Data Scientist II

Midwest Tape | hoopla

Remote in the following states: Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, Montana, Nevada, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Florida, Colorado.

Must be flexible to travel to our the headquarters in Holland, Ohio 2-3 times a year.

For over 30 years, Midwest Tape has served libraries and their patrons with unparalleled access to the best content available in the media world. Our digital offering, hoopla Digital, combines the media and library expertise of Midwest Tape with the latest in web and mobile technology, delivering an all-in-one experience to the library world. As hoopla continues to grow on a global scale, we are expanding our team.

At Midwest Tape, we know our people are the reason for our success. We value our employees and believe in empowering them to help them thrive. We offer competitive pay and benefits, a healthy work/life balance, and appreciation for a job well done.

Position Summary:

The Data Scientist II will help lead our AI/ML team to even greater success. Essential roles include creating key innovations and finding opportunities in the company and external data to support product optimization and augment our applications. The Data Scientist II will take ownership of key projects and will be responsible and accountable for the quality and coding of software components that make up complex systems enabling our digital streaming application, hoopla Digital, to perform better to meet and exceed customer needs. We have great ideas where our technology can go next, and we need to add experienced data scientists with leadership qualities and technical imagination to make that happen.

This role requires deep experience in software engineering practices and ongoing familiarity with emerging technologies. Data Scientists will work independently and under the direction of a Lead Data Scientist, architects, development leads and managers while contributing to multi-layered solution architectures that comprehend and specify business, application, data, and infrastructure designs. The Data Scientist II is responsible for writing technical stories, technical specifications, coding, peer reviewing and coaching, explaining technical problems to non-technical audiences, and designing solutions while maintaining and improving existing processes on existing applications. Another key distinctive of the successful Data Scientist II is mentoring and developing junior data scientists and engineers.

Success includes efficient and timely communication to technical and non-technical team members, proactive coordination, a love of new technologies, a strong desire to learn, a curious nature, and a passion for removing inefficiencies.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Develop AI/ML models to support company products and processes
2. Engage in Team Building, Leadership, and Management
3. Assist the Lead Data Scientist with setting the direction of the team
4. Collaborate with and manage software developers to integrate innovative AI/ML technology into products
5. Research, design, and implement AI/ML development best practices
6. Build prototypes of creative and interactive ideas
7. Identifying areas for modification in existing programs and subsequently developing these modifications
8. Determining operational practicality
9. Deploy software tools, processes, and metrics
10. Work with other engineers to share knowledge of tools and applications

Skills:

• Knowledge of general AI/ML landscape including architecture, trends, & emerging technologies
• Experience creating and using advanced machine learning algorithms and statistics: Bayesian methods, regression, simulation, scenario analysis, modeling, clustering, decision trees, neural networks, etc.
• Knowledge of large language models extending to creation, tuning, customization, and deployment at scale
• Competence in mathematics including linear algebra, multivariate calculus, simulation, and set theory
• Experience with enterprise-level software engineering
• Knowledgeable of core CS concepts such as common data structures and algorithms, profiling/optimization
• Experience consuming and interacting with web APIs experience using git, including branching, merging, etc.
• Experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases
• Experience with JIRA, Confluence, and Microsoft Office applications
• Experience using web services: Redshift, S3, RDS, SageMaker, etc.
• Big Data and related knowledge/experience (Cassandra, Apache Storm, Spark, Elastic)
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated technical and business leadership aptitude

Required Education Requirements:

Required Experience:

• Minimum 3-5 years of full-time experience manipulating data sets and building statistical models
• Minimum 3-5 years of full-time experience with Python
• Able to work in an agile environment with a focus on continuous integration

Physical Requirements / Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to regularly sit for extended periods of time.
• Perform repetitive motion-type tasks
• Must be physically present for meetings, presentations, and training.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, & vision insurance
• 401k + match
• Profit sharing
• Paid vacation and personal time
• Flex time
• 10 paid holidays
• Company performance bonus
• Holiday bonus
• Training & career development opportunities

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.