Data Scientist II - AML & Financial Crime Analytics

FirstRand Limited; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 505,000 - 683,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunities to network

Challenging Work

Opportunities to innovate

Job summary

FirstRand Limited is seeking a Data Scientist II in Johannesburg to plan, build, and implement advanced quantitative models for financial crime analytics, risk scoring and monitoring. You will collaborate with business, risk, and technology teams to ensure governance and effective model usage.

The role requires an Honours degree and 2+ years of hands-on modelling experience in financial services, with strong SAS, SQL and Python skills.

Qualifications

• Honours degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Actuarial Science, Engineering, Physics or a related field.
• 2+ years hands-on experience in developing and implementing analytical models, preferably in financial services.
• Strong scripting skills in SAS, SQL and Python.

Responsibilities

• Deliver on model development, implementation, and governance for financial crime risk analytics (AML/CFT, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening).
• Proactively identify analytical opportunities and solve unstructured problems with minimal guidance.
• Translate technical solutions into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

Analytical modelling

SAS scripting

SQL scripting

Python scripting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Honours degree in Mathematics/Statistics/CS/Actuarial/Engineering/Physics

Tools

SAS

SQL

Python

Job description

FirstRand Limited is seeking a Data Scientist II in Johannesburg to plan, build, and implement advanced quantitative models for financial crime analytics, risk scoring and monitoring. You will collaborate with business, risk, and technology teams to ensure governance and effective model usage.

The role requires an Honours degree and 2+ years of hands-on modelling experience in financial services, with strong SAS, SQL and Python skills.