Data Scientist

Role Responsibilities

Are you an experienced data scientist, advanced analyst or business intelligence & analytics professional who thrives at the intersection of data, technology, and strategic decision-making? We are seeking a results-oriented Data Scientist to join our high-performing data science team within Tax and Revenue Administration (TRA). This role plays a critical part in enabling data-driven decisions through both advanced reporting and applied machine learning. 

As a Data Scientist reporting to the Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics, you will be responsible for delivering high-impact analytics and machine learning solutions that directly inform decisions, strategies, and program effectiveness. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Analyze large, complex structured and unstructured datasets to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights
• Perform exploratory data analysis (EDA) and feature engineering to support modeling efforts
• Design and implement data cleaning, transformation and processing logic for analytical and ML use cases
• Develop, validate, and maintain statistical, machine learning and neural netwok models to solve business problems
• Develop NLP solutions such as text classification, information extraction, summarization, and document similarity
• Apply pre-trained LLMs using techniques such as prompt engineering, embeddings, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
• Collaborate with data engineers, analysts and other stakeholders to design and support scalable data and ML pipelines
• Support model deployment and performance evaluation on AWS, Azure or other cloud and hybrid environments for operation
• Monitor model performance, data quality, data drifts, and pipeline reliability
• Create reports, develop dashboards aligned with TRA’s strategic goals and communicate findings, assumptions, and results clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility, and documentation of analytical work
• Promote data culture through trainings and consultative support and apply best practices for data governance, privacy, security, and ethical use of data and responsible AI
• Ensure compliance with Alberta’s data privacy legislation, including Protection of Privacy Act (POPA), and support TRA’s standards for ethical data use, protection, and transparency

This role demands strong systems thinking, creative problem solving, experimentation, prototyping, results focus, and the agility to navigate evolving priorities and complex data challenges.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Systems thinking: Work within the APS takes place in a broader, integrated, and inter related environment. Actions in one area may impact multiple groups and initiatives both within and outside the APS. Applying systems thinking helps ensure these broader impacts and interdependencies are considered. 

Creative problem solving: Demonstrates the ability to assess options and their implications in new ways, enabling the development of effective and sustainable outcomes and solutions.

Agility: Demonstrates the ability to anticipate and assess change, adapt to shifting priorities, maintain resilience under uncertainty, and work effectively in evolving environments.

Drive for Results: Demonstrates the ability to set and accomplish priorities that support outcomes aligned with government direction, departmental objectives, and public expectations.

Qualifications

A university degree in a relevant discipline – such as Advanced Analytics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, or Statistics – is required, along with a minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in related roles. 
The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical and analytical capabilities, sound judgment, and a proven ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights that support evidence based policy, program delivery, and operational decision making.

Key skills and qualifications include:

• Strong Python skills and associated libraries (pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn etc.) for data processing and modeling
• Solid foundation in statistics (hypothesis testing, regression, probability)
• Hands-on experience with core ML techniques (classification, regression, clustering, time series)
• Hands-on experience with SQL for data extraction and manipulations
• Fluency in developing strategic, decision-focused dashboards and reports
• Experience working with data visualization tools such as Matplotlib, Seaborn, Power BI, Tableau, or similar
• Hands-on experience in deploying or supporting production-grade machine learning models with a strong emphasis on model explainability, scalability, and operational integration
• Working knowledge of neural networks and deep learning fundamentals
• Hands-on exposure to NLP and text-based data
• Familiarity with LLM concepts such as embeddings, prompt design, and model APIs
• Experience working in cloud environment (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Ability to communicate analytical results clearly and concisely
• Strong commitment to continuous learning and staying current with emerging technologies, applying new approaches where appropriate to support organizational outcomes
• Experience contributing to analytics-related initiatives including project planning, cross-functional collaboration and solution delivery in a data-driven environment
• Knowledge of Alberta’s data privacy legislation (POPA), and related policies governing the ethical handling, protection, and sharing of sensitive or personally identifiable information in analytics workflows

Qualifications Continued

Additional assets for this role include:

• Experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow)
• Familirty with Spark or Databricks for large-scale data processing
• Exposure to deploying or supporting ML workloads in AWS and/or Azure (SageMaker, S3, Lambda, ECS/EKS, Azure ML, Blob Storage, Azure Functions etc.)
• Exposure to MLOps practices (MLflow, CI/CD for ML, model monitoring)
• Understanding of ETL vs ELT patterns and their application in analytics and reporting
• Understanding of cloud-based data platforms and data architectures such as lakehouse
• Formal certification from AWS or Azure
• Experience in data acquisition and integration from multiple sources. Proven ability to provide technical advice and analytical consultation to both technical teams and business stakeholders

Equivalencies of directly related education or experience considered on the basis of: 

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.
• Diploma in a related field with 5 years of related experience 

A cover letter outlining how your experience relates to the qualifications of this role is required and will be used to assess your communication capabilities

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

There is one permanent full-time position available at the Terrace Building (9515 107 ST NW) in Edmonton.

Hours of work: 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week (Monday – Friday) 

Final candidates for this position will be asked to undergo a level 2 security screening.
 
Candidates may be asked to participate in an assessment / presentation in person at the Terrace Building in Edmonton. 

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. 

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.