Data Scientist II – QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

McKinsey & Company; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading management consulting firm in Greater London is looking for a Data Scientist II. In this role, you will develop advanced analytics solutions and optimize code to tackle complex business challenges. Candidates should have a solid background in machine learning and data mining, with 2-5+ years of experience. The position offers opportunities for growth and collaboration with top-tier talent. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package are part of the offer.

Benefits

Continuous learning and mentorship

Global community

World-class benefits

Qualifications

• 2-5+ years of professional experience applying machine learning to solve real-world problems.
• Strong understanding of machine learning methods in complex, data-rich environments.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with clients to develop advanced analytics solutions.
• Translate business challenges into analytical problems.
• Deploy statistical and machine learning algorithms.
• Work on interdisciplinary projects to solve complex business challenges.

Skills

Machine learning techniques

Data mining

SQL

Python

Big data frameworks

Statistical algorithms

Education

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Applied Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics

Tools

PySpark

Hadoop

SQL

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

GCP

Azure

Job description

Overview

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance / high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else.

Benefits

• Continuous learning : Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.


• A voice that matters : From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.


• Global community : With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.


• World-class benefits : On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

Responsibilities

As a Data Scientist II, you will collaborate with clients and interdisciplinary teams to develop advanced analytics solutions, optimize code, and solve complex business challenges across industries.

You’ll deepen your expertise by contributing to cutting-edge projects, R&D, and global conferences while working alongside top-tier talent in a dynamic, innovative environment.

In this role, you’ll partner with clients to understand their needs and develop impactful analytics solutions. You’ll translate business challenges into analytical problems, build models to solve them, and ensure they are evaluated with relevant metrics. Additionally, you’ll contribute to internal tools, participate in R&D projects, and have opportunities to attend and present at leading conferences like NIPS and ICML.

Your work will create real-world impact. By identifying patterns in data and delivering innovative solutions, you’ll help clients maintain a competitive edge and transform their operations—driving measurable, lasting improvements across industries.

You’ll be based in London and collaborate closely with Data Scientists, Data Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, Designers, and Product Managers worldwide. Together, you’ll work on interdisciplinary projects to solve complex business challenges across various sectors. Partnering with QuantumBlack leadership, client executives, and technical experts, you’ll lead the design and deployment of advanced machine learning and AI solutions that deliver tangible business impact.

You’ll thrive in an unparalleled environment for growth. You’ll connect technology with business value, tackle diverse challenges, and collaborate with inspiring multidisciplinary teams, gaining a holistic understanding of AI’s transformative potential while advancing as a technologist and leader.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Applied Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or other technical fields


• 2–5+ years of professional experience applying machine learning and data mining techniques to solve real-world problems with substantial data sets


• Programming experience (focus on machine learning) : SQL and Python’s Data Science stack; good knowledge of at least one big data framework (e.g., PySpark, Hive, Hadoop) is a plus. R, SPSS, and SAS are considered nice-to-have


• Strong understanding of machine learning methods and experience applying them to complex, data-rich environments


• Ability to prototype and deploy statistical and machine learning algorithms, and translate analytical outputs into data-driven solutions


• Experience deploying ML / AI technologies into production or applied business environments is a plus


• While we advocate using the right tech for the right task, we often leverage : Python, PySpark, the PyData stack, SQL, Airflow, Databricks, Kedro (our open-source data pipelining framework), Dask / RAPIDS, Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud solutions such as AWS, GCP, and Azure


• Familiarity with Generative AI (GenAI) and agentic systems is a strong plus


• Excellent time management skills to handle responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous environment


• Willingness to travel


• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and local office language(s), with the ability to adapt your style to different audiences and seniority levels