Senior Data Scientist

Job Profile Title: Senior Data Scientist Status: Full-time – 3 years fixed contract

Role Overview
Information For Applicants

Role Overview

AIMS Research and Innovation Centre (AIMS RIC)

The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is a pan-African network of centres of excellence for post-graduate training in mathematical sciences, research and public engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The AIMS Research and Innovation Centre is a research-oriented Centre facilitating high quality research that addresses African development challenges by engaging in relevant multi-disciplinary research and through creation of a world-class environment, which fosters innovation and creativity.

The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR)

The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda is an independent institution mandated with improving capacity to use information for evidence-based decision-making by coordinating Rwanda’s effort to collect, archive reliable data, analyse, document, and disseminate data within an integrated and sustainable framework.

The two institutions are jointly recruiting a Senior Data Scientist who will work closely with the AIMS Junior Research Chair and the Director of the Data Revolution and Big Data department (DRBD) unit at NISR for the implementation of high quality, collaborative research in Data Science. This is a full time opportunity based in Kigali, with 50% of the time at the AIMS Research and Innovation Centre and 50% of the time at NISR.

Information For Applicants

Responsibilities

Conduct research and publicly disseminate results with minimum supervision from AIMS Junior
Research Chair.
Supervise AIMS PhD student and research master’s students as directed the Junior Research Chair.
Promote innovation within AIMS and NISR by scoping a strategic approach of modernizing official statistics through the utilization of big data sources and analytics and Data Science Campus Operationalization.
Participate in the scoping of priority big data projects and their implementation through the Director of the Data Revolution and Big Data department (DRBD) unit at NISR.
Provide technical advisory for fulfilling AIMS and NISR’s vision and objectives under the supervision of the Director of the DRBD unit at NISR.
Identify and implement a capacity building plan for NISR staff and wider National Statistical System (NSS).
Provide support in building a pipeline for receiving data from other institutions, in a way that they can be automatically updated.
Establish links between AIMS and NISR to enable joint collaboration on projects where necessary e.g. in use Machine learning and other techniques to advance earth/climate observation for official statistics.
Lead dissemination of NISR statistics highlights, and joint research outcomes to the public through regular blog-style posts.
Work closely with the data science teams on ongoing projects and establish an automated method of complementing other existing traditional methods of data analytics at AIMS and NISR.
Provide support to AIMS and NISR in assessing the current situation, evaluating trends, and anticipating data security requirements.
Provide support in developing, implementing, and maintaining relevant data privacy/protection and data sharing policies and train staff at AIMS and NISR.
Provide support in developing a NoSQL database for managing and sharing NISR data.
Provide mentorship and trainings in data science and big data analysis to AIMS, NISR and NSS technical staff.
Provide technical support and mentorship in research areas including developing crops monitoring tools using high-resolution satellites images.

Skills & Competencies

Received a doctorate degree from an internationally recognized program not more than five years before appointment date.
Independent, self-directed researcher evidenced by the contributions to the publications, including having at least two scientific papers as a leading author (the lead and/or senior author of at least two refereed publications on a topic relevant to data science and its applications).
Proven higher level of proficiency in R or Python, proven experience in analyzing real life data with big data analytics tools, working with Databases (both SQL and NoSQL) and building Machine Learning models (both supervised and unsupervised) for the public good.
Proven experience in data governance, Knowledge of methods of data systems and theories that pertain to data sharing, data use and data standardization.
Proven experience in peer coaching or mentorship abilities.
Several papers published in international, peer-reviewed journals.
Has exciting and original ideas, determined by the AIMS Junior Research Chair, that have significant potential to advance AIMS & NISR’s understanding of nature and ability to improve the world.
Interest in capacity building of young African scientists.

Core Competences

Personal drive and effectiveness
Leadership and mentoring skills.
Excellent communication skills
Innovativeness
Problem solving skills.

Working Conditions

To be based in Kigali, Rwanda.
Travel within and out of Africa.
Flexibility to work outside of normal business hours to respond to AIMS and NISR demands as may be needed from time to time.

Are you ready to be a part of the transformation?

Submit your letter of motivation, including salary expectations together with a detailed CV in English to applications@aimsric.org (i.e. quote “Senior Data Scientist” in the subject line). Applications will be
accepted until November 10, 2023.

Should no feedback be received from AIMS RIC within four weeks of your submission, kindly accept that your application will not be further pursued. AIMS RIC reserves the right not to make an appointment at its sole discretion. AIMS RIC is an equal opportunity employer.

AIMS ECOSYSTEM

Senior Data Scientist –