Lead Data Scientist

Discovered MENA; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Discovered MENA is seeking an experienced data science leader to head a team delivering advanced analytics and AI/ML solutions in highly regulated sectors. You will drive end-to-end delivery, mentor data scientists, and collaborate with product, engineering, and regulatory teams to translate business needs into impactful AI applications.

The role requires 5–8 years in ML/DS, deep expertise in Python, PyTorch, Spark, and cloud deployment across AWS/GCP/Azure, with a proven track record in

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in machine learning and data science.
• Proven leadership of data science teams.
• Experience delivering complex ML projects in production.
• Experience deploying models on AWS, GCP, Azure or similar.
• Master’s or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end delivery of data science projects, ensuring alignment with requirements and standards.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop Data Scientists, fostering collaboration and innovation.
• Engage with stakeholders to translate business needs into AI/ML solutions.
• Ensure quality & compliance with governance, data privacy, and regulatory standards in UAE.
• Promote continuous improvement and adoption of new tools and methodologies.
• Communicate progress and impact to senior leadership and regulators.

Skills

Python

PyTorch

Spark

NLP

Computer Vision

Generative AI

Deep Learning

Leadership

Stakeholder comms

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

SageMaker

Vertex AI

Job description

In this position you will lead and inspire a team of Data Scientists in delivering advanced analytics and AI/ML solutions. For this position you must have experience working in highly regulated industries (government, banking, financial services etc.)

• Manage the end-to-end delivery of data science projects, ensuring alignment with organization requirements and industry standards.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop Data Scientists, fostering a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive team culture.
• Engage with Stakeholder, collaborate with business leaders, product managers, engineers, and regulatory bodies to identify opportunities and translate business needs into AI and Machine Learning solutions.
• Ensure Quality & Compliance on all data science work adheres to internal governance, data privacy, and regulatory standards, including UAE-specific regulations.
• Fuel innovation by promoting continuous improvement by introducing new tools, techniques, and methodologies, and encourage experimentation within the team.
• Communicate project progress, insights, and impact to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leadership and regulatory stakeholders.

For this position you must have:

• 5-8 years of experience in machine learning and data science, with proven technical leadership.
• Expertise in Python, machine learning frameworks (e.g. PyTorch), data engineering tools (e.g., Spark).
• Expertise in supervised/unsupervised learning, deep learning, NLP, computer vision, or generative AI (e.g., LLMs).
• Proven track record of delivering complex data science projects in production environments, preferably within regulated industries (banking, government or financial services).
• Experience deploying models on AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, or similar (e.g., Sagemaker, Vertex AI).
• Experience leading, coaching, and inspiring data scientists teams.
• Strong ability to translate business challenges into data science solutions and communicate value to stakeholders.
• Master’s or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field