Graduate / Junior Data Scientist

Curiska (Pty) Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 250,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic financial analytics team is looking for a motivated Graduate or Junior Data Scientist. The role involves data preparation, model development, and reporting using tools like Power BI. Ideal for recent graduates eager to contribute to data-driven decisions in finance. Join us to leverage your skills in Python and data analysis to uncover valuable insights.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related quantitative field.
• 0–2 years of relevant data analysis experience.
• Familiarity with financial databases or market data platforms is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, clean, and process data from multiple sources for analysis.
• Assist in designing and training machine learning models.
• Create dashboards and reports to communicate findings using Power BI and Excel.

Skills

Python

Data Visualization

Data Analysis

SQL

Machine Learning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Finance, Economics, Computer Science

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Tableau

Git

Azure

AWS

Job description

Role Summary :

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Graduate or Junior Data Scientist to join a dynamic financial analytics team. This role is ideal for recent graduates or individuals with up to 2 years of experience who are passionate about using data to drive business decisions and uncover insights in the financial sector. You will support the development of models, automate reporting processes, and contribute to data-driven tools used across the business.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Data Preparation & Exploration :

Gather, clean, and process structured and unstructured data from multiple financial sources, including transaction records, market data, and client behavior logs.

Transform raw data into structured formats suitable for analysis and reporting.

Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and quality throughout the pipeline.

Assist in the design and training of machine learning models, including anomaly detection, classification, and regression models.

Support feature engineering and model performance analysis.

Document model outcomes, assumptions, and areas for improvement.

Create dashboards and reports using Power BI and Excel to communicate findings.

Present complex data in an understandable and visually clear format tailored to stakeholders.

Work closely with analysts, data engineers, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements.

Assist in building automation tools and alert systems for internal operational efficiency.

Provide data support to multiple teams by translating business questions into analytical queries.

5. Continuous Learning & Process Improvement :

Stay up to date with trends in data science, finance, and relevant technologies.

Identify and suggest improvements in data processes and toolsets to enhance productivity and insight generation.

Qualifications & Experience :

Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.

Additional certification or postgraduate studies in analytics or finance is advantageous.

0–2 years of relevant experience in data analysis, preferably in a financial or analytical environment.

Technical Skills :

Proficiency in Python, including packages like pandas, matplotlib, and scikit-learn.

Experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau.

Working knowledge of SQL and Excel for querying and manipulating data.

Exposure to financial databases or market data platforms is a plus.

Familiarity with Git, data pipelines, or cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS) is an advantage.

Please send your CV to [e-mail] with your qualification and transcript if you are interested.