Data Scientist - Asset Analytics na Yarra Valley Water

Position overview

• Permanent, Full-Time opportunity
• True hybrid working – work from home and our Mitcham office
• $152,582 TRP inclusive of 12% superannuation

About us
We’re on a mission to create a brighter future, where you can be a change maker at the actual source. We’re one of Australia’s largest water utilities with over 30% of Victoria’s population relying on us for their essential water and sanitation services.

Our award-winning culture fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible environment that enables our people to thrive. Here, you’ll be inspired and challenged to grow alongside us.

We're committed to reconciliation and supporting the self-determined role for Traditional Owners/Custodians in water and land management.

The Role
Join our Asset Data Science & Modelling team as a Data Scientist – Asset Analytics and help us solve some of the most complex infrastructure challenges facing the water sector today. From design to decommissioning, you’ll use machine learning and advanced analytics to transform operational, spatial, and customer data into insights that guide smarter investment decisions, boost asset reliability, and improve service outcomes.

In this role, you’ll lead the development of predictive models that enable proactive asset management and strategic planning. You’ll work closely with engineers, planners, and analysts to embed data-driven thinking across the business and uplift analytical capability in the asset domain.

We’re looking for a technically strong, curious, and collaborative data scientist — someone who thrives in complex environments, operates with autonomy, and is passionate about delivering real-world impact.

Your key responsibilities

• Design, build, and deploy predictive models for asset failure, degradation, and lifecycle optimisation using robust, production-ready practices.
• Develop end-to-end workflows in Databricks, leveraging version control (e.g. Git) and ML lifecycle tools (e.g. MLflow, Delta Live Tables).
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines to automate model testing, retraining, and deployment, ensuring scalable and repeatable delivery of analytics solutions.
• Prepare and transform complex, multi-source datasets using SQL and Python, ensuring data is analytics-ready and reproducible.
• Translate complex modelling outputs into clear, risk-aware insights that inform asset strategy, investment decisions, and maintenance planning.
• Build and maintain interactive dashboards and visualisations (e.g. Power BI) to communicate model performance and business impact.
• Collaborate with data engineers to ensure model integration aligns with architectural standards and operational readiness.
• Explore and assess emerging analytics techniques (e.g. AutoML, GNNs) for relevance and application in the infrastructure domain.

What we’re looking for

• A degree in a quantitative field such as Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related discipline (postgraduate study highly desirable).
• Strong hands-on experience developing predictive models using Python (e.g. pandas, scikit-learn, NumPy) and applying them to real-world problems.
• Proficiency in SQL for data extraction and transformation from enterprise systems.
• Experience working in cloud-based environments and developing analytics solutions using notebooks, pipelines, and distributed compute.
• Familiarity with CI/CD practices, including version control (e.g. Git), automated deployment, and model lifecycle management (e.g. MLflow, DLT, or similar).
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex modelling outputs into clear business insights.
• A collaborative mindset and experience working with cross-functional teams, including engineers, analysts, and planners.
• Comfortable working autonomously in complex environments while keeping work aligned with broader team and organisational goals.
• Curiosity, creativity, and a drive to deliver meaningful, data-led outcomes that improve service, performance, and customer value.

To view the full position description, click HERE.

Why Yarra Valley Water?
We celebrate and encourage new thinking at every level. Creating opportunities for you to grow – both professionally, and personally. When you flourish, we all do.

• $152,582 TRP inclusive of 12% superannuation
• Flexible working arrangements where our people are empowered to design their days with their team. Read our hybrid playbook HERE.
• Free and secure on-site parking with on-site café at our Mitcham office
• 14 weeks paid leave parental leave
• 15 days paid personal leave, which can be used for caring, wellbeing, mental health, menstrual or menopause
• Request to swap certain public holidays for another day of paid leave

To read more about our benefits and culture, read our employee handbook HERE.

Did you know?
Research shows that men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, while women and other marginalised people tend to only apply when they meet all of them. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily tick every box, please apply or get in touch. We'd love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit.

How to apply
Applications should include a supporting Cover Letter and Resume. 
Closing date: 2^nd October 2025
This position is available for Yarra Valley Water employees and external applicants.

We welcome applications from everyone, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, mature age and young job seekers, members of the LGBTIQA+ community and people of all cultural backgrounds. If you need this information in an accessible format or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please call 03 9872 2542 or email [email protected]. If you need any help with the application process or would like to discuss the recruitment process, please contact us via email [email protected].

Successful applicants must be eligible to work in Australia and agree to provide information for pre-employment checks, if required for the position. This may also include a Police Check or AusCheck, where an offer will be subject to a satisfactory outcome of these checks.