Lead Data Scientist - Banking Analytics (Remote)

Placements24; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1,100,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical aid

provident fund

Leave allocation

Online learning platforms

Leadership opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Cutting-edge technology stack

Remote work environment

Wellness programs

Performance reviews

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Lead Data Scientist for a remote role in the financial sector. You will lead a team of data scientists, building advanced ML models for customer behavior, fraud detection, and operational efficiency.

You will drive analytical strategies, contribute to the data analytics roadmap, and collaborate with stakeholders to translate business problems into data problems and actionable insights. Strong leadership, ML expertise, and cloud/MLOps knowledge are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in data science, preferably in financial services/banking.
• Proven experience in leading and managing data science teams.
• Production deployment of ML models and strong programming skills in Python or R.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, overseeing lifecycle from conception to deployment.
• Design and implement ML models for predictive analytics, segmentation, and risk assessment.
• Develop and optimize data mining and statistical analysis techniques on large datasets.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to translate challenges into data science problems.
• Build and maintain scalable data pipelines and analytics infrastructure.
• Drive adoption of new tech and methodologies in data science and AI.
• Communicate findings to executive leadership and non-technical audiences.
• Promote data-driven culture and best practices in analytics and interpretation.
• Ensure ethical data usage and compliance with relevant regulations.

Skills

Team leadership

Python or R

MLOps practices

Cloud platforms

Data modeling

Education

PhD or Master's in CS/Stats/Math

Tools

Spark/Hadoop

SQL/NoSQL databases

TensorFlow/PyTorch

Pandas/Scikit-learn

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a premier financial institution, is looking for an exceptional Lead Data Scientist to spearhead their banking analytics initiatives. This role is entirely remote, offering a unique opportunity to drive innovation from anywhere. You will lead a team of talented data scientists, developing cutting-edge analytical models to uncover insights that will shape our client's strategic direction in areas like customer behavior, fraud detection, and operational efficiency. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with deep expertise in machine learning, statistical modeling, and big data technologies, coupled with a strong understanding of the banking sector. As a remote-first team, we emphasize proactive communication, robust collaboration tools, and a results-oriented approach. You will play a pivotal role in transforming data into actionable intelligence, influencing key business decisions and fostering a data-driven culture across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, overseeing project lifecycles from conception to deployment.
• Design and implement advanced machine learning models for predictive analytics, customer segmentation, and risk assessment.
• Develop and optimize data mining and statistical analysis techniques to extract valuable insights from large datasets.
• Collaborate closely with business stakeholders to understand their challenges and translate them into data science problems.
• Build and maintain scalable data pipelines and analytical infrastructure, ensuring data quality and integrity.
• Drive the research and adoption of new technologies and methodologies in data science and artificial intelligence.
• Communicate complex findings and recommendations effectively to executive leadership and non-technical audiences.
• Champion a data-driven culture by promoting best practices in data analysis and interpretation.
• Ensure ethical data usage and compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., POPIA, GDPR).
• Contribute to the strategic roadmap for data analytics and business intelligence within the organization.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in data science, with a significant portion in the financial services or banking industry.
• Proven experience in leading and managing data science teams.
• Expertise in Python or R, including libraries like scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Pandas.
• Strong knowledge of big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and database systems (SQL, NoSQL).
• Demonstrated success in deploying machine learning models into production environments.
• Excellent understanding of financial products and banking operations.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to thrive in an autonomous, remote work environment and manage complex projects.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and MLOps practices is highly desirable.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and bonus structure.
• Comprehensive medical aid and provident fund.
• Generous leave allocation.
• Access to extensive online learning platforms and conference attendance.
• Opportunities for leadership and career advancement.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Cutting-edge technology stack.
• Supportive and collaborative remote work environment.
• Wellness programs and initiatives.
• Regular performance reviews and feedback.