Data Science Government Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

Position Description The Metro Nashville Public Health Department is hiring a limited-term Information Systems Advisor 2 (Data Inventory and Workflow Assessment Lead). The Data Inventory and Workflow Assessment Lead position is a Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) funded position. Funding for this position will expire on 11/30/2027.

The Data Inventory and Workflow Assessment Lead will support the Health Department in modernizing how it collects, manages, shares, and uses data. This role will conduct a departmental data inventory and workflow assessment to establish a documented, fact-based understanding of current data assets, business processes, applications, repositories, and data-sharing practices. The position requires a blend of business process analysis, stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and technical fluency to document the current state, identify inefficiencies and risks, and develop practical recommendations that strengthen data management and support future modernization efforts.

This work is intended to improve operational efficiency, reduce fragmented and manual processes, and make departmental data more accessible and readily available for reporting, analysis, and decision-making. Following completion of the assessment, this position will partner with ITS to support implementation of approved recommendations within Metro's enterprise data ecosystem, emphasizing scalable and sustainable solutions aligned with enterprise standards. This is a temporary, non-civil-service position, grant-funded through November 30, 2027.

Typical Duties Departmental data inventory and workflow assessment Lead discovery sessions with Health Department leadership, program staff, and relevant technical personnel to understand how information is collected, stored, shared, reported, and used across departmental operations. Develop and maintain an inventory of significant data assets, collection points, repositories, spreadsheets, paper-based records, and other sources of departmental data. Identify and document departmental applications, tools, and platforms that store, process, or exchange data, including each system's business purpose, types of data, and role in operational workflows.

Map current-state workflows related to data collection, intake, storage, reporting, and sharing, with particular attention to paper-based processes, manual entry, duplicate work, and fragmented handoffs. Identify data quality issues, inconsistent practices, duplicate data entry, reporting limitations, and other barriers that affect efficiency, visibility, compliance, or service delivery. Inventory existing data-sharing agreements and related documentation, while identifying gaps where documentation is incomplete, outdated, or not centrally organized.

Develop findings and recommendations that improve workflow efficiency, strengthen data management practices, reduce fragmentation, and support future data modernization efforts. Prioritize the use of existing enterprise solutions wherever those solutions can reasonably meet the business need. Where a new solution is warranted, recommend configurable commercial or enterprise-supported platforms over custom-developed tools whenever possible in order to reduce long-term support burden and improve maintainability.

Data analysis and modernization planning Apply data analysis, systems thinking, and process assessment skills to identify opportunities for standardization, digitization, improved data capture, and better use of departmental data. Ask informed questions regarding data definitions, data flows, systems of record, integrations, reporting needs, and operational dependencies in order to understand the full data lifecycle. Work closely with departmental and enterprise stakeholders to distinguish quick wins from longer-term modernization opportunities.

Translate assessment findings into an actionable implementation plan grounded in operational realities, staffing considerations, and organizational readiness. Prepare inventories, summaries, workflow documentation, findings, and executive-ready materials that clearly communicate current-state issues and recommended next steps. Support the development of a phased work plan for future improvements to data collection, data management, application strategy, and reporting capability.

Minimum Qualifications A bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, public health, health informatics, information management, computer science, data science, or a related field, or equivalent work experience. Preferred Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Five or more years of experience in business process analysis, data assessment, data management, business intelligence, health informatics, or related analytical work. Experience conducting discovery sessions, stakeholder interviews, workflow assessments, or current-state process documentation.

Experience inventorying data assets, applications, repositories, or other information resources across a complex organization. Experience analyzing how data is collected, stored, shared, and used across multiple systems or business processes. Experience gathering business and functional requirements and translating them into practical recommendations.

Experience identifying opportunities for digitization, standardization, workflow improvement, or better use of existing enterprise technologies. Experience working with structured and unstructured data sources, spreadsheets, forms-based processes, databases, or reporting environments. Experience preparing clear written findings, inventories, and executive-ready summaries for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferably, experience in public sector, healthcare, public health, or other highly regulated operational environments. Preferably, experience supporting data modernization, application rationalization, reporting improvement, or digital transformation efforts. Knowledge/Skills Strong understanding of core data management concepts, including data lifecycle, data quality, metadata, ownership, stewardship, and systems of record.

Ability to assess operational workflows and identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, manual workarounds, duplicate entry, and control gaps. Ability to analyze data flows, repositories, applications, and integrations in order to understand how data moves through business processes. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the ability to connect operational issues to data and systems implications.

Excellent interpersonal skills; able to work across departmental and agency lines to achieve common goals. Strong interviewing, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to elicit useful information from both technical and non-technical staff. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare inventories, workflow documentation, findings, and executive-level summaries.

Ability to effectively understand business needs and combine them with technical understanding to develop practical modernization recommendations. Skilled in organizing large amounts of information into clear themes, priorities, and next steps. Working knowledge of applications, databases, spreadsheets, forms-based processes, and common interoperability or reporting challenges.

Ability to operate at both a strategic and operational level while maintaining focus on practical implementation and long-term maintainability. Candidate must receive and maintain "pass" status from Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) background check.