An impressive mission requires an equally impressive Data SpecialistAs a Data Specialist at VIA, you'll play a pivotal role in the growth of our solutions. You are turning raw, complex data into the trusted, AI-enhanced intelligence that powers VIA's data products. Operating on a high-velocity Agile team with developers, data and modeling specialists, and client delivery professionals, your work directly empowers our customers to make high-impact decisions where precision, security, and clarity are non-negotiable.
In this role, you will:Understand the data and the domain
- Partner with VIA's client delivery team and customers to translate domain knowledge into data infrastructure requirements, validate assumptions, and resolve data-related issues
- Explore raw customer data to build a clear picture of files, columns, and characteristics (e.g. averages, expected ranges, trends, standard deviations) and make suggestions grounded in the data
Build and own data pipelines
- Design and implement end-to-end, AI-enhanced ETL/ELT pipelines - striving for maximum automation and self-healing - that move raw customer data into standardized relational and non-relational databases ready for the rest of the data science stack
- Coordinate with internal stakeholders and customers when information is missing or discrepancies are found
- Run quality control on data and data products through both automated tests and targeted manual review, and document the assumptions and decisions made along the way so the work stays traceable
Build AI-powered data products
- Build AI into VIA's data products - automated insights, anomaly detection, AI-assisted data quality checks, and natural-language interfaces over operational data
- Evaluate the quality and reliability of AI/ML outputs against domain expectations, and design the human-in-the-loop checks that keep our data products trustworthy
- Deliver data-based products to external customers, including interactive data analysis and investigation platforms, data quality reports, statistical analysis, and visualizations that turn complex findings into clear stories
Improve the platform
- Contribute to the continual improvement of internal tools for data cleaning and data quality assessment by identifying key data-related challenges that are ideal candidates for automation and AI enhancement
RequirementsWhat you will bring to this role:- 3+ years of experience in a data-driven role or equivalent in data-related research projects
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in science, mathematics, engineering, or a data-driven field
- Competence in Python, R, or equivalent programming language
- Competence in at least two of the following technologies:
- Database technologies (e.g., SQL, PostgreSQL)
- Data science libraries (e.g., NumPy, pandas)
- Data pipelining workflows and tools (e.g., Dagster, Airflow, dbt)
- Cloud providers (e.g. AWS, Azure), including software development kits used to access data and services on these platforms
- Ability to translate complex data findings into clear, compelling narratives
- Strong communication capability to decompose complex operational workflows into clear, repeatable steps that both teammates and AI tools can act on
- Passionate about data integrity, with a proven track record of transforming raw inputs into high quality, trusted datasets
- A self-starter attitude and demonstrated ability to learn new technologies quickly
- Experience in the following is a plus:
- Generative AI tools (e.g. AWS Bedrock, LangChain)
- Testing frameworks (e.g. pytest)
What does it take to be a successful VIAneer? Let's break it down, our VIAneers are:- Self-motivated and passionate about leaving everything they touch better than how they found it
- Firm believers that people should love what they do and are eager to build a culture that enables them to do their best work
- Creative problem solvers who respectfully challenge the status quo in the pursuit of excellence
- People who lead discussions with curiosity and value diverse perspectives
- Eager to explore new ideas, understand the power of feedback, and constantly seek opportunities to grow and develop their skills
- Strong team players who thrive in collaborative environments and celebrate the success of others
BenefitsWhat can VIA do for you?VIA offers competitive benefits, flexible work options, and individualized mentoring and growth opportunities. Here are just a few of our VIAneers' favorite perks:
- Compensation:
- This role offers a salary range of $85,000 - $105,000 USD per year
- 401K plan with up to 5% employer contribution
- Health: A fully funded, top-tier health benefits plan, including vision and dental coverage, fully covered from day one, for your whole family
- Family Support: Up to 24 weeks paid parental leave, a 4-week paid ramp-back program, and a $10K family forming benefit (covering fertility treatments, adoption, and surrogacy)
- Time off: Flexible Vacation Policy with no set annual limit or accrual period, Summer Fridays, and an extended holiday period in December
- Remote work: Ability to enjoy the best of both worlds with flexibility to work from home as needed, as well as access to three well-located offices, designed for collaboration and stocked with everything you could need
- Opportunities to work remotely from eligible locations for up to 2 months per year
- Growth: Individualized growth opportunities, including internal and external mentorship panels, custom goals and feedback sessions, and/or access to learning and development programs, including VIA's unrivaled leadership program
- A dedicated wellness advisor to help you navigate the programs and opportunities available at VIA
- Transit: Benefits to support commuting costs
- Connection: In-person events to foster team bonding and collaboration across different teams
Read more about our benefits and perks here.
