Data Science Graduate

at  Open Cities Lab

Are you passionate about being part of a dynamic team dedicated to transforming urban environments through data and technology? Do you thrive in a collaborative setting where innovation and excellence drive impactful change in city living? If so, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! Join us in our mission to enhance urban governance and create more resilient, inclusive, and vibrant cities.
We are looking for a data science graduate whose primary responsibility will be to assist our Data Science Team. In addition, the ideal candidate will have a deep interest in social impact combined with a belief in the role that data and technology can play in effecting change in urban environments. If you had the opportunity to include social science credits in your degree, that would be an advantage. We’d be very interested in seeing your CV and you might like to take a look at some of our work:
An example of our data-sharing product is The Durban EDGE Open Data Portal .
An example of one of our data governance grants
As a graduate working in our technical team, you will gain significant insight into the world of civic tech and urban impact. You will gain varied experience and learn a huge amount about our emerging science. You’ll primarily be assisting our data scientists, but possibly also other members of the Technical or Product Team. You will need to be highly responsive to their requests and to be proactive in identifying ways that you can free them up to do what only they can do.
Our technical team is responsible for releasing new products and facilitating and implementing them in use-case environments in a growing number of cities. You’ll be responsible for assisting them with basic data and organising tasks. You will contribute to building the aspirational OCL culture and will continually develop your professional competence.
We reserve the right to redeploy the successful candidate into any other role, as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelors degree in data science, statistics, mathematics, computer science or a related field OR equivalent experience.

SKILLS AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE:

Proficiency in data science tools and statistical software, including Python.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Experience in data-visualisation tools.
Familiarity with machine learning frameworks.
Familiarity with open data.
Excellent communication and teamwork.

EXPERIENCE:

This is an entry-level role. Although we do not expect that you will necessarily have formal work experience, we are interested in learning how you have gained your insights, knowledge and skills. Please include this information in your application.
Culture and values
Personal values aligned with OCL’s aspirational culture.
High ethical standards, integrity, and a strong desire for continuous learning and growth.
Commitment to ongoing performance improvement and coaching programmes.
The salary for this position will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications, as well as our internal guidelines. This is a full-time, 1-year contract with an option to renew based on performance and funding. Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Position looking to be placed by 1 October 2024.
Please note: Before clicking ‘Apply’ below, please complete this short questionnaire first

The responsibilities of this role are varied and dependent on the needs of the Data Scientists. Amongst other tasks, the graduate will be involved with
Data collection and preparation.
Supporting data analysis and modelling.
Collaborating on research projects.
Creating visualisations, reports and dashboards to communicate findings.
Assisting in automations and workflows.
Documenting processes, methodologies and project outcomes.
Fulfilling this role according to OCL’s aspirational culture and team brand.
Growing professionally and developing personal competence to fulfil this role in a rapidly scaling and increasingly impactful organisation.