As a Data Scientist, you will analyze data to generate insights, build predictive models, and inform decisions to enhance government services.
About Nava
Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges.
As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services. People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good.
Position summary
As a Data Scientist, you will use data to generate insights, build predictive models, and inform decisions that improve program outcomes and public services.
What you'll do
- Work with program, product, engineering, and policy teams to identify high-impact questions and turn them into data-driven analysis
- Build, evaluate, and deploy predictive models that help forecast trends, improve service delivery, and inform policy decisions
- Build and maintain data pipelines and models that support analytics and operational reporting
- Develop data workflows and algorithms for cleaning, transforming, and validating data from multiple sources
- Design metrics, dashboards, and experiments to measure outcomes and program performance
- Apply statistical and machine learning methods to analyze complex datasets and inform product and policy design
- Work closely with subject matter experts to understand data and perform quality control
Required skills
- Experience with Python for data analysis, modeling, and visualization
- Strong SQL skills and familiarity with relational databases (e.g., Postgres, MySQL)
- Hands-on experience developing predictive or statistical models using techniques such as regression, classification, clustering, or time-series forecasting
- Experience building or maintaining ETL/ELT pipelines and working with messy, real-world datasets
- Understanding of data validation, model evaluation, and experiment design
- Ability to translate data findings into actionable recommendations
- Awareness of privacy, security, and responsible data practices
Desired skills
- Experience with LLMs and generative AI systems
Other requirements
All roles at Nava require the following:
Legal authorization to work in the United States
Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract
Perks working with Nava
Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge
Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program
Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs
Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care
Location
We have fully remote options if you reside in one of the following states:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
*If you are not living in one of the states listed above, unfortunately, you will not be considered for a position at this time.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our newsletter to find out about career opportunities, new partnerships, and news from the broader civic tech community.
Please contact the recruiting team at [email protected] if you would like to request reasonable accommodation during the application or interviewing process.
We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Nava is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, gender and/or gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, religious creed, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, reproductive health autonomy, pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, genetic information, domestic violence victim status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Nava prohibits any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all employees, applicants, contractors, and temporary workers of Nava.
Top Skills
Elt
ETL
MySQL
Postgres
Python
SQL
Similar Jobs
.png)
Artificial Intelligence • Blockchain • Fintech • Financial Services • Cryptocurrency • NFT • Web3
Conduct analysis, guide data metrics, oversee ETL jobs, and ensure statistical rigor. Collaborate with teams to drive impactful data science projects.
Top Skills:
PythonSQL
Automotive • Big Data • Information Technology • Robotics • Software • Transportation • Manufacturing
The Senior Data Scientist will lead modeling efforts, translate data into marketing strategies, collaborate with stakeholders, and develop advanced marketing models using machine learning.
Top Skills:
AzureDatabricksNumpyPandasPymcPythonPyTorchScikit-LearnSparkSQLStatsmodelsTensorFlow
Cloud • Information Technology • Productivity • Security • Software • App development • Automation
The role involves collaborating on product and business problems, applying technical expertise in data analysis, and influencing strategy decisions through data insights.
Top Skills:
LookerMicrostrategyPythonRR-ShinySap Business ObjectsSQLTableau
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
