Remote Data Scientist - Insurance Analytics

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); Hybrid; ZAR 1,482,000 - 2,305,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Generous annual leave

Home office stipend

Remote-first / flexible hours

Conferences attendance

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly skilled Data Scientist to join its remote analytics team. You will develop predictive models, perform advanced analytics, and help shape product offerings and customer experiences across the organization.

You will work with large datasets, design experiments, visualize findings, and present recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders, contributing to the company’s data strategy.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, or related quantitative field.
• Five+ years of data science experience applying analytics and ML techniques in a business context.
• Proficient in Python or R with libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch.
• Strong SQL skills and experience with large datasets.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and Spark is a plus.
• Excellent understanding of statistical modeling, ML algorithms, and experimental design.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Remote work capability and self-motivation; insurance industry experience desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement statistical models and ML algorithms to address business challenges.
• Analyze large datasets to extract insights and identify key performance drivers.
• Clean, transform, and prepare data for modeling and analysis.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and experiments to evaluate initiatives.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate needs into DS projects.
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings.
• Stay current with advancements in DS, ML, and AI.
• Document methodologies, code, and results thoroughly.
• Present findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to the company’s data strategy and analytics capabilities.

Skills

Python or R

SQL

Cloud platforms

Big data (Spark)

ML algorithms

Experiment design

Data visualization

Communication

Independent remote work

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, or related quantitative field

Tools

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Spark

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a forward-thinking insurance provider, is seeking a highly skilled and innovative Data Scientist to join their fully remote analytics team. This role is integral to leveraging advanced data analytics and machine learning techniques to drive business insights, optimize product offerings, and enhance customer experience. You will work with large, complex datasets to build predictive models, identify trends, and provide actionable recommendations to key stakeholders across the organization. This is a remote-first position, offering unparalleled flexibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement statistical models and machine learning algorithms to address business challenges in areas such as risk assessment, fraud detection, and customer segmentation.
• Analyze large datasets to extract meaningful insights and identify key performance drivers.
• Clean, transform, and prepare data for modeling and analysis.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and other experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of business initiatives.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their needs and translate them into data science projects.
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings effectively.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
• Document methodologies, code, and results thoroughly.
• Present findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to the development of the company's data strategy and analytics capabilities.

Requirements

• A Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in data science, with a proven track record of applying advanced analytics and machine learning techniques in a business context.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and working with large datasets.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and big data technologies (e.g., Spark) is a plus.
• Excellent understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and experimental design.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work effectively independently in a remote setting.
• Experience in the insurance industry is highly desirable.

Benefits

• This fully remote role offers a competitive salary and bonus structure, commensurate with experience and expertise.
• Comprehensive benefits include medical aid, a retirement fund, and generous annual leave.
• Our client offers significant opportunities for professional growth, including access to cutting‑edge tools, advanced training, and support for attending industry conferences.
• The flexibility of remote work allows for an excellent work‑life balance.
• Additional benefits include home office stipends and opportunities to work on impactful, data‑driven projects.