The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.  Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Directorate (STI), in line with the strategic objectives of the Secretary-General, helps OECD member countries and other key economies build an environment conducive to translating science, technology and knowledge into innovation in order to create economic and social value added.

The Digital Economy Policy (DEP) Division of the STI is responsible for developing evidence-based policies through multi-stakeholder processes that i) stimulate the growth of an accessible, innovative, open, inclusive and trusted digital economy for sustained prosperity and well-being, and ii) leverage the potential of ICTs, in particular, the Internet, and digitisation to achieve key socio-economic goals such as improving productivity, providing opportunities for new jobs, contributing to mitigate environmental pressures and improving health outcomes and the quality of life in general. A strong measurement agenda builds the evidence base upon which policy recommendations are derived.  DEP collaborates with other parts of the Organisation on horizontal issues such as information and communication technologies (ICT) in health, taxes, trade, productivity, ICT skills and ICT effects on labour markets. DEP is responsible for, among other things, maintaining the Global Recalls Portal, the Going Digital Toolkit, the Broadband Portal and the OECD.AI Policy Observatory.

STI/DEP is looking for an engaged and innovative Data Scientist to support the Working Party on Measurement and Analysis of the Digital Economy (WPMADE) of the Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP) and DEP’s work on measuring digital transformation, including the OECD Going Digital Toolkit. The successful candidate will have advanced skills using statistical or econometric techniques, excellent programming skills, good knowledge of data visualisation tools, and proven ability to communicate complex results. S/he will be required to work independently but also collaborating effectively with other team members. The selected person will work under the supervision of the Head of the Digital Policy, Economics, and Measurement (DPEM) unit in the DEP Division in STI. 

Main Responsibilities

Statistical work and economic research

·       Contribute to the projects undertaken under the auspices of the WPMADE related to the use of alternative data sources or new techniques. This will include working on nowcasting exercises, using both machine-learning and advanced econometrics models, but also potentially on projects using geospatial analysis and/or natural language processing.

·       Work pro-actively and independently to keep the OECD Going Digital Toolkit (“Toolkit”) datasets up-to-date, including monitoring source databases for updates, collating the relevant data, compiling indicators using and developing scripts in Python and Stata, and updating OECD.Stat data cubes.

·       Contribute to the further development of the measurement aspects of the Toolkit, e.g. produce and maintain OECD.Stat data cubes, identify opportunities for and incorporate new indicators, and work creatively to suggest new chart types and data visualisation functionalities, including in co-operation with colleagues and external web developers.

·       Contribute to the drafting of documents, including working papers and presentations, related to measurement issues.

·       Address internal and external requests for statistics and answers queries related to methodologies and concepts applied to the data.

Communication and liaison

·       Develop good working relationships with colleagues within STI and across the OECD, with data scientists and statisticians in national statistical offices, and national administrations and other international organisations.

·       Participate in WPMADE and related meetings and workshops related to machine learning or other advanced techniques. Prepare methodological documents and tools related to big data.

·       Contribute to the external visibility of the DEP Division, for example by participating and presenting work at workshops, conferences, etc.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

·       An advanced university degree in data science, computer science, statistics, economics, mathematics or a closely related field.

Professional Background

·       A minimum of two years of relevant experience performing data science and strong interest in the production and/or use of statistics.

·       Knowledge of advanced techniques including machine learning and deep learning.

·       Experience or coursework in some of these fields would be a strong asset: time series analysis, natural language processing, geospatial analysis, causal inference, web scraping.

·       Very good knowledge of data visualisation tools and ability to communicate complex results.

·       Very good knowledge of large statistical databases and practical experience with statistical software to manage them.

·       Experience in project management and contributing to multidisciplinary projects. 

·       Experience in carrying out quantitative analysis and/or modelling, particularly with respect to digital transformation, would be an advantage.

Tools

·       Excellent programming skills in Python.

·       Good knowledge of Git for version control.

·       Good knowledge of the main frameworks for data visualisation (matplotlib, seaborn, ggplot2), data processing (dplyr, pandas), machine learning (scikit-learn), deep learning (tensorflow, pytorch) or willingness to learn those frameworks.

·       Experience with cloud computing tools (Microsoft Azure, AWS or Google Cloud) would be an asset.

Languages

·       Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and a knowledge of, or a willingness to learn, the other.

Core Competencies

·       For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Flexible thinking, Teamwork, and Diplomatic sensitivity.

·       Please refer to the level 3 indicators of the OECD Core Competencies.

Contract Duration

·       Two-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

What the OECD offers

·       Monthly base salary starting from 5 221 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.

·       Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.

·       Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life. 

Please note that the appointment may be made at a lower grade based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates who are nationals of OECD member countries, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.