Data Scientist - IFD Planning

Agency Overview

The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) is dedicated to delivering emergency and fire protection services to Indianapolis and its vicinity. With a diverse team skilled as firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, specialized rescue technicians, divers, and hazardous materials experts, IFD works to safeguard lives, property, and the environment. The department emphasizes a collaborative, compliant, and productive culture to efficiently serve the residents of Indianapolis and Marion County.

Role Summary

The Planning Data Scientist will analyze a variety of data including incident reports, demographic, socio-economic, and internal program data to establish benchmarks and identify performance gaps. This role supports a data-driven approach to optimizing resource allocation (e.g., stations, apparatus), evaluating current capabilities, projecting future service needs, and informing hiring and program development. The position also contributes to budgeting and capital resource planning and facilitates clear communication of departmental outcomes to stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth analyses of operational performance, presenting findings using integrated technologies such as ArcGIS.
• Aggregate and cleanse data from multiple agency and external sources into actionable reports to support strategic decisions and grant applications.
• Evaluate current placement of resources including stations, apparatus, and community risk reduction programs.
• Forecast service demands over 1, 5, and 10-year horizons.
• Assess operational unit utilization rates, reliability, and systemic resilience.
• Prepare and manipulate data for use within ArcGIS, including editing data and boundaries.
• Apply ArcGIS skills to manage GIS resources, execute queries, and publish maps in various formats.
• Develop PowerBI dashboards to convey performance metrics to diverse audiences.
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual performance evaluations for department leadership.
• Support continuous improvement efforts, accreditation maintenance, and ISO classification compliance.
• Safeguard data integrity and collaborate with IT and external partners to improve data accessibility.
• Assist with intelligence gathering and analysis to aid emergency management and homeland security.
• Coordinate GIS support with external agencies during Emergency Operations Center activations.
• Conduct cost-benefit analyses on equipment, operations, and proposed programs.
• Provide data-driven insights for the budgeting process.
• Act as an intermediary between system users and IT personnel for system implementation and maintenance.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, and user guides related to data analytics.
• Perform research activities including designing surveys, applying effective methodologies, and compiling reports.
• Recommend and research innovative and automated approaches to administrative systems tasks.
• Represent the agency at events and educational opportunities, providing comprehensive reports.
• Manage special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum: A Bachelor of Science degree in data analytics or a related discipline, along with five years of relevant work experience. The position offers mentorship from department planning leadership to deepen understanding of agency operations.

Preferred: A Master of Science degree is desired. Experience within fire service (either sworn or civilian) is advantageous. Proficiency with ArcGIS or similar tools, scripting, report writing, and familiarity with accreditation processes such as the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and Insurance Services Office Fire Suppression Ratings are strongly preferred.

Equal Opportunity

The City of Indianapolis Marion County provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. They value diverse perspectives and experiences among both their workforce and the community.

Working Conditions

• Primarily desk-based work with extensive computer usage.
• Occasional light lifting (5-10 pounds) of materials.
• Tasks involving prolonged periods at a keyboard or workstation.
• Abilities required include perceiving audio and visual cues and effective oral communication.