior Data Scientist.

Duties And Responsibilities

The Senior Data Scientist will be responsible for developing computational algorithms and statistical methods to find patterns and relationships in multiple database sources. The incumbent will develop scripts, queries, or software code to accomplish specific requirements or tasks. They will design, build, and test data models, algorithms, and predictive models. The incumbent will identify and utilize predictive modeling and machine learning techniques to improve program and operational processes and agency’s overall data quality. With the support of two data scientists, they will also manipulate, manage queries, analyze, and summarize data from open source, law enforcement, District, and OAG data sources into cohesive reports in support of strategic initiatives, program evaluations and investigations.

Additionally, The Incumbent Will Be Required To

Collaborate with internal partners to evaluate the effectiveness of juvenile and criminal justice initiatives within OAG.
Collaborate with internal and external partners to expand accessible prosecution data platforms.
Contribute to interagency data efforts, including those sponsored by the Office of the Chief Technology Officer and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
Consult on statistical and research matters relevant to OAG’s work.
Compile and perform analyses on a variety of datasets from various sources to provide informed and data-driven insights leading to process and operational recommendations for OAG and its stakeholders.
Develop correlations, models, algorithms, forecasts, and visualizations based on generally accepted statistical methods using data from both OAG systems and external sources.
Apply computational and machine learning methods to new or big data sets to identify new insights using analytical tools, including spreadsheets, databases, programming languages, and/or statistical or visualization software.
Initiate and respond to requests for specialized and/or customized reports, including complex queries involving multiple data sources and analyzing data in creative and innovative ways.
Use coding skills and knowledge with languages such as python or R and uses SQL and other data processing and analytics tools and software to analyze data sets and uses data visualization tools such as MS Power BI, Tableau, MS Excel, and others to generate reports and develop compelling stories that convey statistical or technical information to non-technical audiences.
Provide scientific, statistical, and technical consultation about the best applicable practices and new techniques. Researches and develops complex and detailed statistical analysis and modeling on a variety of data, including trends, projections, and supporting information, using analytical software and products; produces effective reports and presentations.
Train staff in clean data collection, entry and storage.
Write or contribute to white papers and other reports for public consumption.
Cultivate partnerships with universities and technology start-ups to enhance the office’s technological capacity.
Participate in relevant academic and professional conferences; and
Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications And Education

At a minimum, candidates must possess a master’s degree in statistics, economics, data analytics, data science, public policy or a related field. Ideally, the candidate will have at least two years of related work experience, or a Ph.D. in a similar field.

The Ideal Candidate Will Also Have The Following Qualifications/skills

Expertise with common statistical analytical tools such as Tableau and Power BI.
Skill with common programming languages, data visualization software and mapping tools such as R and Python and in database languages such as SQL.
Experience evaluating program effectiveness and using data for continuous program learning.
Experience working with data scientists and technical staff to create and support business intelligence or other technology programs.
Significant project management experience, from the inception and design phase through to full implementation.
Willingness to tackle data collection and management challenges with an eye toward moving the agency to best practices
Curiosity and interest in public policy and public interest work, particularly in the criminal justice realm.
Excellent communication skills, including with people who do not have an analytics background.
Comfort working in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.
A desire to design and launch new initiatives.
Experience working with lawyers, law offices, and/or in District of Columbia public policy is a plus.

OR

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown in paragraph above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

Licenses and Certifications

None

SUBMISSION OF PRESCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE

All questions will be used in the evaluation process. All applicants MUST respond to the questions by submitting responses in the relevant area provided on the application questionnaire. Please describe specific achievements, experience, education, training, etc. that demonstrate the degree to which you possess the job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities. The information given in response should be complete and accurate to the best of your knowledge.

FAILURE TO PROVIDE A RESUME, AND A RESPONSE TO ALL SKILL SET QUESTIONS WILL ELIMINATE YOUR APPLICANT FOR CONSIDERATION.

PLAN, SERIES, GRADE:CS-0301-14

SALARY RANGE:$109,999 - $141,707 depending on qualifications and availability of funds.

TYPE APPOINTMENT:Career Service (CS)- Regular Appointment

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:No known promotion potential

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT:This position is not covered under a collecting bargaining agreement.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:Work is normally performed in an office environment.

TOUR OF DUTY: Monday – Friday; 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

First Screening Date: October 25, 2024 *

Other Significant Facts

GENERAL SUITABILITY SCREENING:The selected candidate will be subject to a background investigation including reference checks.

PRIORITY CONSIDERATION:Displaced Employee Priority Placement:  Candidates who are eligible for the District of Columbia’s Displaced Employee Program (DEP) and Agency Reemployment Priority Placement Program (ARPP) will be given priority consideration for this position if found qualified.

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS:Selectee will be eligible for health and life insurance, annual (vacation), and sick leave and will be covered under the District of Columbia government’s retirement plan. However, if the selectee was previously employed in the District of Columbia’s government under an appointment for which he/she was eligible for Civil Service Retirement (CSR), contributions to CSR will resume upon re-employment.

RESIDENCY PREFERENCE:A person applying for a position in the Career Service, Education Service, Management Supervisory Service, an attorney position in the Legal Service (series 905) other than in the Senior Executive Attorney Service (SEAS), or an attorney in the Excepted Service (series 905) who is a bona fide District resident AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION for the position, may be awarded a 10-point residency preference over non-District residents’ applications, unless the person declines the preference points.  If selected, the person shall be required to present proofs of bona fide District residency and maintain such residency for 7 consecutive years from the effective date of the appointment.  Failure to maintain bona fide District residency for the 7-year period will result in forfeiture of employment.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE:Applicants claiming veterans’ preference must submit official proof at the time of application.

DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE:Pursuant to the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998, the individual selected to fill this position will, as a condition of employment, be required to notify his/her immediate supervisor, in writing, not later than five (5) days after the conviction of or a plea of guilty to a violation of any criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, physical disability, matriculation, genetic information, credit information, or status as a victim or family member of a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code, Section 2-1401.01 et. seq., (Act) the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is also prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action.

OFFICIAL JOB OFFERS ARE TO BE MADE ONLY BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL