Data Scientist - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

McKinsey & Company; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 122,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Continuous learning

Voice that matters

Global community

World-class benefits

Job summary

McKinsey & Company seeks a student-ready data scientist to join a multidisciplinary team delivering advanced analytics and AI solutions. You will translate business problems into analytical challenges and evaluate ML approaches under guidance, contributing to robust, scalable results for diverse clients.

You will collaborate with data scientists, data engineers, software engineers, and industry experts, gaining exposure to GenAI, agentic AI, and state-of-the-art analytics across industries.

Qualifications

• Upcoming graduation between December 2026 and August 2027 with a relevant degree.
• Experience applying ML, statistics, optimization, or GenAI to business problems.
• Proficiency in Python and SQL, including the Python AI stack.
• Ability to translate business problems into analytical challenges and evaluate models.
• Familiarity with Generative AI tools and agentic AI frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Work as a core member of a multidisciplinary team to build analytics and AI solutions.
• Translate business challenges into analytical problems and develop robust solutions.
• Collaborate with data scientists, engineers, and industry experts across functions.
• Deliver solutions that drive measurable impact for clients.

Skills

Machine learning

Statistical modeling

Optimization

GenAI

Python

SQL

Communication

English

Travel willingness

Education

Master's/Bachelor's/PhD in CS/ML/AI or related field

Tools

CI/CD

Job description

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• Dallas
• New York City
• San Francisco
• Washington DC

Do you want to do work that matters, alongside supportive leaders who will help you grow faster than you ever thought possible? Are you a creative problem-solver who is energized by challenges? You’ve come to the right place.

YOUR IMPACT

You will work as a core member of a multidisciplinary team to build and deliver advanced analytics and AI solutions that address complex business challenges across industries. You'll contribute to analytical workstreams, learn from experienced data scientists and engineers, and build your expertise across a breadth of industries and technologies.

This full-time opportunity is for current students with an upcoming graduation 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.

You will translate business challenges into analytical problems and develop and evaluate solutions across machine learning, optimization, GenAI, and agentic AI systems. With guidance from more experienced colleagues, you'll contribute to selecting and implementing analytical approaches, and ensure your work meets rigorous standards for data quality and evaluation. As you develop, you'll take on increasing ownership for delivering solutions that are robust and fit for purpose.

Your work will create measurable impact on some of the most complex challenges facing organizations today. Collaborating across QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and QuantumBlack Labs teams, you'll help clients harness advanced analytics and AI to improve decisions, transform operations, and build new capabilities.

Over a given year there are many ways you will contribute, such as (but not limited to): developing an agentic AI solution that automates complex claims workflows for a global insurance company; optimizing the schedule and funding of a multi-billion-dollar capital project to accelerate delivery; leveraging predictive modeling and agentic AI to improve customer service outcomes for a global travel company; and building a digital twin of an automotive supply chain to enhance product availability.

You’ll be based in one of our North America offices as part of our global Data Science community. Working in cross-functional teams, you’ll collaborate with data scientists, data engineers, software engineers, and industry experts, and work with clients across technical and business teams. Through these experiences, you’ll build your ability to connect analytical work with business needs and develop 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 build expertise at the intersection of technology and business, develop your understanding of how AI solutions move from problem definition through development, evaluation, and implementation, and learn alongside leading technologists and AI practitioners.

YOUR GROWTH

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, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. 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.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Upcoming graduation between December 2026 and August 2027 with a Master's, Bachelor's or PhD degree in computer science, machine learning, applied statistics, mathematics, engineering, artificial intelligence, or a related field
• Professional experience applying machine learning, 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

Please review the additional requirements regarding essential job functions of McKinsey colleagues.

Our unwavering commitment to integrity drives everything we do, guiding us to always act in the best interests of our clients, our people, and the communities we serve.

Industries

Capabilities

• Technology

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Certain US jurisdictions require McKinsey & Company to include a reasonable estimate of the salary for this role. To help you understand what you can expect, the salary range for new joiners in this role in United States, including all office locations where the job may be performed, is $121,600 - $125,000 USD gross per year. This reflects our best estimate of the lowest to highest [salary/hourly wages] for this role at the time of this posting, ensuring you have a clear picture right from the start, though it's important to remember that actual salaries may vary. Factors like your office location, your unique blend of experience and skills, start date and our current organizational needs all play a part in determining the final figure. Certain roles are also eligible for bonuses, subject to McKinsey's discretion and based on factors such as individual and/or organizational performance.

Additionally, we provide a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the wellness of our colleagues and their families. This includes medical, mental health, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, a generous retirement contributions program, financial guidance, and paid time off.

FOR NON-U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites.