Data Scientist Technician

Salary: $56,316.00 - $74,616.00 Annually Location : 10005 E. Osborn Rd, Scottsdale, AZ Job Type: Full-Time Job Number: J101321-260716 Department: Information Technology Opening Date: 07/16/2026 Closing Date: 7/30/2026 11:59 PM Arizona Definition ***This Position is Term-Limited*** Under general supervision from the IT Assistant Director (EA, Dev & Cyber), is responsible for designing, building and optimizing an on-premises AI knowledge platform. This job class is treated as FLSA Non-Exempt. Essential Functions : Essential functions may vary among positions and may include the following tasks, knowledge, abilities, skills and other characteristics. This list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of tasks performed by all positions in this classification. Examples of Tasks 1. Designs and implements Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines for enterprise knowledge systems. Supports all aspects of in-life products, including customer feedback, requirements, and issues. 2. Integrates local LLMs with vector databases to support question answering, summarization and semantic search. 3. Builds and optimizes embedding pipelines for both structured and unstructured datasets. Evaluates retrieval performance and using ranking metrics and retrieval benchmarks. 4. Collects and analyzes feedback from customers, stakeholders and other teams to shape requirements, features and products. Analyzes usage data and continuously refines retrieval pipelines. 5. Translates business knowledge into searchable and retrievable AI knowledge systems. 6. Creates test plans and assists in the execution of user acceptance test cases. Leads end-user testing sessions and training. 7. Provides timely and accurate updates of individual progress, communicating all variations to commitments as they are known. 8. Performs other job-related tasks as assigned by the Assistant IT Director (EA, Dev & Cyber) or IT Director/CIO. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics : Knowledge of enterprise knowledge management and search platforms. Knowledge of software development and implementation methodologies, with an emphasis on Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approaches. Knowledge of SQL and database querying. Knowledge of vector databases, information retrieval concepts (BM25, ranking, scoring), embedding models and semantic search. Knowledge of both manual and automated testing. Knowledge of conducting User Acceptance Testing. Knowledge of Agile Software Development Lifecycle Methodologies with an emphasis on Kanban, Sprints and iterations. Skill with verbal and written communication. Skill eliciting requirements from customers and end-users. Excellent organizational and time management skills. Sharp analytical and problem-solving skills. Skill teaching software system usage in one-on-one and classroom settings. Ability to effectively handle change management and requirements gathering. Ability to develop and maintain positive and effective working relationships with all levels of the department and Community. Ability to work independently and manage multiple concurrent tasks effectively. Ability to learn quickly and be willing to tackle tasks requiring advanced problem-solving skills. Ability to interact with computer users at all levels of staff and at all levels of computer experience. Minimum Qualifications Education: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Information Systems, Management Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering or a closely related discipline. Experience: 1 year demonstrated experience with data science, machine learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) required. 1 year demonstrated product development experience of on-premises RAG architectures and LLM integration required. 1 year demonstrated successful experience in the following required: Proficiency in various programming languages with a data science focus, primarily Python and Java paired with data science libraries. Experience with document parsing and large document sets. Experience with vector databases and embedding workflows. Advanced SQL and data analysis. Working directly with engineering teams to design and iterate on products. Manual and automated testing. Demonstrated successful experience in the following preferred: Familiarity with containerization architectures such as Docker and Kubernetes is a plus. Hands-on experience with automated testing tools such as Selenium, Cypress and Postman. Equivalency: Any equivalent combination of education and experience that will allow the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the job may be considered. Underfill Eligibility : An enrolled Community Member who closely qualifies for the minimum qualifications for a position may be considered for employment under SRPMIC Policy 2-19, Underfill. Special Requirements May be required to work beyond normal work hours including nights, weekends and holidays. All applicants applying for jobs will be subject to Pre-Employment Drug Test and extensive Fingerprint and Background Check. In addition, all employees providing services to a campus with children will be subject to the "Community Code of Ordinances", Chapter 11 "Minors", Article X. "Investigation of Persons Working with Children" random drug testing and completion of a background check every five (5) years. Prior to hire as an employee, applicants will be subject to drug and alcohol testing. Will be required to pass a pre-employment background/fingerprint check. Employees are subject to random drug and alcohol testing. "SRPMIC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer" Preference will be given to a qualified : Community Member Veteran, Community Member, Spouse of Community Member, qualified Native American, and then other qualified candidate. In order to obtain preference, the following is required: 1) Qualified Community Member Veteran (DD-214) will be required at the time of application submission 2) Qualified Community Member (must provide Tribal I.D at time of application submission),3) Spouse of a Community Member (Marriage License/certificate and spouse Tribal ID or CIB is required at time of application submission), and 4) Native American (Tribal ID or CIB required at time of application submission). Documents may be submitted by one of the following methods: 1) attach to application 2) fax (480) 362-5860 3) mail or hand deliver to Human Resources. Documentation must be received by position closing date. TheIHS/BIA Form-4432 is not accepted. Your Tribal ID/CIB must be submitted to HR-Recruitment-Two Waters. Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Employee Benefits Overview Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) is committed to supporting the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees. We offer a comprehensive benefits package to employees, designed to enhance your quality of life both at work and at home. Below is a summary of the benefits available to SRPMIC employees. Plan details and eligibility requirements are provided upon hire and are subject to change. Health Care Benefits SRPMIC provides medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage for all regular full-time employees enrolled in standard plans. These benefits represent a significant part of your total compensation. Medical : Choose from three plan options to fit your needs-the Low Deductible Plan, the Mid-Deductible Plan, and the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). As a self-funded plan, SRPMIC directly covers the cost of medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision services for all participants. Dental : Enjoy nationwide access to the Humana Dental PPO/Traditional Preferred network, offering flexibility and choice in selecting dental care providers. Vision : Coverage is provided through Davis Vision, including eye exams, lenses, frames, and contact lenses. Members also benefit from discounted rates on additional eyewear and services. Life Insurance : All eligible employees are automatically enrolled in a fully paid basic term life insurance policy with a matching accidental death benefit. Retirement Plans SRPMIC supports your long-term financial goals through multiple retirement plan options: 401(k) and Roth Plans : Eligible employees can participate in both pre-tax and post-tax retirement savings plans. SRPMIC contributes 5% of your compensation to the pre-tax 401(k) and matches up to 3% of your salary deferral contributions. Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS): Available to eligible certified police officers and firefighters. Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS): Available to Salt River School educators. Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA): A retiree HRA with Health Equity, which is a tax-advantaged employer-funded account that retired employees (Age 55+) can use for qualified medical expenses, including some premiums, and out-of-pocket expenses such as copays and deductibles. Paid Leave & Holidays Annual & Sick Leave: Employees accrue separate balances for sick and annual leave each pay period. Sick leave may be used for personal or family illness and medical appointments, while annual leave covers vacation or personal time. Holidays: SRPMIC observes 15 paid holidays each year, including two discretionary holidays and one day of birthday leave. Other SRPMIC Paid Benefits Short-Term Disability Long-Term Disability Employee Assistance Program (EAP) SRPMIC offers a confidential Employee Assistance Program through SupportLinc, available at no cost to employees, their dependents, and household members. Additional Voluntary Benefits WellPath Wellness Program: A voluntary wellness initiative that encourages healthy living and rewards participation with incentives. Available to all employees and their dependents. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA ): Administered by HealthEquity, FSAs allow you to pay for eligible health and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Health Savings Account (HSA): Available to employees enrolled in the HDHP. Supplemental Life & AD&D Insurance: Employees may purchase additional life and accidental death coverage for themselves and their dependents. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): SRPMIC is a qualified employer under the PSLF program. Employees may be eligible for federal student loan forgiveness. At SRPMIC, we value our employees and are proud to offer benefits that support your health, well-being, and future.