Data Science Summer Intern - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey; Lombardia; On-site; EUR 13,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey offers a multidisciplinary Data Science internship in Milan. You will learn by doing, assisting in developing and evaluating analytical and AI solutions under close guidance.

Working in cross-functional teams with data engineers and ML engineers, you’ll build a solid foundation in machine learning, data analysis, and AI engineering while solving real client problems. This 8-week program emphasizes apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure, helping you grow quickly as a

Qualifications

• Third-year bachelor’s or first-year Master’s student
• Foundational knowledge of ML concepts and statistics
• Familiarity with GenAI tooling and simple AI frameworks
• Ability to write modular code with guidance
• Knowledge of QA steps and modeling risks
• Experience working in cross-functional teams
• Strong time management in autonomous environments
• Fluent in English and Italian

Responsibilities

• Assist in building and evaluating analytical and AI solutions
• Collaborate with data engineers, ML engineers and industry experts
• Learn fast and contribute to real client solutions from day one

Skills

Machine learning basics

Statistical methods

Cross-functional teamwork

English and Italian fluency

Time management

Coding with guidance

QA and bias awareness

Communication

Problem solving

Internship readiness

Education

Bachelor's or Master's student

Tools

Python

R

CI/CD basics

Job description

Who You'll Work With

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. When you join us, you will have:

• 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. 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.

Who You'll Work With

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.

Your Impact

You will be part of a multidisciplinary data science team working alongside experienced data scientists, engineers, and technologists, where you will learn the craft of applied AI and analytics by doing, contributing to real client solutions from day one. During this 8-week internship you will assist in building and evaluating analytical and AI solutions, taking on well-defined tasks with close guidance and growing your skills across machine learning, data analysis, and AI engineering with every engagement. You’ll develop a foundational understanding of how great data science teams work, from understanding business problems to delivering models and insights that drive real decisions. This work will help you learn fast, embrace feedback, and build a strong technical foundation in a high-impact environment. Your work will help solve some of the most complex and high-impact challenges facing clients across industries. Collaborating across QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and QuantumBlack Labs teams, you'll help develop innovative AI and analytics capabilities and scalable enterprise solutions. You'll help design and deliver production-ready AI and analytics solutions that create meaningful impact for clients. Your contributions will directly support clients in accelerating AI adoption and solving complex business problems at scale. You'll be based in Milan as part of our global Data Science community. Working in cross-functional teams, you'll collaborate closely with data engineers, machine learning engineers, and industry experts to deliver AI and analytics solutions. By partnering with clients from technical teams to C-level executives, you'll help solve complex problems that drive tangible business value and begin to build your skills as a client-facing technologist. Your work offers a unique opportunity to grow at the forefront of AI and data science. You'll develop expertise at the intersection of technology and business by tackling diverse challenges in the evolving AI landscape. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams, you'll gain a holistic understanding of how data science enables advanced AI while collaborating with some of the leading technologists and AI practitioners in the industry.

Your Qualifications and Skills

• Students in their third year of bachelor’s or first year Master's
• Foundational knowledge of machine learning concepts and statistical methods, with an eagerness to build hands‑on experience across supervised, unsupervised, and forecasting approaches with guidance
• Basic understanding of data quality assessment and exploratory data analysis, with the ability to contribute to well-defined analytical tasks under close guidance
• Familiarity with using and evaluating GenAI tooling and simple agentic AI frameworks, with an eagerness to learn how large language models
• Ability to write accurate, modular code with guidance, with foundational knowledge of software development best practices and introductory exposure to MLOps and CI/CD concepts; proficiency in Python or R is a plus
• A quality and risk mindset — beginning to check own work using provided QA steps, with a growing awareness of common modeling risks including fairness, explainability, hallucination, and human oversight considerations
• Experience working in cross-functional teams, collaborating closely with peers and cross-functional teammates
• Exceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environment
• Availability to work full-time during the 6-week internship
• Business level language fluency skills, both verbal and written, in English and Italian, with the ability to adjust your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels.