Data Scientist

Wave Mobile Money; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 91,000 - 114,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial technology company is seeking a Data Scientist to work on high-impact projects for millions of users. The role involves owning the full cycle of data projects, from defining approaches to implementing models. Candidates should have strong Python skills and a background in data science with at least 4 years of experience. This role offers a competitive salary, generous benefits, and the flexibility to work remotely.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to $149,200 USD

Annual travel stipend of $1,200

6 months fully paid parental leave

Flexible vacation up to 30 days

$10,000 annual charitable donation matching

Qualifications

• 4+ years experience in applied data science or similar role.
• Proficiency in machine learning methods for business problems.
• Experience optimizing targeting, rewards, or incentive programs is a big plus.

Responsibilities

• Work on high-impact data science projects for millions of users.
• Own the full cycle: define approaches, implement models, ship them to production.
• Collaborate with engineers, data analysts, economists, and product managers.

Skills

Data analysis

Machine learning

Python

SQL

Statistics and probability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, or Engineering

Job description

We're making Africa the first cashless continent.

In 2017, over half the population in Sub‑Saharan Africa had no bank account. The fees were too high, branches were far and cards were not accepted. Without access to financial institutions, people kept their savings under the mattress, small business owners relied on high‑rate lenders, and parents spent hours in cash queues for school fees.

We solve this by building financial services that just work: no account fees, instant availability, and acceptance everywhere. Wave lets people send money even where electricity or roads are unreliable. Since 2017 we launched a mobile app in Senegal for cash deposit, withdrawal, P2P and business payments, growing to millions of users in 9 countries.

Our goal is to make Africa the first cashless continent, and you help us get there.

Responsibilities

• Work on high‑impact data science projects for millions of users, such as optimizing the scratch‑card rewards program or launching new initiatives from scratch.
• Own the full cycle: define approaches, implement models, ship them to production, and iterate based on real‑world feedback.
• Craft heuristics when data is sparse, apply advanced techniques like geospatial analytics, network analysis, and uplift modeling.
• Collaborate with engineers, data analysts, economists, and product managers in a multidisciplinary team.
• Prioritise work to maximise positive impact for users and the business.
• Engage with Operations teams to understand real‑world outcomes and impact.

Key Details & Benefits

• Remote work from anywhere (UTC -5 to +2) with reliable internet access.
• Annual travel to one of our operating countries in Africa and a yearly stipend of $1,200.
• Competitive salary up to $149,200 USD (or local currency equivalent) plus a generous equity package.
• Subsidised health insurance, retirement contributions (vary by country).
• 6 months fully paid parental leave and subsidised fertility assistance.
• Flexible vacation – most take 21–30 days (exclusive of statutory holidays).
• $10,000 annual charitable donation matching.

Requirements

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field; master’s or PhD a plus.
• 4+ years experience in applied data science or similar role.
• Demonstrated experience with data analysis, machine learning, and A/B product tests.
• Experience optimizing targeting, rewards, or incentive programs is a big plus.
• Proficiency in machine learning methods for business problems.
• Strong Python skills; comfortable writing production‑ready code.
• Competent in SQL.
• Solid foundation in probability and statistics.

You Might Be a Good Fit If You

• Spot key problems and find fast, effective solutions.
• Enjoy machine learning and statistics challenges.
• Build and validate proof‑of‑concept solutions and iterate on feedback.
• Prefer pragmatic approaches but apply complex methods when needed.
• Work iteratively, avoiding over‑polishing.
• Communicate insights clearly to all audiences and make confident, data‑driven recommendations.

About the Team

• Rapidly growing in‑country teams in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Uganda, Niger, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, plus remote members worldwide.
• Dedicated to providing affordable financial services to the most disadvantaged.
• We empower autonomy; you own projects from problem definition to production monitoring.
• Raised the largest Series A in Africa in 2021; investors include Founders Fund, Sequoia Heritage, Stripe, Ribbit Capital, Y Combinator, and Partech Africa.

How to Apply

Fill out the application form and upload a resume in English and a cover letter describing your interest in Wave and the role.

We review applications frequently and recommend applying to the role that best matches your skills, experience, and career goals.

Wave is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.