Data Scientist

Background
  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
  UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
  UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges. In Bhutan, over last 50 years, UNDP has been supporting the Royal Government to attain its national priorities. In 2024, UNDP started implementation of the Country Programme Document 2024-2028, aligning to the country’s 13th Five Year Plan (13th FYP).  

In 2023, Bhutan graduated from the UN list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Over the past decades, the country has made remarkable progress in reducing income and multidimensional poverty, aligned with its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the impressive progress, the country is grappling with critical socio-economic challenges such as large-scale emigration of the productive and skilled labor force, youth unemployment, declining fertility rate, increasing trade deficit, and shrinking fiscal space. These challenges take place amidst a slow post-pandemic economic recovery and against the broader backdrop of structural challenges, such as limited economic diversification, a still-nascent private sector, absence of robust regulatory and institutional framework.  

Bhutan’s 13th FYP (2024-2029) sets out the ambitious target of doubling the size of the country’s economy within the next five years and then doubling it again over the subsequent five year, reaching USD 10 billion by 2034, a target year that Bhutan plans to reach the high-income status. To achieve this, Bhutan must maintain a nominal GDP growth rate of approximately 11.9% annually for the next 12 years1. If development plans uphold as projected, the GNI per capita would experience an annual increase of 11% over the same period, propelling Bhutan into the ranks of upper-middle-income Southeast Asian countries. 

Recognizing the challenges and potential opportunities in Bhutan’s 21st-century economy, the Royal Government of Bhutan aims to accelerate and foster a robust economic recovery and growth. It is in this context that the Royal Government of Bhutan requested UNDP’s policy advisory assistance to support the Prime Minister’s Office in a high-level consultation and the subsequent development of a development roadmap for the realization for the government’s development vision as outlined above.  
At the core of UNDP’s policy support and high-level consultation is the institutionalization of a Policy Innovation Lab, that will execute three key functions of carrying out on-demand policy analysis and provide advisory services, undertake targeted policy analysis and experimentation through people centered and innovative design approaches and oversight of the implementation of the visioning exercise roadmap and strategies to accelerate the implementation of the 13th FYP and achieve the target of developed economy by 2034.  

To support this initiative, UNDP seeks to recruit a Data Scientist. The Data Scientist will be instrumental in driving the lab’s mission by conducting advanced data analysis, providing data-driven insights for on-demand policy advisory services, and supporting targeted policy experimentation. 

Under the overall guidance of the Director, Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination, and the Director, Office of the Prime Minister, and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative at UNDP CO, the Data Scientist will apply data-driven approaches to inform and enhance the policy development and analytical process for the three critical areas identified within the BOLD roadmap. They will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including policy designers, researchers, technologists, and policymakers, to analyze and interpret complex data sets, identify trends, and provide actionable insights. The focus will be on using data analytics to create evidence-based, responsive, and adaptive policy solutions that are inclusive and aligned with national priorities.
  Duties and Responsibilities
The Data Scientist will report to the Deputy Resident Representative at UNDP and the Director, Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination and Director, Office of the Prime Minister.

Data Analysis and Insight Generation:

• Collect, clean, and analyze large datasets from various sources to identify trends, patterns, and insights relevant to policy challenges.
• Develop and deploy statistical models, machine learning algorithms, and predictive analytics to forecast outcomes and assess policy impacts.
• Perform exploratory data analysis to guide experimental design and policy recommendations. 

Data-Driven Policy Development and Analysis:

• Collaborate with policy analysts and stakeholders to translate data findings into actionable policy recommendations.
• Design data-driven experiments to test policy interventions and validate their effectiveness through rigorous statistical analysis.
• Develop visualizations, and reports to communicate complex data insights to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. 

Ensure Effective Collaboration:

• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including policy experts, economists, and technologists, to integrate data science into the policy innovation process.
• Provide training and capacity-building sessions to enhance data literacy and analytical skills among lab members and policymakers. 

Manage Tool and Technology Development:

• Develop and maintain tools, algorithms, and models that support real-time data analysis and decision-making within the policy innovation lab.
• Stay up to date with emerging data science tools, technologies, and methodologies, and assess their applicability to the lab’s work.

Ensure Data Ethics and Social Impact:

• Ensure that all data analysis and algorithms are developed with a strong ethical foundation, addressing issues of bias, fairness, and transparency.
• Evaluate the social impact of data-driven policies, ensuring that they promote equity and do not disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. 

Lead Innovation and Research:

• Lead or contribute to research projects that explore innovative uses of data in public policy, including the application of AI and machine learning.

Facilitate Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:

• Engage with government agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, and other stakeholders to understand their data needs and challenges.
• Engage in conferences, workshops, and public forums, sharing insights on data-driven policy innovation and the lab’s work. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization
 

Competencies
Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management   

• Digital Awareness and Literacy : Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.
• Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.

Digital & Innovation  

• Data analysis : Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making
• Data collection : Being skilled in Data Sorting, Data Cleaning, Survey Administration, Presentation and Reporting including collection of Real-Time Data (e.g. mobile data, satellite data, sensor data).
• Data engineering : Ability in programming languages such as SQL, Python, and R, be adept at finding warehousing solutions, and using ETL (Extract, Transfer, Load) tools, and understanding basic machine learning and algorithms.
• Data storytelling and communications: Skilled in building a narrative around a set of data and its accompanying visualizations to help convey the meaning of that data in a powerful and compelling fashion. 

Information Management &Technology    

• User Experience and business analyst : Capacity to translate efficiently users needs in IT requirements around human-centred design principles; Knowledge of Oracle Cloud, ServiceNow, SalesForce.com, and Microsoft product an asset.
   

Required Skills and Experience
  Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent)  in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field, is required. OR 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Applicants with a master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in Data Science, Data Analysis, or a related role, with a strong preference for experience in a policy, government or public sector context.
• Data Analysis & Statistical Modeling: Expertise in statistical analysis, data mining, and predictive modeling using tools such as R, Python, STATA, SAS, or similar.
• Data Visualization: Experience in data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI, or Matplotlib, with the ability to create impactful and easy-to-understand visual representations of data.
• Policy Analysis: Experience and understanding of public policy processes and the ability to align data science initiatives with policy objectives.
• Social Impact Analysis: Experience in assessing the social and economic impacts of policies using data-driven approaches.
• Data Storytelling: Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into compelling narratives that inform and influence policy decisions.
• Creative Problem-Solving: Proven ability to develop innovative data solutions for complex policy challenges.
• Big Data & Cloud Technologies: Experience with big data platforms (e.g., Hadoop, Spark) and cloud-based data services (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Azure). 
• Machine Learning: Proficiency in machine learning techniques and frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, scikit-learn) for predictive analytics.
• Additional years of work experience in carrying out extensive data analysis, research and development of strategy and advisory documents would be an asset 

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Dzongkha is required.

Disclaimer
  Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders) 
  Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 
  UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
  Applicant information about UNDP rosters
  Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
  Non-discrimination
  UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
  UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 
  Scam warning
  The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.