Data Scientist - Insurance Analytics

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work flexibility

Performance bonuses

Medical aid

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly analytical Data Scientist for a fully remote position focused on insurance analytics. The role demands developing predictive models, analyzing large datasets, and communicating insights to stakeholders.

While remote, the position is anchored in Polokwane, Limpopo with strong collaboration across a distributed team. The ideal candidate has a strong pipeline of projects, expertise in Python or R, SQL, statistics, ML methods, and data visualization tools, plus

Qualifications

• Must hold a Master's or PhD in Data Science, Statistics, CS, Math, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement statistical models and ML algorithms for insurance analytics.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Pandas

Scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Data Visualization

Education

Master's degree in Data Science

PhD in a quantitative field

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Matplotlib

AWS

Azure

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly analytical and innovative Data Scientist to join their growing analytics team, operating remotely. This role is central to driving data-driven decision-making across the insurance business, from product development and pricing to risk management and customer engagement. You will leverage advanced statistical techniques, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization tools to extract actionable insights from large, complex datasets. This fully remote position requires a strong technical background, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. If you are passionate about uncovering patterns in data and applying them to solve real-world insurance challenges, this opportunity in Polokwane, Limpopo (though remote) is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement statistical models and machine learning algorithms for insurance analytics.
• Analyze large datasets to identify trends, patterns, and correlations related to customer behavior, risk, and claims.
• Develop predictive models for customer segmentation, churn prediction, fraud detection, and risk assessment.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their challenges and translate them into data science problems.
• Build data visualizations and dashboards to communicate insights effectively.
• Clean, transform, and prepare data for analysis using various data manipulation tools.
• Evaluate and benchmark model performance, iterating as needed to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and AI.
• Contribute to the development of data infrastructure and best practices within the team.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior management and cross-functional teams.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience as a Data Scientist, with a strong portfolio of relevant projects.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and associated data science libraries (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and working with large datasets.
• Expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning techniques (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and experimental design.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects in a remote setting.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.

Benefits

This is a fully remote role offering exceptional work-life balance and flexibility. Our client offers a highly competitive salary, performance bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical aid, retirement fund, and support for continuous learning and professional development. You will have access to cutting-edge tools and technologies, work on challenging and impactful projects, and collaborate with a talented, globally distributed team. Join our client and shape the future of insurance analytics.