Data Scientist

Simpson Thacher; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Simpson Thacher’s Data Scientist will drive insights for leadership, legal practices, and Knowledge Department by applying statistics, ML, DL, and NLP to structured and unstructured data. You will build models, deploy language models, and create scalable AI workflows in a collaborative, law-focused environment.

The role sits in the Data Science Team within the Knowledge & Innovation Department, working with lawyers and staff across practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in data science, statistics, CS, or related field.
• Master's degree in data science or CS preferred.
• Experience with ML/NLP in production environments advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Build regression and classification models using ML/NLP methods.
• Fine-tune and deploy language models for NLP tasks.
• Design and deploy document segmentation and embedding for retrieval systems.
• Develop data pipelines and visualizations for non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Pinecone

Transformers

spaCy

NLTK

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Git

Education

Bachelor's degree in data science or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

SQL

Pinecone

Transformers

spaCy

NLTK

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

Job Summary & ObjectivesSimpson Thacher’s Data Scientist will play a key role in delivering insights to the Firm’s leadership, legal practices, Knowledge Department and other administrative functions. To do so, this expert will use a mix of statistics, machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing methods to derive meaning, build models and create systems that capitalize on both structured and unstructured data. This position will play a crucial role in pushing the Firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) efforts forward and will work on some of the most advanced projects in the legal industry.The Data Scientist position sits within the Firm’s Data Science Team, which is a part of the Firm’s Knowledge & Innovation Department. This position will work closely with lawyers and legal support professionals across practices, as well as other technical resources within the Firm. This role requires creative problem solving, analytical rigor, technical skill and an appreciation for the business and practice of law.Essential Job Duties & ResponsibilitiesSupport legal teams and relevant operational staff in delivering on opportunities to use data to drive decision-making and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Firm’s client representationsCollaborate with Firm functional departments (e.g., Finance, Talent, Business Development, IT) to analyze data and develop solutions to support operational objectivesDevelop regression and classification models using established and emerging data science methodologiesChain, fine-tune and deploy pre-trained language models (e.g., BERT, Llama, Qwen, etc.) to optimize performance on a range of NLP tasks, including text classification, named entity recognition, and generative tasks such as summarization, clause and document generation, and question-answer exchangesDesign and deploy document segmentation and embedding approaches to facilitate information retrieval and retrieval augmented generation (RAG)Conduct advanced quantitative research, using machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to understand patterns in large volumes of data, identify relationships, detect data anomalies and classify dataConfigure practice-specific AI workflows and language technologies, which may require complex pipelines, prompt engineering, prompt chaining, and text operationsDesign and deploy highly visual reports and user interfaces that surface quantitative insights in forms that are fit-for-purpose, modern and easily accessible to non-technical business professionalsStay current with the latest advancements in LLMs, NLP, deep learning and ML research, implementing cutting-edge techniques and incorporating them into production models as appropriateDocument development processes, codebase, and best practices to facilitate knowledge sharing and maintain a well-organized, reproducible environmentPartner with other technical resources to refine data pipelines for recurring classes of analysis and data-driven solutionsHandle projects on request under the direction of the CKIO and other executive staffEducationA bachelor’s degree required, preferably in data science, mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering, finance or a related fieldMaster’s degree in data science, computer science, statistics, computational linguistics or engineering preferredPrior coursework in deep learning, natural language processing, or information retrieval a significant plusSkills and Experience2+ years in a data science, machine learning engineering, artificial intelligence or equivalent role, or a PhD in a related fieldHighly proficient with statistical programming (e.g., Python, R) and databases (e.g., SQL, Pinecone)Proven experience developing and validating linear and non-linear regression and classification modelsExpertise in data transformation, data science and visualization libraries (e.g., pandas, scikit-learn, matplotlib, Seaborn)Experience with natural language processing and related libraries (e.g., Hugging Face’s Transformers, spaCy, NLTK) preferredAbility to design and develop object-oriented machine learning systems beyond Jupyter notebooks a plusSolid understanding of deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch a plusProficiency with version control systems such as Git or equivalent tools for code management and collaborationAble to translate business problems to technical logic and practical solutionsAble to communicate complex results clearly to a non-technical audienceProactively develops and maintains technical knowledge in emerging data science areasExperience in the legal field is a significant plusSalary InformationNY Only: The estimated base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $175,000 at the time of posting.The actual salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. This role is exempt meaning it is not overtime pay eligible.Simpson Thacher will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.Privacy NoticeFor information about how Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP collects and processes your personal information, please refer to our Privacy Notice available at https://www.stblaw.com/other/privacy-notice .Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is committed to a collegial work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. The Firm prohibits discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, veteran’s status or any other legally protected status. This Policy pertains to every aspect of an individual’s relationship with the Firm, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, training and development, promotion, transfer, discipline, termination, and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment.#LI-Hybrid