Data Scientist – AI & GenAI for Enterprise Impact

McKinsey & Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 122,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company in the United States seeks a current student to join as a data science fellow. You will translate business problems into analytical challenges, develop models across ML, optimization, GenAI, and agentic AI, and work with senior data scientists and engineers to deliver robust, scalable solutions.

You’ll gain exposure to client-facing projects, cross-functional collaboration, and a structured growth path with apprenticeship, coaching, and continual learning across McKinsey’s AI

Qualifications

• Current student graduating between December 2026 and August 2027 with a Master's, Bachelor's or PhD in computer science, machine learning, applied statistics, mathematics, engineering, artificial intelligence, or a related field.
• Professional experience applying ML, statistical modeling, optimization, or GenAI techniques to real business problems; proficiency in Python and SQL is required, including the Python AI stack
• Ability to translate business problems into analytical challenges, building and evaluating models across supervised, unsupervised, statistical, or forecasting approaches with guidance
• Foundational understanding of optimization, simulation, and decision logic concepts, with the ability to apply methodologies with guidance
• Developing familiarity with Generative AI tools and simple agentic AI frameworks, with an eagerness to learn how LLMs can be applied to automate defined tasks
• A quality and risk mindset: able to validate own work, document assumptions and limitations, and apply basic evaluation methods for prompts, RAG models, or agents; growing awareness of fairness, explainability, and human oversight considerations
• Follows software development and MLOps/LLMOps best practices with guidance, with introductory exposure to CI/CD and agentic engineering concepts
• Exceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environment
• Willingness to travel
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and local office language(s), with the ability to adjust your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels

Responsibilities

• Build and deliver advanced analytics and AI solutions that address complex business challenges across industries.
• Contribute to analytical workstreams and learn from experienced data scientists and engineers.
• Translate business challenges into analytical problems and develop/evaluate solutions across ML, optimization, GenAI, and agentic AI systems.
• Collaborate across QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and QuantumBlack Labs to help clients harness analytics and AI to improve decisions and transform operations.
• Work with cross-functional teams to ensure solutions are robust and fit for purpose.

Skills

Python

SQL

Machine Learning

Data Analysis

Communication

Education

Master's degree in CS/ML/AI

Tools

Python AI stack

Jupyter

TensorFlow/PyTorch

Job description

McKinsey & Company in the United States seeks a current student to join as a data science fellow. You will translate business problems into analytical challenges, develop models across ML, optimization, GenAI, and agentic AI, and work with senior data scientists and engineers to deliver robust, scalable solutions.

You’ll gain exposure to client-facing projects, cross-functional collaboration, and a structured growth path with apprenticeship, coaching, and continual learning across McKinsey’s AI