Data Scientist - Predictive Modeling

Placements24; Mossel Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Remote-first

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly analytical Data Scientist to join their innovative team in a remote-first role near Mossel Bay, Western Cape, ZA. You will develop and implement advanced predictive models to drive business insights and strategic decision-making.

You will work with large, complex datasets, applying statistical analysis and ML techniques, collaborate with data engineers and business stakeholders, and design experiments to evaluate model performance and impact.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience as a Data Scientist with a strong focus on predictive modeling.
• Experience with Python or R and data science libraries (scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, PyTorch).

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and deploy predictive models using ML algorithms.
• Data exploration, feature engineering, and preprocessing on large datasets.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and experiments to evaluate models.
• Communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborate with data engineers to build and optimize data pipelines.
• Monitor model performance and plan retraining strategies.
• Stay updated with advances in data science and ML techniques.
• Identify opportunities to apply data science to business challenges.
• Develop data visualizations and reports for decision-making.
• Contribute to best practices in data science and code quality.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Communication

Education

Master's or PhD in Statistics/Data Science/CS/Mathematics

Tools

Python

R

SQL

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

pandas

NumPy

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly analytical and skilled Data Scientist to join their innovative team. This role is predominantly remote, offering flexibility while contributing to impactful projects within the AI & Emerging Technologies domain. The Data Scientist will focus on developing and implementing advanced predictive models to drive business insights and strategic decision-making. You will work with large, complex datasets, employing sophisticated statistical and machine learning techniques to uncover patterns, forecast trends, and solve challenging business problems. The position requires a strong understanding of data mining, machine learning algorithms, and statistical analysis, coupled with excellent programming skills. You will be an integral part of a collaborative team, working closely with data engineers, analysts, and business stakeholders to deliver data-driven solutions. This is an exciting opportunity to leverage your expertise in predictive modeling in a dynamic and evolving technological landscape, working from your location near **Mossel Bay, Western Cape, ZA**.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and deploy predictive models using machine learning algorithms (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, time series analysis).
• Perform data exploration, feature engineering, and data preprocessing on large, complex datasets.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and other experiments to evaluate model performance and impact.
• Communicate complex findings and insights clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborate with data engineers to build and optimize data pipelines for model training and deployment.
• Monitor model performance in production and implement strategies for retraining and improvement.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and statistical modeling techniques.
• Identify opportunities to apply data science methodologies to solve business challenges and create value.
• Develop data visualizations and reports to present findings and support decision-making.
• Contribute to the team's best practices in data science, code quality, and documentation.

Requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience as a Data Scientist with a strong focus on predictive modeling.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant data science libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Solid understanding of statistical principles and machine learning algorithms.
• Experience with SQL and working with large relational databases.
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Matplotlib, Seaborn, Tableau).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote team setting.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, and opportunities for professional development, including attending leading data science conferences.
• As a remote-first role, you will enjoy significant flexibility in your work environment.
• Access to advanced computational resources and a supportive team culture focused on innovation and learning are integral to this position.
• This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge AI projects from your base near **Mossel Bay, Western Cape, ZA**, making a tangible impact on business outcomes through the power of data science.