Data Science Research Specialist

1000 Accenture LLP Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 66,000 - 196,000; Full time

Job summary

Accenture Research is seeking a data-driven AI scientist to contribute across engagements focused on Agentic AI, synthetic personas, and thought leadership. You will translate business problems into analytical questions, design AI methodologies, and build synthetic persona pipelines in a global, collaborative setting.

The role reports to the Research AI Principal Director and involves travel 0–80% depending on client needs.

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on Python development building analytical/ML/AI solutions (Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn).
• 1+ year developing and deploying ML models (supervised/unsupervised, forecasting, clustering).
• 1+ year delivering Generative AI solutions (prompt engineering, RAG, LLM evaluation).
• Bachelor's degree in Business Analytics, Data Science, Economics, or equivalent work experience (12 years).

Responsibilities

• Translate complex business problems into analytical questions with clearly defined outputs.
• Support insight developments for client workshops defining actionable strategic recommendations.
• Design, build, and deliver AI methodologies.
• Develop and iterate synthetic persona generation pipelines.
• Contribute to thought leadership research papers and industry reports.

Skills

Python development

ML models

Generative AI

Data analysis

Business analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree in data-related field

Tools

Pandas

NumPy

Scikit-learn

LangChain

Vertex AI

BigQuery

Cloud Storage

Job description

We Are:

We are Accenture Research, a team specialized in delivering impact through thought leadership and client insights. Our AI team sits at the frontier of applied AI, combining rigorous quantitative methods to deliver differentiated insights for Accenture’s clients. Our work spans industries, geographies, and problem types and we build the tools and methodologies that power it. We partner with world-class institutions including MIT Sloan and Wharton, and we invest in long-horizon research alongside immediate client impact.

You Are:

You are a highly motivated, data-driven AI scientist who combines technical expertise with a passion for business strategy and research. Your economic and strategic perspective enables you to address critical client questions and clearly articulate the business impact of your analyses.

The Work:

In this role, you’ll be reporting into the Research AI Principal Director and will contribute across a portfolio of engagements. The work is highly varied with a focus on Agentic AI, synthetic personas, and thought leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

• translate complex business problems into analytical questions with clearly defined outputs.
• support insight developments for client workshops defining actionable strategic recommendations.
• design, build, and deliver AI methodologies.
• develop and iterate synthetic persona generation pipelines.
• contribute to thought leadership research papers (white papers, industry reports) to shape the conversation on relevant business topics.

Travel may be required for role - 0-80% depending on client and business needs.

Here’s What You Need:

• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on Python development experience building analytical, machine learning, or AI solutions using libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, LangChain, or similar frameworks.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience developing and deploying machine learning models, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, simulation models, forecasting, clustering, classification, or ensemble methods.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience delivering Generative AI solutions, including prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), LLM evaluation, orchestration frameworks, and agent-based workflows.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Analytics, Data Science, Economics (or a related field) or equivalent (minimum 12 years) work experience. (If Associate’s Degree, must have minimum 6 years work experience)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Data Science, Computer Science, Economics, Statistics, Operations Research, Business Analytics, or a related field.
• 1+ year of experience working with Google Cloud Platform (GCP), including Vertex AI, BigQuery, Cloud Storage, or AI/ML services.
• 1+ year of experience designing or implementing synthetic data and synthetic persona generation techniques, including tools such as SDV, Gaussian Copula Synthesizer, or similar frameworks.
• Experience building multi-agent systems, autonomous workflows, or agentic AI solutions for research, analytics, or business applications.
• Experience working with vector databases, knowledge retrieval systems, embeddings, and RAG architectures.
• Prior experience contributing to published research, thought leadership, academic studies, industry reports, or collaborations with universities, think tanks, or research institutions.
• Industry expertise in one or more sectors, with a demonstrated ability to develop actionable business insights from data.
• Experience presenting findings and recommendations to executive leadership and client stakeholders.

Professional Skills:

• Strong business acumen: ability to contextualize analytical findings within a business context.
• Excellent communication skills — written, verbal, and visual — for presenting to executive and non-technical audiences.
• Strategic problem-solving mindset: comfortable moving from ambiguous business context to a structured analytical approach.
• Enthusiasm for cross-functional, multicultural teamwork with a bias toward building durable, reusable infrastructure.

Compensation at Accenture varies depending on a wide array of factors, which may include but are not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Accenture provides a reasonable range of compensation for roles that may be hired as set forth below. We anticipate this job posting will be posted until 12/18/2026.

Accenture offers a market competitive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) plan, bonus opportunities, paid holidays, and paid time off.

Salary Range by State:

• California $70,350 to $196,000
• Colorado $63,800 to $169,300
• Connecticut $63,800 to $169,300
• District of Columbia $68,000 to $180,300
• Illinois $59,100 to $169,300
• Maine $54,400 to $144,300
• Maryland $63,800 to $169,300
• Massachusetts $63,800 to $180,300
• Minnesota $63,800 to $169,300
• New York $66,300 to $196,000
• New Jersey $68,000 to $196,000
• Ohio $59,100 to $156,800
• Virginia $59,100 to $180,300
• Washington $80,200 to $180,300

About Accenture:

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent– and innovation–led company with approximately 791,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com

What We Believe:

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Requesting An Accommodation:

Accenture is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or religious observances, including reasonable accommodation when needed. If you are hired by Accenture and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you will be asked to participate in our reasonable accommodation process. Accommodations made to facilitate the recruiting process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired. If you would like to be considered for employment opportunities with Accenture and have accommodation needs such as for a disability or religious observance, please call us toll free at 1 [phone] or send us an email or speak with your recruiter.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences.All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, military veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by applicable law.Our rich diversity makes us more innovative, more competitive, and more creative, and helps us better serve our clients and our communities. For details, view a copy of the Accenture Equal Opportunity Statement Accenture is an EEO and Affi… Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States. Candidates who are currently employed by a client of Accenture or an affiliated Accenture business may not be eligible for consideration. Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process. Further, at Accenture a criminal conviction history is not an absolute bar to employment. The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Additionally, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the Company’s legal duty to furnish information. California requires additional notifications for applicants and employees. If you are a California resident, live in or plan to work from Los Angeles County upon being hired for this position, please click here for additional important information. Please read Accenture’s Recruiting and Hiring Statement for more information on how we process your data during the Recruiting and Hiring process.

Other Employment Statements:

Bring your incredible skills and join our global team of innovators. We come together from different backgrounds across the world and work with the latest technologies to create value and growth for our clients. With us, you’ll continue to learn and grow so you can advance in your career. Your personal dreams and ambitions are just as important to us; that’s why we offer support any way we can—when you thrive, we all thrive.

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Explore your next step at Accenture Belong. Grow. Thrive. Join agreat place to work for reinventors who drive meaningful change for our clients, communities, and the world. Wo rld. Explore your next step at Accenture