Background

In September 2015, the Government of Armenia (GoA), along with governments of all other member states of the United Nations, signed on to Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This marked an important milestone for Armenia reform agenda towards leaving no one behind.

The complexity and interconnectedness of SDGs require novel approaches, methodologies, strong data systems, and institutions that would have the capacity to provide ‘out of the box’ solutions to emerging challenges.  In 2017, the world’s first National SDG Innovation Lab was established in Yerevan, through which many of these solutions will be developed and delivered.

Data Analytics is chosen as one of the four service lines of the SDG Lab. We strive to apply big data mining, predictive analytics and machine learning tools and utilize various sources of data (for instance, business, administrative, social media and so on) to solve various policy challenges that hinder the development of the Republic of Armenia. Our ultimate goal is to accelerate the SDG implementation in the Republic of Armenia and contribute to the Agenda 2030. The, Armenia National SDG Innovation Lab is looking for a Data Scientist which will have a substantial contribution to the operations of the Lab.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent, under the direct supervision and guidance of the SDG Lab Lead, overall supervision and endorsement of the SDG Barometer Task Force, in close cooperation with involved stakeholders and other technical teams, shall perform the following responsibilities:

• Conduct in-depth investigations leveraging large and complex data sets using advanced statistical methodologies and tools.
• Write machine learning algorithms to perform text mining of various sources and documents
• Research and identify the best cases of the application of data mining, predictive analytics and machine learning tools for policymaking worldwide
• Research the data ecosystem of the Republic of Armenia and suggest an action plan for advancing the data analytics service line.

Competencies

• Exceptional communication skills, in order to explain technical concepts and the implications clearly to a wide and non-technical audience and to translate policy objectives into actionable analyses.
• Ability to understand and creatively solve problems that span statistics, technology, and policymaking.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Self motivation and resourcefulness
• Effective in quality assurance, working with teams, and time management
• Ability to think strategically while focusing on details and delivery process
• Keen creating solutions that will contribute to the development agenda of the Republic of Armenia
• Open to criticism from the team and the ability to criticize the work of the others in a constructive manner.
• Eager to learn and share knowledge
• Ability to deal with pressure and overcome obstacles in startup like environment

Required Skills and Experience