Job Description

Data Scientist

FT / PT Status – Full-Time
Salary – $33.63 - $56.31 Hourly Wage
Remote Work / In-Office – Hybrid

Recruiter – Angie Rhodes | arhodes@utah.gov
Application Deadline – 7/9/2026

Key Responsibilities

Love to swim in data and improve its value to end users? Come work for the Office of Financial Services within the Utah
State Medicaid program as a Data Scientist.

Medicaid is a valuable public good that around 15% of Utah’s population accesses every year. The Data Scientist role
allows you to directly impact the individuals who rely on these services by providing reports, visualizations, and
predictive analytics to the legislators, federal agencies, and advocacy groups in charge of improving access to care and
health outcomes.

This position requires advanced programming experience with SQL and relational databases. Critical thinking is a must
as the right answer is not always obvious or known. Having extensive experience with the Python programming
language is also strongly preferred.

A skills test will be administered to assess skills needed for this position prior to interviews being scheduled.

Preference may be given to those with a completed Master's degree in Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Finance, or a
related field as determined by the hiring official.

Responsibilities

I. Data Pipeline Engineering & Productionization

• Business Logic Translation: Systematically analyze, reverse-engineer, and translate complex, proprietary business
  logic, rulesets, and calculations (currently residing in End-User Computing (EUC) tools like Microsoft Excel and
  Access) into robust, version-controlled Python and SQL code.
• Pipeline Engineering: Design, develop, and maintain efficient, scalable data transformation pipelines using Python
  and advanced SQL to ensure reliable, high-quality data delivery for core financial reporting, operational metrics,
  and compliance requirements.
• Code Governance and Auditability: Implement rigorous software engineering best practices, including version
  control (Git/GitHub), automated testing, and comprehensive code review, specifically establishing controls for the
  secure and compliant handling of PHI/PII and other sensitive data assets used in state and federal reporting.
• Quality Assurance: Develop and execute detailed data validation and reconciliation tests to ensure that
  productionized data assets maintain and improve the accuracy and integrity of critical business rules derived from
  legacy systems.

II. Governance, Partnership, and System Alignment

• Logic Capture and Documentation: Partner directly with internal stakeholders (Finance, Operations, etc.) to
  conduct deep discovery, formally capture undocumented business processes, and stabilize the computational logic found in fragile EUC tools.
• Solution Architecture: Propose and design controlled data solutions that meet critical compliance and financial
  reporting needs while strictly adhering to state data governance, organizational security policies, and Federal
  standards, including HIPAA and CMS requirements.
• Data Lineage and Documentation: Create clear, standardized, and accessible documentation for all deployed data
  assets, including data dictionaries, detailed transformation logic, and lineage maps, supporting continuity and
  enabling future stakeholders to utilize reliable, engineered data sources.

III. Foundational Capability Building

• Contribute substantively to the definition of the team's initial technical roadmap, tooling choices, and operating
  procedures, acting as a foundational member of this new Analytics Engineering function.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert on data productionization and data structure, providing consultative
  guidance to stakeholders transitioning from Excel/Access-based logic to production-grade SQL and Python
  workflows.

Supplemental Information

• Risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office
  equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.
• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking; standing;
  bending; carrying light items; driving an automobile, etc. Special physical demands are not required to perform the
  work.
• Effective July 1, 2021, State of Utah Employees must either reside in Utah or be in the process of relocating to
  Utah within 30 days of their start date.
• This position may currently be a hybrid of both in-office and remote work days. Please note, a position's eligibility
  for remote work is established by agency management and is subject to change at their discretion, at any time, and
  for any reason.

Qualifications

Minimum or "day-one" qualifications:

• Data Engineering Expertise: Ability to architect and implement production-ready data solutions and data
  transformation routines using Python (including data manipulation libraries like Polars) and advanced SQL.
• EUC Conversion: Skill in reverse-engineering and translating complex business logic from legacy End-User
  Computing (EUC) tools (Microsoft Excel and Access, including VBA macros), into stable, version-controlled code.
• Analytical Data Modeling: Experience designing and building reliable analytical data models to deliver high-
  quality, trusted datasets for stakeholders and leadership.
• Code Governance: Proficiency in software engineering practices, including Git/GitHub, for version control, code
  review, and maintaining high auditability standards.
• Data Quality & Validation: Experience implementing automated data quality checks, monitoring, and validation
  processes to ensure solution accuracy and reliability.
• Regulatory Compliance: Strong understanding of data security principles and experience designing systems that
  ensure technical compliance with HIPAA, CMS, and state data governance policies when handling Protected Health Information (PHI) and PII.
• Policy Interpretation: Ability to read, interpret, and accurately apply state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and
  policies related to the Medicaid/Medicare system to inform data solution design.
• Stakeholder Partnership: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to partner with non-
  technical stakeholders to capture business processes and technical specifications.
• Independent Work: Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize workload, meet deadlines, and work independently to
  find efficient solutions to technical challenges.

About the Role

Location –
288 North 1460 West
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84116
United States
Background Check Required – You must successfully pass a criminal history check.
Drug Test Required – No
Schedule Code – TL - Time limited

Why You Should Join Our Team
In Utah, we believe hard work is important, but balance is essential. Finding work/life balance is a vital element to our culture. To find out more about WHY Utah, click here. Other benefits may include:

• Job Stability: Enjoy the security and reliability of employment within a well-established organization.
• Career Growth: Develop valuable skills and gain opportunities for leadership within a large organization.
• Meaningful Work: Contribute to an important service that benefits the community and supports organizational goals.
• Supportive Work Environment: Be part of a team that values cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.

The Agency
For more information on the Division of Integrated Healthcare, please visit our website

EEO Statement
The State of Utah is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. For accommodations, please contact (801) 957-9390.