Data Scientist

ICF Olson; New Delhi; On-site; INR 1,400,000 - 2,200,000; Full time

Job summary

ICF is hiring the first data scientist for its India team. You will engage with practice areas to identify use cases, scope focused proofs of concept, and demonstrate how data science and AI add value for clients.

As demand grows, you will expand to deliver end‑to‑end solutions across projects, collaborating with senior teams to scale capabilities. You will work with Python, SQL, and ML methods, ensuring data quality, privacy, and clear stakeholder communication while contributing to proposals

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in Python for analysis and modelling.
• Solid grounding in statistics and machine learning.
• Practical familiarity with large language models in analysis/ prototyping.
• Experience with data preparation and reproducible analyses.
• Ability to take ambiguous questions from discovery to a working demo.
• Clear written and spoken English for technical/nontechnical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Meet colleagues across practice areas to identify use cases and define useful results.
• Scope and demonstrate focused proofs of concept using appropriate methods.
• Explain methods, limitations and value to colleagues using non-technical language.
• Assess data quality, privacy, and delivery needs for prototypes.
• Design and deliver data science/AI solutions across projects as demand grows.

Skills

Python for analysis

SQL querying

Statistics & ML basics

LLMs in analysis

Data wrangling

Version control & testing

Stakeholder communication

Independent work

Education

Quantitative degree

Tools

Jupyter Notebooks

Git

Cloud platforms

APIs

Data pipelines

Job description

The opportunity ICF supports governments and organisations on challenges in areas such as energy, the environment, health and public policy. Our data science team works with subject matter experts to turn evidence and data into practical solutions for clients in the UK and EU. You will be the first data scientist in our India team. At first, you will meet specialist teams, identify valuable use cases and build focused proofs of concept that demonstrate what data science and AI can do. As these relationships mature, you will help develop our ability to deliver data science and AI solutions across client projects, working with the wider data science team from discovery through implementation. Knowledge of energy would help, initiative, technical breadth and the ability to earn trust across disciplines are central to the role.

What you will do

• Meet colleagues across practice areas to understand their work, identify specific use cases and agree what a useful result would look like.
• Initially, scope and demonstrate focused proofs of concept, choosing suitable methods from statistical analysis and forecasting to machine learning and language models.
• Explain methods, limitations and potential value clearly to specialists and nontechnical colleagues. Use their feedback to improve the solution and build confidence in the team’s services.
• Assess data quality, feasibility, privacy and delivery needs, and define the evidence needed to take a prototype further.
• As demand grows, design and deliver data science and AI solutions across projects with the wider team, from modelling and evaluation to integration, documentation and adoption. Contribute to proposals and client presentations.
• Establish reusable ways of working and help turn early demonstrations into a sustainable pipeline of well-defined client work.

What you will bring

• Hands‑on experience in Python for analysis and modelling, including common data and machine learning libraries, ability to use SQL to extract, join and check data.
• Sound grounding in statistics and machine learning, including regression or classification, forecasting, validation, baseline comparisons and appropriate performance measures.
• Practical familiarity with using large language models in analysis or prototyping, including prompting, checking outputs against evidence and recognising privacy, accuracy and reliability risks.
• Experience preparing imperfect data, building reproducible analyses and writing maintainable code with version control and testing.
• Ability to take an ambiguous question from discovery to a working demonstration, explain assumptions and uncertainty, and judge whether a solution is worth developing for operational use.
• Confidence working independently and engaging stakeholders across teams, clear written and spoken English for technical and nontechnical audiences.
• A relevant degree or equivalent practical experience in a quantitative field.

Useful additional experience

• Experience in energy, utilities, climate or environmental policy, particularly applied analysis with domain experts.
• Experience in consulting, public policy research or client‑facing delivery, familiarity with cloud platforms, APIs, data pipelines or deployment.
• Experience building AI agents or applications that connect language models to data and tools, such as retrieval‑based systems.

How we work

As the first data scientist in our India team, you will have the opportunity to shape how our established data science and AI services grow there. You will work alongside colleagues with a wide range of technical and subject expertise, tackle varied client challenges, and see promising ideas develop into project work. We will support your career development with ongoing training and opportunities to deepen both your technical and consulting skills.

Working at ICF

ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we’re not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting‑edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair and equitable interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in‑person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process. However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodations that involve the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at [e-mail]. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.

New Delhi, India (II77)

About ICF

ICF is a global consulting and technology services company with approximately 9,000 employees, but we are not your typical consultants. At ICF, business analysts and policy specialists work together with digital strategists, data scientists and creatives. We combine unmatched industry expertise with cutting‑edge engagement capabilities to help organizations solve their most complex challenges. Since 1969, public and private sector clients have worked with ICF to navigate change and shape the future. Learn more at icf.com.