Senior Data Scientist - Scientific AI

McKinsey & Company, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 176,000 - 179,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Generous retirement contributions

Paid time off

Parental leave and family planning benefits

Job summary

McKinsey & Company, Inc. is looking for a Senior Data Scientist in San Francisco to develop AI and machine learning models for complex client challenges. This role involves producing distinctive capabilities in mathematical and statistical applications, with a focus on therapeutics. Candidates should have a Master’s or PhD, strong programming skills in Python, and significant machine learning experience. The position offers a salary range of $176,000 to $179,500, along with a comprehensive benefits package that emphasizes well-being and personal development.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD with relevant experience in statistics or mathematics.
• Experience with machine learning techniques and production coding.
• Strong presentation and communication skills for explaining complex concepts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy AI/ML models for client delivery teams.
• Support data science initiatives across cell-level projects.
• Collaborate with clients on machine learning applications in therapeutics.

Skills

Machine Learning

Statistics

Python programming

Team collaboration

Causality and Bayesian statistics

Education

Master's degree or PhD in Statistics, Mathematics, or Computer Science

Tools

Python

pandas

numpy

matplotlib

scikit-learn

pytorch

Job description

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

Your role will be split between developing new internal knowledge, building AI and machine learning models & pipelines, supporting client discussions, prototype development, and deploying directly with client delivery teams. You will bring distinctive statistical, machine learning, and AI competency to complex client problems. With your expertise in advanced mathematics, statistics, and/or machine learning, you will help build and shape McKinsey’s scientific AI offering. You will play a pivotal role in the creation/dissemination of cutting‑edge knowledge and proprietary assets. You will work in a multi‑disciplinary team and build the firm’s reputation in your area of expertise. You will ensure statistical validity and outputs of analytics, AI/ML models, and translate results for senior stakeholders. You’ll be working in one of our offices in North America in our Life Sciences practice as a part of McKinsey’s global scientific AI team helping to answer industry questions related to how AI can be used for therapeutics, chemicals & materials (including small molecules, proteins, mRNA, polymers, etc.). You will work with cutting‑edge AI teams on research and development topics in a start‑up like environment, serving as a Senior Data Scientist in a technology development and delivery capacity. In this role, you will support the manager of data science on the development of data science and analytics roadmap of assets across cell‑level initiatives. You will deliver distinctive capabilities, models, and insights through your work with client teams and clients. There is flexibility to hire at the Senior Data Scientist I or II level, depending on your experience.

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.

• 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. 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

• Master’s degree with 5+ years or PhD degree with 2+ years of relevant experience in statistics, mathematics, computer science, or equivalent experience with experience in research
• ML experience with causality, Bayesian statistics & optimization, survival analysis, design of experiments, longitudinal analysis, surrogate models, transformers, Knowledge Graphs, Agents, Graph NNs, Deep Learning, computer vision
• Strong programming experience in python (R, C++ optional) and the relevant analytics libraries (e.g., pandas, numpy, matplotlib, scikit‑learn, stats models, pymc, pytorch/tf/keras, langchain)
• Proven experience applying machine learning techniques to solve business problems
• Experience with version control (GitHub)
• Ability to write production code and object-orient­ed programming
• Proven track record of end‑to‑end ownership of independent workstreams
• Good presentation and communication skills (both verbal and written), with the ability to explain complex analytical concepts to people from other fields/non‑technical stakeholders
• Proven experience advising external parties and/or functions
• Exceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environment

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. For new joiners for this role in the United States, including all office locations where the job may be performed, a reasonable estimated range is $176,000 - $179,500 USD — to help you understand what you can expect. This reflects our best estimate of the lowest to highest salary 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.