Data Scientist (AI & Analytics Focus)

Spektrum have a wide range of exciting opportunities in several global locations.

We are always looking to add great new talent to our team and look forward to hearing from you.

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who We Are Supporting

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.
  
  

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role Background

The NATO Information and Communication Agency (NCIA) located in The Hague, Netherlands, is currently involved in the development and support of new and existing capabilities for NATO. In light of these activities, within NCIA Chief Technology Office, the Exploiting Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (EDS&AI) Team has as primary goal to ensure that Big Data and AI can be used to make better and faster decisions. In leveraging the volume of big data, EDS&AI team aims to turn data overload into decision dominance. Inside NATO, leaders in different functions need support for their decision making. EDS&AI brings the expertise to exploit the vast and varied data available for extracting insights, and we achieve that by using both cloud computing and the Agency’s high performance computing sandbox. The EDS&AI team provide the core data science skills and technology needed for big data analysis and AI. The EDS&AI team applies innovative technology to data whenever it is not possible to extract value with conventional approaches.

Role Duties And Responsibilities

• Apply available data and tools to deliver data analytics and data science products, such as data visualization dashboards and implement the dashboards in a production environment on NATO classified networks.
• Design of automated data integration, analytics and data science models for selected use cases, including defining requirements, proposing data sources and machine-learning algorithms to use, and designing data visualisation product.
• Further development and enhancement of the Data Exploitation and AI Programme Synch Dashboard to include, e.g. automated data ingestion. Deployment into the NATO business networks to enable access and maintenance by NATO staff across the Enterprise, with a focus on HQ.
• Independently validate external data and reports on data quality.
• Deliver and refine initial data analytics and visualisation products.
• Presentation of data visualization products to user communities and subsequent product refinement based on user feedback.
• Training staff on the use of dashboards and available data analytics and data science tools.
• Close engagement with the NCIA EDS&AI team in The Hague through digital collaboration tools, plus one day in The Hague every second sprint1.
• Produce sprint completion reports (format: e-mail update, see Section 4), which include detail of activities performed.
• Participate in meetings and boards on as-needed basis, or as requested by NCI Agency.
  
  

Essential Skills And Experience

• At least 3 years’ of practical experience in the field of data science and/ or data analytics;
• Experience using business intelligence and visualization tools (e.g. ArcGIS (Insights, Dashboards, Web Experience, Knowledge), PowerBI, Tableau), data programming skills (e.g. Python, R, Neo4j’s Cypher, and SQL)
• Experience using data visualization/analytics software packages and development environments, such as ArcGIS (Pro, Notebooks), KNIME, AWS, MS Azure, or similar;
• Experience in data validation and ability to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of data sourced for analysis;
• Experience of data analysis in geo-spatial, resilience, political decision-making, military C2, hybrid threats.
• Have an in-depth knowledge of the execution of tasks similar to the ones specified, including data mining, pre-processing of structured and unstructured data, data analysis and visualization, dashboard development, employment of data algorithms, NLP, and machine-learning, as well as understanding broader issues concerning the responsible development and employment of Artificial Intelligence;
• Excellent drafting, communication and presentation skills in English, including at senior level.
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including NCIA, IS, IMS, ACO and ACT.
• Experience Strong organizational and multitasking abilities;
• High attention to detail and accuracy;
• Strong interpersonal skills to coordinate effectively with multiple stakeholders;
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including INFOSEC/COMSEC procedures.
  
  

Education

• BSc/BA in Computer Science, Engineering or relevant field.
• A higher degree in Data Science is preferred.
  
  

Working Location

• Brussels, Belgium
  
  

Working Policy

• On-Site
  
  

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required
  
  

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance
  
  

We never know what new opportunities might be just over the horizon. If this opportunity isn't for you please feel free to send us your resume anyway and be the first to know if something suitable for your skills and experience comes up.