Role overview
ABOUT US
Do you have a passion for higher education? Do you want to make a positive impact on the college admissions process? Our staff help to remove barriers and encourage students to forge their path to a better future. Common App is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year we support more than 1 million students, one-third of whom are first-generation, as they apply to our more than 1100 diverse member colleges & universities using the Common App's free online application.
If you are an experienced Data Scientist professional and want to be part of a mission-driven non-profit that uses innovative technology to advance the college admission process, Common App may be a great match for you. Common App is currently searching for a Data Scientist, Data Operations.
What we're looking for
The Data Scientist position is charged with helping to build the organization’s evolving data analytic and research function. Reporting to the Director of Data Science, Data Operations, the individual will be engaged with all aspects of the data operations function, including the development of internal and external-facing business intelligence products, oversight of data warehousing, and analyses and reports supporting Common App's organizational priorities and strategic initiatives.
The Data Scientist will build efficient systems, processes, and workflows to execute the data operations agenda. They will produce and maintain ETL processes, tables, and visualizations supporting Common App’s commitment to access and equity across the organization’s functional areas. They will also collaborate closely with our Technology Services (Data Warehousing Engineering), Product Strategy, and Data Analytics and Research teams to maximize the impact of the data warehouse.
Our organization is dedicated to reimagining college admissions to be more simple, logical, joyful, and equitable. Additionally, we hope to expand access to more low- and middle-income students via partnerships and innovations, leverage our data and research to be a voice for equity in the admissions process, and connect students to financial aid resources, information, and opportunities.
*Requirements
This role requires:
- Candidates must live in the United States.
- Willing to travel to attend twice annual Common App Retreat.
- Bachelors degree in quantitative social sciences discipline (e.g., Public Policy, Economics, Education Policy, Education Measurement, Psychometrics, Computational Psychology, etc.) or related quantitative field (e.g., Data Science, Statistics); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 4-6 years of related experience: data reporting, SQL, database architecture, ETL procedures, data analytics, data mining, data operations, and data quality. Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience in designing and implementing data warehousing, reporting, and analytic systems.
- Experience working with and validating imperfect data.
- Experience with descriptive and inferential statistics.
- Experience working with National Center for Education Statistics, Census, College Scorecard, National Student Clearinghouse, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and/or other publicly available datasets relevant to education.
- Fluent in data manipulation and coding with SQL and/or R.
- Understanding of the strategic context of Common Application’s role in the higher education industry.
- Strong interpersonal skills and service orientation.
- Proven ability to communicate data and research findings to non-technical audiences.
- Ability to work effectively in a collaborative and diverse environment
The ideal candidate will possess:
- Master’s or doctorate degree in a quantitative discipline and at least one year of related experience.
- 2-4 years of related experience with data visualization (Tableau, R preferred).
- 2-4 years of related experience with Atlassian tools, Git, Databricks, AWS Sagemaker, or S3.
- Fluent data manipulation and coding with tools such as SQL, Python, Tableau, and R.
- Experience working with Agile frameworks for cross-functional, product-minded collaboration.
- Teaching and supporting non-data experts in the use and interpretation of data.
- A passion for higher education is a plus.
During the recruiting process, please note that Common App will never:
- Provide a job offer without an interview
- Ask for payment to process documents, purchase equipment or for any other reason
- Request banking or credit card information
- Direct you to third-party services to obtain visas or other documentation
As we work alongside you through our recruitment process, please remain alert and never provide financial information or payment to anyone claiming to offer a job opportunity.
If you believe you’re a victim of a job scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your state attorney general. To learn more about job scams, read the FBI’s public service announcement or visit the FTC site.