Lead Data Scientist

Builders Initiative/Builders Vision

Builders Initiative/Builders Vision

Data Science
Chicago, IL, USA
Posted on May 26, 2024

About Builders Vision

Builders Vision is an impact platform that aims to shift markets and minds for good in pursuit of our vision for a humane and healthy planet. We work to help address some of the most difficult environmental and sustainability challenges across three focus areas: oceans, food & agriculture, and energy.

Builders Vision has deployed more than $3 billion across our focus areas and worked alongside nearly 450 partners to drive societal and environmental change. To date, we have helped mitigate, sequester, or avoid over 4 million metric tons of CO2e, generated more than 42,000 jobs, and supported the development of more than 170 sustainable products, technologies, or solutions. While we are seeing progress, we know that we can’t do this alone. The truth is these are trillion dollar sectors that need a number of markets to scale and multiply significantly if we are to ensure a sustainable and secure future.

Our Builders Vision team includes more than 100 impassioned individuals who activate our platform using three primary approaches to influence stakeholders and drive impact across our focus areas:

  • Deploying Capital: We use a versatile set of tools, including grants, direct investments, and fund investments to support non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, and fund managers. Given Builders Vision’s different capital tools and investment vehicles, we have the flexibility to operate across the capital spectrum. We deploy capital into programs and solutions with a focus on how our efforts will lead to the catalyzation of additional investments into the sectors.
  • Supporting Partners: We are committed to helping our partners by providingcritical resources including technical assistance, networking, learning opportunities, support with impact measurement and management (IMM), and strategic advice to help enhance their success and outcomes.
  • Advocating for Change: We leverage communications and engage with influential audiences to accelerate the solutions we pursue. This includes strategic communications, thought leadership, hosting and attending convenings, and industry-wide initiatives and coalitions.

Our commitment to people and the planet extends to our workplace policies and benefits. In 2023, Builders Vision was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and voted one of Chicago’s Best Places to Work by Crain’s Chicago Business. We are headquartered in the West Loop, one of Chicago’s most thriving and dynamic neighborhoods, and our offices have achieved Gold-level certifications from both the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the International WELL Building Institute. We also offer fun social team events and offsite retreats to help our people feel refreshed and connected to nature, each other, and our mission.

You can read more about our team, programs, and impact here: https://www.buildersvision.com.

Our Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) are at the core of our mission to shift markets and minds for good. We know that a humane and healthy planet starts with us. We commit ourselves to learning from others and doing the work to become a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization, and we will seek to promote those same values in the world around us. We actively seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and create an inclusive culture that centers equitable practices and policies. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome people from all experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply.

Position Summary

Builders Vision is hiring an experienced Lead Data Scientist to join its growing Data Science & Technology team. The Data Science & Technology team serves as a strategic partner to each of the core functional teams at BV (Builders Initiative, Builders Asset Management, S2G Ventures, Operations and Legal) and is responsible for delivering innovative solutions that help amplify the work of our partners internally and externally.

This position will report directly to the Head of Data Science & Technology and will partner with the broader Data Science & Technology team to drive execution on our data strategy. Key responsibilities include designing and building data pipelines, reports and dashboards, and models to deliver strategic value to our organization.

This is an incredible opportunity to connect information gained from our ecosystem, either

directly or indirectly, into the work of our teams to amplify their impact across a wide variety of industries and services.

The ideal candidate brings 5-10 years of professional experience as an analytical professional, including specific experience with data science. Exposure to a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment is preferred. How you engage is just as important as what you have done: we are looking for someone who is authentic, empathic, humble and curious.

Primary Responsibilities:

Data Cleaning and Integration:

  • Spearhead the end-to-end process of data cleaning and integration from various sources.
  • Collaborate with multiple vendors to ensure seamless ingestion and consolidation of diverse data sets.

Dashboarding and Reporting:

  • Design and develop intuitive dashboards and reports to visualize key metrics and insights derived from data analysis.
  • Provide actionable recommendations based on dashboard insights to internal stakeholders and external partners.

AI and Machine Learning:

  • Showcase a keen interest and passion for AI, exploring innovative ways to apply machine learning techniques to solve business challenges.
  • Contribute to the development and deployment of AI models that have a tangible impact on strategic investments and philanthropic initiatives.

Partnership Development:

  • Establish and maintain strong partnerships with multiple vendors to facilitate smooth data collection & the correct balance of buying vs. building capabilities.
  • Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to understand data requirements and ensure the delivery of high-quality solutions.

Emotional Intelligence:

  • Demonstrate exceptional emotional intelligence to navigate complex relationships with internal customers and external vendors.
  • Foster a collaborative and inclusive environment, promoting effective communication and understanding.

Curiosity and Practicality:

  • Cultivate a spirit of curiosity to explore new technologies and methodologies across a wide variety of innovations in the data and AI space.
  • Balance curiosity with practicality, ensuring that data solutions align with business objectives and are feasible for implementation.

Preferred Qualifications

  • 5-10 years of experience with reporting, analysis, statistical modeling and machine learning
  • Excellent generalist knowledge and understanding of all things data, with particular expertise in cloud based data pipelines, recommendation engines (e.g. KNN, Bayesian, deep learning), data visualization, and integration of modeling into day to day reporting
  • Superior project management and time management skills with the proven ability to meet deadlines
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Excellent change management skills
  • Bachelor's/Master's/Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field
  • Financial services/Investment and/or Philanthropy industry background/knowledge

Personal Attributes that Support your Success

  • You are a caring and conscientious team player who develops strong relationships and loves to collaborate; You adapt your behaviors to work effectively with a range of people and situations
  • You understand and appreciate the elements of storytelling that go into being an influential data professional
  • You bring positive energy to your work and workplace; you care to show up as your authentic self and measure your personal success as the success of those around you
  • You exercise exceptionally sound judgment in your decision-making
  • You are results and detail oriented and take pride in striving for excellence; you design and execute with the “why” and what success looks like in mind; you also understand when “perfect” can be the enemy of “good enough”
  • You can operate and make an impact in a complex, evolving and sometimes ambiguous environment. You are good at finding sound solutions to complex problems.
  • A lifelong learner, you are inquisitive and like to solve problems with bold thinking and innovation; you view “feedback” as an opportunity for growth
  • You display flexibility and openness in daily work and encourage others to stay open to change and improvement; You accept and readily adapt to changing priorities, new ideas, strategies and methods

Builders Vision is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.