Lead Data Scientist

Placements24; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive-level salary

Annual bonus opportunities

Comprehensive health insurance

Professional development support

On-site work

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to join our Richards Bay team onsite. You will drive data-informed decision-making, lead a team of data scientists, and develop advanced models to solve strategic business problems.

The role requires a strong track record in ML, statistical modeling, and translating insights into business impact, with exceptional communication to stakeholders at all levels. On-site role in Richards Bay with growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, and statistical modeling.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and expertise in relevant libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and data manipulation tools, as well as working with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Proven experience in leading projects and mentoring team members.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills with a strong ability to translate data into business narratives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of advanced machine learning models and statistical analyses to solve complex business problems.
• Mentor and guide a team of data scientists, fostering a collaborative and high-performing analytical environment.
• Identify opportunities for data-driven innovation and develop strategies to leverage data for business advantage.
• Clean, transform, and analyze large, complex datasets from various sources to extract actionable insights.
• Communicate complex analytical findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to deploy models into production environments.

Skills

Leadership

Machine Learning

Python

R

SQL

Big Data

Education

Master's or PhD in quantitative field

Tools

Scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Spark

Hadoop

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a highly analytical and strategic Lead Data Scientist to join their team in Richards Bay . This role is central to driving data-informed decision-making across the organization, leading a team of data scientists, and developing advanced analytical models. You will be responsible for extracting valuable insights from complex datasets, building predictive models, and communicating findings to stakeholders at all levels. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned data professional to lead impactful projects and contribute to the company's growth and innovation in a challenging, on-site role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of advanced machine learning models and statistical analyses to solve complex business problems.
• Mentor and guide a team of data scientists, fostering a collaborative and high-performing analytical environment.
• Identify opportunities for data-driven innovation and develop strategies to leverage data for business advantage.
• Clean, transform, and analyze large, complex datasets from various sources to extract actionable insights.
• Communicate complex analytical findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to deploy models into production environments.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, and statistical modeling.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and expertise in relevant libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and data manipulation tools, as well as working with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Proven experience in leading projects and mentoring team members.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills with a strong ability to translate data into business narratives.

Benefits

• Competitive executive-level salary and annual bonus opportunities.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Generous paid time off and company holidays.
• Support for professional development, including training and conference attendance.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge data challenges in a collaborative, on-site setting.