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Entry Level Data Scientist Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Pwc

AI & GenAI Data Scientist - Manager

Des Moines, IA

$99K - $232K/yr

... GenAI Data Scientist - Manager, you will play a pivotal role in transforming raw data into ... PwC does not intend to hire experienced or entry level job seekers who will need, now or in the ...

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Entry Level Data Scientist information

See Iowa salary details

$43.2K

$155K

$228.7K

How much do entry level data scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level data scientist in Iowa is $154,996.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $125,400.00 and $159,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Entry Level Data Scientist vs Data Analyst?

AspectEntry Level Data ScientistData Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's in CS, Statistics, or related field; some knowledge of programming and machine learningBachelor's in Business, Statistics, or related field; strong Excel, SQL, and visualization skills
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with data science teams, uses programming languages like Python or R, focuses on predictive modelingWorks with business teams, uses SQL, Excel, and BI tools, focuses on reporting and data visualization
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, finance, healthcare, startupsRetail, marketing, finance, healthcare, government

Entry Level Data Scientists and Data Analysts often share foundational skills like SQL and data visualization. However, data scientists typically focus on building predictive models and machine learning algorithms, requiring programming knowledge, while data analysts concentrate on interpreting data through reports and dashboards. Both roles are essential in data-driven organizations but differ in technical depth and project scope.

Can an entry level data scientist be entry-level?

Yes, an entry-level data scientist position is designed for individuals starting their careers in data science, often requiring minimal professional experience and foundational skills in programming, statistics, and data analysis tools. These roles typically focus on learning and developing skills such as Python, R, SQL, and machine learning basics under supervision.

How to get an entry level data scientist job with no experience?

To secure an entry-level data scientist position with no experience, focus on building a strong foundation in programming languages like Python or R, and learn key tools such as SQL and machine learning libraries. Completing relevant online courses, earning certifications, and working on personal or open-source projects can demonstrate skills to employers. Internships, volunteering, or participating in data competitions also provide practical experience and improve job prospects.
More about Entry Level Data Scientist jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Data Scientist jobs in Iowa?

The most popular types of Data Scientist jobs in Iowa are:

What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Data Scientist jobs in Iowa?

For Entry Level Data Scientist jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Entry Level Data Scientist jobs in Iowa look for?

The top searched job categories for Entry Level Data Scientist jobs in Iowa are:

What cities in Iowa are hiring for Entry Level Data Scientist jobs?

Cities in Iowa with the most Entry Level Data Scientist job openings:

Entry Level Data Scientist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Data Scientist job openings in Iowa as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 87% In-person, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $154,996 per year, or $74.5 per hour.

Data Scientist Associate-AI Solutions

UnityPoint Health

West Des Moines, IA • On-site

$54K - $54K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 days ago

UnityPoint Health rating

7.3

Company rating: 7.3 out of 10

Based on 362 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

305th of 894 rated healthcare providers

Job description

Overview
We are seeking an Associate Data Scientist - AI Solutions to join our team at UnityPoint! As a part of the Data Science team, the Associate Data Scientist provides an entry-level pathway into healthcare AI by maintaining, monitoring, testing, and enhancing established AI and machine learning solutions under the guidance of more experienced team members. This role applies sound software, data, and responsible AI practices to improve existing applications, workflows, data pipelines, integrations, and models primarily on Azure cloud infrastructure. The Associate Data Scientist develops practical technical depth through hands-on delivery, structured learning, collaboration, and progressively more independent ownership of well-defined solution components.
Hours: Monday-Friday, standard business hours
Location: Remote - applicants preferably reside within the UPH footprint of Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin
Why UnityPoint Health?
At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We're proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.
Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you're in. Here are just a few:
  • Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.
  • Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.
  • Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.
And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience.
Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.
Responsibilities
AI Solution Maintenance, Enhancement, & Development:
  • Make the customer relationship the highest priority by responding to stakeholder needs, clarifying assigned requirements, and communicating progress, risks, and support needs to the project team.
  • Maintain, test, troubleshoot, and enhance established AI applications that use LLMs, agentic workflows, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), traditional machine learning models, and embedded data streams on Azure cloud infrastructure.
  • Use agentic AI coding tools (e.g., Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot) within approved workflows to support coding, testing, documentation, and troubleshooting while following quality, security, maintainability, and governance standards.
  • Support and enhance API integrations with enterprise systems including Epic (FHIR/HL7), Workday, UKG, Databricks, Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents, and other operational platforms, escalating complex design or production issues as appropriate.
  • Maintain, monitor, test, and make well-defined enhancements to data pipelines-from ingestion to consumption-across batch, real-time, and event-driven architectures in Azure (e.g., Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Event Hubs, Cosmos DB).
  • Assist with model evaluation, validation, monitoring, documentation, and controlled updates using statistical, machine learning, and generative AI methods while adhering to principles of reproducible research and responsible AI.
  • Follow established software engineering practices and standards involving code review, automated testing, infrastructure-as-code, containerization, CI/CD pipelines, and version control in Azure DevOps or GitHub.
  • Contribute to user-centered enhancements by improving interfaces, conversational experiences, documentation, and visualizations based on stakeholder feedback and observed usage.
  • Build working knowledge of emerging AI capabilities, frameworks, foundation models, and agentic tooling through structured learning, experimentation in approved environments, and knowledge sharing with teammates.
  • Contribute to a culture of innovation, communication, and trust by participating in design sessions, code reviews, AI engineering discussions, documentation, and open feedback.
  • Complete special projects and other requests as assigned.
  • Comply with UnityPoint Health data governance, AI ethics, security, privacy, and development standards. Work occasionally requires travel to other UPH facilities.

Solution Support, Documentation, & Professional Development:
  • Complete well-defined work assignments by planning tasks, communicating dependencies, requesting guidance when needed, and delivering work aligned to agreed scope, timeline, quality, and governance expectations.
  • Provide first-line technical support for assigned AI solutions by reviewing monitoring alerts, reproducing issues, completing routine troubleshooting, documenting findings, and escalating issues that require deeper expertise.
  • Monitor solution health, data quality, model or workflow performance, and cloud/AI service usage using established dashboards and procedures; escalate cost, reliability, performance, security, or safety concerns.
  • Perform routine maintenance such as dependency updates, test remediation, prompt or configuration changes, documentation updates, and other controlled enhancements using established change-management processes.
  • Create and maintain technical documentation, runbooks, test cases, release notes, user guidance, and knowledge articles that enable reliable support and responsible use of AI solutions.
  • Participate in training, mentoring, paired development, and structured learning to build proficiency in healthcare operations, Azure services, AI engineering, software development, and stakeholder communication.

Qualifications
Education:
  • Required: Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Operations Research, or related) or equivalent experience in a technical role
  • Preferred: Master's degree in a STEM discipline (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or related) or equivalent experience in a technical role

Experience:
  • Entry-level role; prior full-time professional experience is not required. Relevant experience may be demonstrated through internships, co-ops, research, capstone projects, open-source contributions, employment, or a substantive technical portfolio.
  • Demonstrated academic, internship, or project experience using Python or another programming language to analyze data, automate a workflow, build software, or develop an AI/ML-enabled solution
  • Foundational exposure to cloud services, software development environments, or data platforms through coursework, projects, internships, or employment
  • Foundational understanding of APIs, databases, data pipelines, software testing, and version control
  • Demonstrated curiosity, learning agility, attention to detail, and willingness to adapt to rapidly changing AI tools and frameworks
  • Ability to communicate technical work through clear written documentation, presentations, visualizations, or demonstrations
  • Interest in healthcare and willingness to learn health information standards, healthcare operations, and regulatory requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
  • Foundational knowledge of AI/ML concepts demonstrated through coursework, projects, internships, research, certification, or equivalent experience; exposure to LLMs, prompt engineering, RAG, or agentic AI is preferred
  • Working knowledge of Python, R, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#, Java, or another relevant programming language, with the ability to read, modify, test, and document code
  • Foundational exposure to Azure, AWS, GCP, or another cloud platform is preferred but not required
  • Foundational SQL skills, including the ability to query, join, filter, and summarize structured data
  • Foundational knowledge of REST APIs, JSON, application integration, and common software architecture concepts
  • Awareness of data privacy, information security, responsible AI, and the importance of HIPAA compliance; ability to learn and follow established standards
  • Ability to explain technical work clearly to technical and non-technical audiences

What UnityPoint Health employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

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About UnityPoint Health

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At UnityPoint Health, we provide care in nine regions throughout Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. As the nation's fourth largest nondenominational health system in America, UnityPoint Health keeps people at the center of all we do. We are looking for dynamic and talented individuals to join our team. You'll find opportunities for every sized dream.

Industry

Hospitals

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

West Des Moines, IA, US

Year founded

1995

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