Data Scientist II

Job Summary

The Data Scientist II is part of the Global Research and Data Science (GRDS) team at Innovations for Poverty Action. This group supports research across the organization and strengthens capabilities in data science, data engineering, and research quality. In this role, you will independently lead technical assignments from start to finish, using data science to solve practical research and data-support problems. The position calls for both strong hands-on execution and the ability to plan ahead, identify risks early, and decide when issues need escalation. You will also act as a technical resource for teammates and help uphold IPA’s standards when working with country offices, sector teams, public policy teams, and external partners.

This vacancy is aimed at the Data Scientist II level, though IPA may also review highly qualified Data Scientist I candidates whose experience and career path align with the position.

Responsibilities

Project ownership and technical delivery

• Take responsibility for assigned projects end to end, including planning work, monitoring timelines, spotting risks in advance, and keeping the manager informed of progress and decisions without needing reminders.
• Deliver expert technical assistance to country offices, sector programs, public policy teams, and research projects.
• Create scopes of work for direct technical support assignments and carry out audits of research quality on active projects.
• Use sound technical judgment when advising both internal teams and external collaborators.

Data science methods and engineering

• Use applied data science approaches such as predictive modeling, natural language processing, large language models, and geospatial analysis to meet research and data-support needs.
• Build and maintain data models, analytics pipelines, and related software solutions in SQL and Python.
• Produce advanced outputs using SurveyCTO, Stata, R, SQL, Python, and other relevant tools.
• Assist with testing and troubleshooting global data products and technical tools.
• Maintain reproducible work through version control and thorough documentation.
• Prepare and manage research datasets using reproducible data management methods.

Mentorship, communication, and team practice

• Act as a dependable technical point of reference for colleagues and help Data Research Associates and other research staff with tools, workflows, and IPA research/data standards.
• Review code and support strong technical practices across the team.
• Turn complex analysis into clear deliverables for both research and practitioner audiences, such as visualizations, briefs, and technical documentation.
• Present findings to internal and external audiences, adjusting the message for field teams, senior researchers, and partners.
• Keep up with developments in applied data science and machine learning relevant to development research, and share helpful approaches and tools with the GRDS team.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent qualification, in computer science, data science, statistics, economics, social sciences, or another quantitative field.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in data science, data engineering, research support, or a similar area, with a proven record of independently leading and completing technical work. Candidates at the Data Scientist I level should have at least 2 years of relevant experience and the ability to handle analytical tasks with limited supervision.
• Practical experience building data science or data engineering work in Python.
• Strong SQL skills for querying databases and performing analysis.
• Experience using version control tools such as Git, along with reproducible and well-documented workflows.
• Good quantitative ability and a solid grasp of core statistical ideas such as regression, hypothesis testing, and sampling.
• Proven ability to clean, organize, analyze, and document data.
• Strong English communication skills, both written and spoken, with the ability to document, explain, and present technical work clearly.
• Ability to build effective working relationships in a multicultural setting with respect and sensitivity to diversity.
• For the Data Scientist II level, proactive communication is expected, including flagging progress, risks, and decisions without prompting, as well as experience mentoring peers or serving as a technical reference.
• Preferred: experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure, and analytics databases such as Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift, MotherDuck, or ClickHouse.
• Preferred: background in applied machine learning, natural language processing, and large language models.
• Preferred: working knowledge of Stata and SurveyCTO for research support, plus other analytical tools such as R.
• Preferred: familiarity with ELT tools such as dlt, SQLMesh, or dbt.
• Preferred: experience with geospatial analysis.
• Preferred: understanding of research quality standards and best practices for survey data collection and data management.
• Preferred: experience using project management tools such as Jira or Asana.
• Preferred: experience working with international development organizations or research institutions.
• Preferred: ability to work in Spanish, French, or Swahili.

Location and travel

Preferred duty stations are Kenya, Ghana, Colombia, or Peru. Any IPA country office may be considered if IPA does not need to set up an Employer of Record. The arrangement is hybrid, combining remote work with work from a country office. International travel is required about 1 to 2 times per year, and trips may involve long flights, extended car rides, and carrying luggage.

Reporting line

This role reports to the Manager, GRDS.

About the organization

Innovations for Poverty Action is a research and policy nonprofit that identifies and promotes effective ways to improve the lives of people living in poverty. The organization connects researchers with decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine solutions so evidence can be used in practice. Since 2002, IPA has partnered with more than 600 leading academics to complete over 1,000 evaluations in 52 countries, helping shape programs that now reach millions of people worldwide.

Safeguarding

IPA is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment, especially for children and vulnerable adults. Candidates selected for this role will be expected to follow strict safeguarding standards and uphold ethical conduct, social responsibility, and a commitment to meaningful impact.