Job Description

Position Information

Position Title

Junior Data Scientist

Department/Unit

Planning and Analytics

Location

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Posting Number

S133-25

Employee Group

DPMG

Position Type

Regular, On-Going

Duration of Contract (if applicable)

Employment Type

Full Time

Full-time Equivalency (FTE)

1.0 FTE

Salary

$52,516 - $70,146 per annum

Classification

ADM-04

Provisional Statement

This is a provisional classification. Formal regular review classification procedures may be initiated at any time by the incumbent or supervisor after the incumbent has worked a minimum of six months in the role.

About Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada's leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region's intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.

Job Summary

The Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness is accountable for ensuring smooth, efficient institutional operations and supporting the strategic priorities of Dalhousie by providing shared services in the space of strategy development, project and planning support, data warehousing, governance and advanced analytics. Reporting to the Director, Advanced Analytics, the Junior Data Scientist will support the development of machine learning models, making forecasts, leveraging AI and presenting analysis to university stakeholders, including senior leaders.

Key Responsibilities

Contribute to the development and implementation of statistical and machine learning models to support various university initiatives bringing knowledge of best practices and up-to-date options. Make informed decisions on the selection and application of statistical and machine learning models to ensure accurate and reliable results. Evaluate and prioritize factors when analyzing data to provide actionable insights that align with the university's strategic goals. Conduct data analysis and create forecasts to inform strategic planning and decision-making in collaboration with the Senior Data Scientist. Create automation and pipelines for rapid reproduction of analysis. Exercise sound judgment in selecting appropriate data sources and methods for data collection and preparation. Perform data cleaning, normalization, pre-processing, and transformation to ensure data is ready for analysis. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather and process data from various sources. Support the Senior Data Scientist in presenting analysis and findings to university stakeholders both at informal status update and formal final report meetings. Answer stakeholders' in-depth questions and address complex issues arising from recommendations. Provide critical analysis and recommendations for stakeholders based on data findings, ensuring that decisions are data-driven and well-supported. Perform post-hoc analysis in response to stakeholder feedback.

Note

The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work from within Nova Scotia) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

Required Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in data science, computer science, statistics, or a related field plus approximately three to five years relevant experience (or equivalent combination of training and experience). Strong foundation in statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or SQL, experience with data analysis tools and libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, or similar, and familiarity with data visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Matplotlib. Excellent attention to detail, and analytical, problem-solving, time management and organizational skills while working well independently. Strong teamwork, interpersonal and communication (verbal, written and presentation) skills with the proven ability to present complex data insights in a clear and concise manner including to non-technical stakeholders. Demonstrated commitment to remain up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in data science, statistical analysis, data visualization, and machine learning.

Assets

Proficiency in SQL queries to retrieve, join, filter, and manipulate data from relational databases. Experience using large language models. Experience with Power BI.

Job Competencies

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie's core and leadership competencies (https://www.dal.ca/dept/leaders.html), in particular:

Self-Awareness & Professionalism Integrity Adaptability Knowledge & Thinking Skills Communication

Additional Information

Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a defined benefit pension plan, health and dental plans, a health spending account, an employee and family assistance program and a tuition assistance program.

Application Consideration

Applications from current university employees and external candidates are assessed concurrently. Current university employees will be given special consideration.



We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or People and Culture.

Diversity Statement

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi'kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit

www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity


Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies

One (1)

Open Date

07/14/2025

Close Date

07/21/2025

Open Until Filled

No

Special Instructions to Applicant

Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting

https://dal.peopleadmin.ca/postings/19235