Senior Data Scientist – GG

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org 
 
 

The Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement 

The forced displacement crisis has increased in scale and complexity in recent years. The impact of the crisis has been substantial for both forcibly displaced persons and host communities, challenging development outcomes of those affected by the crisis. The global community has recognized the complementarity of humanitarian and development approaches to respond to forced displacement crises. This notion is a key element in the Global Compact on Refugees, as adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2018. Against this backdrop, quality data and analytical work are critical to underpin appropriate policy responses and operational approaches to address the displacement crisis. At this stage, the central challenge is to improve the collection and analysis of population data and socio-economic microdata in a manner that is sustainable.  

Building on a solid partnership, the World Bank Group (WBG) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have established and operate a World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement (JDC). This new cooperation was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2018. 

The vision of the JDC is to enhance the ability of stakeholders to make timely and evidence-informed decisions that can improve the lives of affected people. Relevant stakeholders include decision-makers in host countries and host communities, as well as their partners (humanitarian and development agencies, private sector, civil society) as well as those engaged in global policy-making. Affected people include refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), Stateless people, returnees, asylum-seekers, and host populations. These groups collective define the JDC population groups of interest. 

The objectives of the JDC for its second strategy through 2027 are: 1) Systematic inclusion in national statistics; 2) Targeted production of high-quality data and timely analysis to inform policy and programs; 3) Data innovation to increase the quality, timeliness and accessibility of data; and 4) Operationalization of data and evidence to strengthen solutions to displacement. The JDC is expected to help mainstream this agenda through both the WBG and UNHCR: it aims to catalyze and leverage activities by “the mainstream” of both organizations, and to be a “seed” to stimulate work across both institutions and other stakeholders and partners.  
 

Responsibilities: 

The Senior Data Scientist will be based at the JDC Headquarters in Copenhagen and will be be part of the JDC team which is comprised of colleagues from the WB and the UNHCR. The JDC team is responsible for delivering the JDC Strategy 2024-2027 and beyond. Organizationally, the Senior Data Scientist will be mapped to the World Bank Development Data Group – Living Standards Measurement (DECLS) unit, which is home to the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) – the World Bank’s flagship household survey program, as well as Survey Solutions – the World Bank’s open-source software platform for CAPI/CATI/CAWI-based large-scale survey and census design and implementation. The Senior Data Scientist will report both to the DECLS Manager and the JDC Head. 

Responsibilities of the Senior Data Scientist will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

Strengthen existing collaborations between UNHCR, JDC and Development Data Group on: 

• the development of improved methods and tools for large-scale household survey data collection – in collaboration with the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) and Survey Solutions Programs 
• the adoption and implementation of standards, methods, and tools for the curation, anonymization and dissemination of microdata – in collaboration with the World Bank Microdata Library Team 
• the integration of survey data with alternative data sources, including geospatial data, call detail records, and administrative records and reliance on AI and machine learning approaches to enhance the spatial disaggregation, frequency, and timeliness of statistics – in collaboration with the World Bank LSMS Program, Geospatial Operations Support Team (GOST), and the World Bank Office of the Chief Statistician. 
• Conduct and support cutting-edge methodological research activities to develop and validate innovative methods to measure human capital, consumption, income, nonmonetary dimensions of wellbeing for the JDC population groups of interest in both face-to-face surveys and phone surveys. Assessment of mode effects in survey data collection on the aforementioned topics will be of interest, given the consideration for relying on phone surveys more heavily to enhance the timeliness and frequency of data collection on the JDC population groups of interest. 
• Activities will include design of randomized survey experiments or use of existing, fit-for-purpose survey data to develop and validate innovative survey methods; supporting supervision and monitoring of fieldwork for randomized survey experiments; econometric analysis of experimental survey data; leading and contributing to working papers, peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, blog posts, and guidebooks on data collection; and presentation of research findings in workshops, seminars and conferences.  
• Conduct and support cutting-edge methodological research to develop best practices and practical guidance on (a) the integration of household surveys with alternative data sources, including geospatial data, call detail records, and administrative records, and (b) reliance on AI and machine learning approaches, specifically to enhance the spatial disaggregation, frequency, and timeliness of measures of development outcomes for the JDC population groups of interest. 
• Activities will include integration of survey data with alternative data sources, including geospatial data, call detail records, and administrative records; estimation of AI and machine learning models that are calibrated and validated with survey data; and application of calibrated and validated AI and machine learning models to alternative data sources to create high-resolution rasters of development outcomes for the JDC population groups of interest; leading and contributing to working papers, peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, blog posts, and guidebooks on integration of survey data with alternative data sources; and presentation of research findings in workshops, seminars and conferences.  
• Conduct and support policy-relevant research with data large-scale surveys supported by the JDC, on development and policy questions related to the JDC population groups of interest. Activities will include econometric analysis of survey data, possibly integrated with alternative data sources; leading and contributing to working papers, peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, reports, and blog posts; and presentation of research findings in workshops, seminars and conferences.  
• Support the planning, implementation, and monitoring phases of JDC-supported large-scale surveys in support of the strategic objective of ensuring systematic inclusion of JDC population groups of interest in national statistics. These activities include technical assistance questionnaire design and revision; pilot testing; CAPI/CATI application programming; development of supporting materials, field work supervision, data quality control, survey documentation, and data analysis/reporting in support of dissemination.    
• Perform any other related assignment, as requested by the supervisor.  
 

 

Selection Criteria

• Ph.D. or master’s degree in economics, statistics, data science, international development, or another relevant field, plus at least 8 years of relevant work experience.   
• Experience in managing research and statistical projects – writing concept notes, terms of reference, budget proposals, hiring firms/consultants, leading multi-disciplinary teams, building technical partnerships 
• Experience in research on survey methodology, including design and implementation of randomized survey experiments to develop and validate improved survey methods 
• Experience in CAPI-and CATI-based survey design and implementation, including questionnaire design, fieldwork supervision, data management, data quality control.  Advanced proficiency in Survey Solutions CAPI/CATI/CAWI is considered an asset 
• Advanced proficiency in STATA, R and/or Phyton; experience in managing and analyzing large-scale household survey datasets; experience in integrating survey data with alternative data sources – including geospatial data, call detail records, and administrative records; experience in estimating AI and machine learning models that are calibrated and validated with survey data and that are applied to alternative data sources to enhance the spatial disaggregation, frequency, and timeliness of statistics 
• Strategic sense, and demonstrated experience in ensuring the operational relevance of analytical and/or research work 
• Comprehensive understanding of policy and development issues related to the JDC population groups of interest 
• Experience working with international institutions, government agencies, and national statistical offices, and ability to develop effective working relationships across institutional boundaries and to mentor, coach and motivate more junior staff 
• Positive attitude, sense of initiative, flexibility, drive, results orientation, leadership qualities, effective teamwork skills, ability to work independently in a multi-cultural environment, and track record of effective collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams 
• Superb interpersonal skills, , and to listen and integrate ideas from diverse sources, governments, NGOs and donors, while being respectful and sensitive to cultural, political and gender issues. 
• Excellent spoken and written proficiency in English (required) Proficiency in French, and Spanish (a plus).  
 

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

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