Data Analyst / Consultant (Fire / EMS)

What we do

Darkhorse Analytics is an Edmonton-based consulting firm specializing in predictive analytics and data visualization. Our visualization team is internationally recognized for building custom interactive visualizations with a focus on impact and clarity. But our company first began with Darkhorse Emergency. 

Darkhorse Emergency provides software and custom analytics for fire, EMS and police services to make data-driven decisions and better serve their communities. What began as a loose collection of Excel spreadsheets and Ph.D. thesis Matlab code has evolved into an ecosystem of database-driven web apps and best practices. We are now a fast-growing SaaS company working with clients to provide them with bespoke software and advisory services. 

Darkhorse exists for two purposes: to create an impact on our clients and the community we live in, and to grow our team members. Whether you stay with us for a year or your entire career, you leave us better than you arrived, and you will make a difference here. We can't wait to see what you'll achieve. 

What you’ll be doing 

Work at Darkhorse Emergency is diverse and ever-changing. We implement our proprietary software and solve interesting and challenging business problems for a wide variety of fire and emergency clients. Every client is different. The interpretation of their data and unique needs requires strong analytical skills. 

You will work to understand our clients' data and bring it into our proprietary software and provide them with an in-depth analysis that highlights root causes and opportunities. You will work with a team of analysts and take part in the project life cycle from start to finish, including:

• Gathering and interpreting Fire and EMS data. Our data can come from different sources, including client tools and open databases, as well as flat files. Bringing data together in our databases will be a big part of what you do here. 
• Data cleaning and summary analysis. ​Data is rarely what you want it to be. Cleaning and understanding your inputs are the first required step in any quantitative project.
• Implementing our Darkhorse Emergency Platform. Matching clients’ unique data to the fields required for our platform is a crucial step, and requires business context as well as technical savvy. 
• Validating findings and stories in the data. Do your findings pass the smell check? A mix of experience, expertise and creativity is required to validate your findings and distinguish the right signals from data errors. 
• Creating stunning data visualizations. Using tools like QGIS, Jupyter Notebooks or even Excel, you will work with the data to create visually engaging visualizations and maps to clarify our findings.
• Creating succinct presentations and reports. Often times our analyses need to be translated into a report that is readable, actionable, and isn’t going to collect dust on the shelf. We believe less is more, and we take the time to make it succinct.
• Translating client needs into achievable solutions. ​Using your understanding of the industry and the client’s unique challenges, you will provide our clients with actionable recommendations. Understanding our clients means that we can confidently approach their business problems.
• Brainstorming creative approaches. ​Theory and practice never align, so creativity is a must in planning a solution.
• Improving our tools and processes. As a growing company, we must continually search for the better way. We expect you to spend a good portion of your time on improving processes.
• Maintaining client relationships. As a SaaS company, You will become the trusted go-to person for our clients .

What we look for

We believe the right person is not defined by years of experience or education. We look for the right people at all levels of their career. Here are some of the things that will make you stand out: 

• You are a quick learner. The tools we will use next year have not been invented yet. People thriving on continuously learning and growing do well here. 
• You are a wizard with data, and comfortable using some combination of Excel, SQL, and Python. You ideally have some experience using GIS tools like QGIS to visualize data geographically.
• You genuinely enjoy problem-solving and finding patterns. The harder the challenge, the harder it is to put it down until you crack it.
• You enjoy working with clients, learning about their values and challenges, and use our tools to make a difference.
• You are able to focus on the most critical parts. In a haystack of data, you are able to find the needle that can pinpoint issues or root causes. 
• You can communicate well. Having the correct analytical solution is one thing, but you should also be able to develop your solution methodically and explain the whole thing to your grandmother in the end.
• You are motivated and comfortable immersing yourself in data and understanding the message behind it. You can be skeptical about your findings if they don’t seem correct. You’re detail-oriented but can see the big picture.
• You are creative in your ways of interpreting and analyzing the data. When one avenue leads to a dead-end, you can use different data sources to come to an outcome that satisfies the business need.
• You share our values

Ideally:

• You have experience with the Fire and Emergency Management industry, and are familiar with municipal datasets, city planning, land use zoning, etc. A strong desire to learn is also acceptable. 

What we offer

• Competitive salaries within a transparent salary environment
• Competitive benefits and a profit-sharing program
• Unlimited vacation
  
• Flexible working conditions; remote or in-person in Edmonton
• Unlimited career opportunities in a high-growth company
• The ability to make an impact and do work that matters

We look forward to hearing from you!