Lead Data Scientist

SoTalent; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Leadership opportunities in AI/ML

Work with data platforms and engineers

Job summary

SoTalent in Raleigh, NC is seeking an experienced Lead Data Scientist to drive development and deployment of advanced AI and ML solutions while leading a team of data scientists.

You will mentor, set priorities, partner with product and engineering, and translate complex insights into actionable business decisions, staying current with AI advances and governance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior or lead Data Scientist role.
• Proven track record leading complex AI and machine learning projects.
• Experience managing or mentoring technical teams.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business insights.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced AI and machine learning models.
• Manage small to medium-sized data science teams, providing technical guidance, coaching, and mentorship.
• Define project scope, priorities, and delivery plans to ensure successful execution.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver AI solutions aligned with business objectives.
• Analyse large and complex datasets to identify trends, insights, and opportunities for innovation.
• Establish best practices, methodologies, governance, and quality standards across the data science function.
• Partner with product leadership to identify opportunities for applying AI and machine learning to business challenges.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Stay up to date with emerging AI technologies and drive continuous improvement across the team.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Stakeholder management

Communication

Analytics

Problem solving

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/Math/Statistics

Tools

Python

Hadoop

Spark

Job description

Industry: Information Services & Technology / AI & Data Analytics

We are seeking an experienced Lead Data Scientist to drive the development and deployment of advanced AI and machine learning solutions while leading and mentoring a team of data scientists. This role combines technical leadership, people development, and strategic collaboration to deliver innovative, data-driven products that solve complex business challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced AI and machine learning models.
• Manage small to medium-sized data science teams, providing technical guidance, coaching, and mentorship.
• Define project scope, priorities, and delivery plans to ensure successful execution.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver AI solutions aligned with business objectives.
• Analyse large and complex datasets to identify trends, insights, and opportunities for innovation.
• Establish best practices, methodologies, governance, and quality standards across the data science function.
• Partner with product leadership to identify opportunities for applying AI and machine learning to business challenges.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Stay up to date with emerging AI technologies and drive continuous improvement across the team.

Requirements

• Significant experience in a senior or lead Data Scientist role.
• Proven track record leading complex AI and machine learning projects.
• Experience managing or mentoring technical teams.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business insights.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and transformer architectures such as BERT, RoBERTa, T5, or similar.
• Experience working with modern generative AI models, including GPT-based technologies.
• Knowledge of prompt engineering, reinforcement learning, hallucination mitigation, and responsible AI practices.
• Understanding of the business risks and governance considerations associated with deploying AI solutions.
• Experience working with large-scale datasets and distributed computing frameworks such as Hadoop or Spark.
• Strong programming skills in Python or another modern programming language.

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to lead cutting-edge AI and machine learning initiatives.
• Work alongside highly skilled data scientists, engineers, and product teams.
• Leadership opportunities with a strong focus on coaching and team development.
• Exposure to large-scale data platforms and emerging AI technologies.
• Competitive salary, performance-based incentives, and comprehensive employee benefits.