Data Scientist/Modeler

This position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement. Candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Metropolitan Transportation Services conducts planning for the regional transportation system that includes highways, transit, aviation, freight, and bicycle and pedestrian connections. The Metropolitan Council is the region's federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization. MTS also provides direct transit service through contracts or partnerships with counties to deliver four major programs: Metro Mobility/ADA, Transit Link dial-a-ride, contracted regular-route bus service, and Metro Vanpool.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Data Scientist/Modeler will support multi-modal transportation planning in the Minneapolis and St. Paul region through innovative approaches to collecting and analyzing transportation data and through the development and application of cutting-edge travel forecasting models and tools.  The Data Scientist/Modeler will join a vibrant travel research and modeling team working on travel demand forecasting, travel behavior surveys, and creative analysis of all kinds of transportation data to drive planning and policy analysis.

What you would do in this job

 

• Develop and apply cutting edge transportation models that assess the region's future.
• Develop transportation forecasts at the regional, corridor, and project level.
• Perform technical, statistical, analytic tasks that support long-range transportation planning and research on regional transportation issues (for example: emerging transportation modes and technologies, generational changes in travel behavior, disparities in transportation access).
• Develop visualizations of transportation data and performance measures.
• Process, clean, and code transportation data.
• Analyze, examine and visualize spatial information in static and interactive maps.
• Perform geocoding, spatial data manipulation, and spatial data analysis.
• Collaborate with planners, researchers, and policy makers.
• Develop public-facing reports and web-based, interactive data visualization, analysis, and dissemination tools in partnership with internal and external partners.
• Respond to requests for data and information, including requests from the media, other Council staff, or local partners, by summarizing data in a clear, coherent manner.
• Be a contributory team member in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Make presentations to the Transportation Committee, and other Council advisory and technical committees as needed.
• Review scholarly articles and technical papers in academic and industry databases/journals.
• Promote a culture of creativity, life-long learning, and continuous improvement.
• Promote a culturally diverse and inclusive work environment that advances racial equity.

 

What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications)

Any of the following combinations of completed education (in mathematics, analytics, data science, urban or transportation planning or related field) and experience (with travel demand modeling, or statistical and/or machine learning):

• Bachelor's degree with three years of experience
• Associate degree with five years of experience
• High school diploma/GED with seven years of experience

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Experience working with travel demand models.
• Experience in programming and modeling languages (Python or R preferred).
• Experience in data mining, passive and or 'big' data, structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data.
• Experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive environments.

What knowledge, skills and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job:

• Knowledge of statistical analysis techniques (regression analysis, survival analysis, time-series modeling, etc.).
• Knowledge of database systems design and maintenance.
• Knowledge of web-based interactive tool development.
• Knowledge of computer programming (i.e. Python, R).
• Knowledge of passive transportation (i.e. Streetlight Data) and transportation survey data.
• Skills in applied mathematics and statistics.
• Skills in Data visualization (i.e. 'ggplot2' package in R, Shiny, Tableau, Dash/Plotly in Python).
• Skills in version control and collaboration in Git.
• Skills in data mining with structures, unstructured, and semi structured data.
• Skills in GIS/Spatial analysis (i.e. ArcGIS, QGIS, ArcPy, Geopandas, sf R package).
• Ability to work with travel demand modeling software (i.e. Cube, EMME, TransCAD).
• Ability to read and understand complex academic and technical papers.
• Ability to write summary reports, technical papers and literature reviews.
• Ability to synthesize technical information in a useable way that facilitates good policy and planning decisions.
• Ability to plan workflow and prioritize work tasks.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and to promote an equitable, positive, and respectful professional environment.

What you can expect from us:

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area. 
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement. 
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.