Data Scientist

RAFI Microfinance, Inc.; Cebu City; On-site; PHP 558,000 - 781,200; Full time

Job summary

A leading microfinance institution in Cebu City is seeking a Data Scientist to drive data-driven decision-making. The role involves developing analytics solutions, managing data pipelines, and collaborating with stakeholders. Candidates should have strong skills in Python, SQL, and machine learning, along with a background in data science or analytics, and a degree in a related field. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to innovation and data literacy in the organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in applied data science or analytics roles.
• Experience in financial services, banking, or microfinance sector preferred but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Collect, clean, and preprocess data to ensure quality.
• Design, develop, and test machine learning models.
• Communicate insights and recommendations effectively.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Machine Learning

Data Visualization

Problem-Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, or related field

Tools

TensorFlow

Power BI

Tableau

Azure

AWS

Hadoop

Spark

Job description

The Data Scientist plays a crucial role in advancing RAFI Microfinance's data-driven decision-making culture. This role is responsible for designing, prototyping, testing, and implementing advanced analytics solutions that support organizational strategies and business needs. The Data Scientist extracts, integrates, and explores data from multiple sources, applies statistical and machine learning methods, and develops predictive and prescriptive models to uncover business value.

Beyond technical execution, the role requires the ability to communicate insights effectively, influence stakeholders, and ensure solutions are scalable and aligned with compliance standards. The Data Scientist contributes to innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness by enabling the organization to harness data responsibly and strategically.

Main Roles and Responsibilities

• Data Management
  • Collect, clean, and preprocess data to ensure quality, integrity, and consistency.
  • Build and maintain automated data pipelines for continuous data availability.
• Analytics & Modeling
  • Design, develop, and test machine learning models and statistical analyses to address business problems.
  • Evaluate, validate, and optimize model performance for accuracy, reliability, and scalability.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Partner with IT, business units, and product owners to translate business requirements into data-driven solutions.
  • Communicate insights, trends, and recommendations through compelling visualizations, reports, and presentations.
• Innovation & Knowledge Sharing
  • Stay updated on emerging technologies, data science trends, and AI advancements.
  • Support the development of organizational data science standards, documentation, and practices.
  • Contribute to building a culture of data literacy and responsible data use across the organization.
• Governance & Compliance
  • Ensure adherence to data privacy, security, and governance frameworks.
  • Support risk management by applying best practices in data handling and compliance.

Key Skills, Qualifications, and Education Requirements

• Technical Expertise
  • Proficiency in programming: Python, R, SQL
  • Advanced proficiency in Python and SQL, intermediate proficiency in R
  • Knowledge in machine learning (e.g., TensorFlow) and statistical analysis
  • Hands-on experience with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn
  • Experience with data visualization tools: Power BI, Tableau, Looker
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS) and big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark)
  • Strong foundation in data governance and data privacy standards
• Soft Skills
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
  • Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving abilities
  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Education/Background
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, or related field
  • Experience in applied data science roles within business or financial services preferred
  • Experience in financial services, banking, or microfinance sector highly preferred but not essential
  • Minimum 3-5 years of experience in applied data science or analytics roles
  • Must be legally authorised to work in the Philippines without sponsorship

Competency Profile

Technical

• Data wrangling and data quality assurance
• Advanced statistical methods (hypothesis testing, regression, time series, A/B testing)
• Model development, deployment, and evaluation
• Dashboard design and storytelling with data
• Cloud computing (Azure, AWS exposure)
• Automation and workflow scripting
• Version control and collaboration (e.g., Git)

Human Relations

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills
• Effective communicator and collaborator across teams
• Ability to manage stakeholder expectations

Personal Attributes

• God-centered and values-driven
• Confident, adaptable, and resilient
• Passionate about data and innovation
• Mature and grounded in decision-making