Data Scientist - Financial Services

Placements24; Randfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Professional development

Remote-friendly culture

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an innovative Data Scientist to lead advanced analytics for a remote-first financial services client. You will develop predictive models, perform rigorous statistical analysis, and translate insights into strategic business actions.

The role emphasizes deep financial markets knowledge, Python/R expertise, and the ability to drive data-driven decisions in a fast-paced, research-oriented environment.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field.
• Minimum 5 years in data science within financial services or banking.
• Proficiency in Python or R with common ML libraries.
• Strong statistical modeling and ML algorithm knowledge.
• SQL proficiency; experience with big data tools and cloud platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design and deploy ML models for fraud detection, credit risk, customer segmentation, and trading.
• Perform advanced statistical analysis on large datasets.
• Clean and prepare data for modeling with high data quality.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate requirements into DS solutions.
• Develop and maintain data pipelines and analytics workflows.
• Communicate model performance and business implications.

Skills

Analytical thinking

5+ years Data Scientist experience

Communication skills

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science/Statistics/Mathematics/Physics

Tools

Python

R

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SQL

Spark

Hadoop

AWS/Azure/GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a progressive financial services provider in **Rustenburg, North West**, is seeking an innovative Data Scientist to lead their advanced analytics initiatives. This role is crucial for leveraging vast datasets to uncover insights, build predictive models, and drive data-informed decision-making across the organization. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in statistical modeling, machine learning, and programming, combined with a deep understanding of financial markets and products. This position is designed for a motivated individual who thrives in a challenging, research-oriented environment and is passionate about transforming data into actionable strategies. The role involves working with complex financial data to optimize risk management, improve customer experiences, and identify new business opportunities. This is a remote-first position, allowing talent from across the country to contribute to our client's success. The core of the work will involve developing and deploying sophisticated analytical solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement machine learning models and algorithms to address business challenges in areas such as fraud detection, credit risk assessment, customer segmentation, and algorithmic trading.
• Perform advanced statistical analysis and data mining on large, complex datasets.
• Clean, transform, and prepare data for modeling and analysis, ensuring data quality and integrity.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into data science solutions.
• Develop and maintain robust data pipelines and analytical workflows.
• Evaluate and communicate model performance, providing insights and recommendations to business teams.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
• Visualize data and model results effectively to communicate findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to the development of the company's data strategy and best practices.
• Mentor junior data analysts and scientists as the team grows.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Data Scientist, with a strong focus on financial services or banking.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms (regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and data mining techniques.
• Strong SQL skills and experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their data science services.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to a diverse audience.
• Familiarity with the financial services industry and its specific data challenges is highly desirable.
• Ability to work independently and drive projects to completion in a remote setting.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous retirement savings plan with company matching.
• Significant opportunities for professional development, training, and conference attendance.
• Flexible working hours and a fully remote work environment.
• Access to state-of-the-art technology and computational resources.
• A collaborative and innovative company culture focused on continuous learning.
• Chance to work on impactful projects that shape the future of financial services.