Senior Data Scientist - AI

Indsafri; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Indsafri seeks a Senior Data Scientist specializing in AI and decision science to design and deploy ML models on the Databricks platform. You will collaborate with product, digital, and risk teams to identify high‑value opportunities and deliver production‑ready models that improve customer, risk, and operational outcomes across channels.

The role requires 5+ years of experience, strong Python/SQL skills, and expertise in Databricks MLflow and Feature Store.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, Econometrics, or related quantitative field.
• Masters or PhD preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in data science or related field.
• Experience designing and deploying ML models on Databricks is essential.

Responsibilities

• Partner with product, digital, and risk teams to identify high‑value analytical opportunities.
• Design, train, and optimise ML models using Databricks, MLflow, and distributed compute.
• Build propensity, retention, engagement, fraud, and risk models.
• Develop and govern reusable enterprise features within the Databricks Feature Store.
• Perform feature engineering, selection, and importance analysis to improve model performance.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis, statistical testing, and model validation.
• Implement model monitoring for drift, stability, and performance.
• Explore Generative AI use cases and enterprise AI applications.
• Collaborate with ML Engineers to productionise models into enterprise platforms.
• Produce documentation, validation reports, and governance artefacts.
• Mentor junior Data Scientists and contribute to modelling standards.

Skills

Python

SQL

ML & Statistics

Data Visualization

Education

BSc or MSc in relevant field

Masters or PhD preferred

Tools

Databricks MLflow

Databricks Feature Store

Job description

Job Title: Senior Data Scientist - AI & Decision Science

Experience - 5+ Years

Job Purpose

Design, develop, and optimise machine learning, AI, and decisioning solutions that drive customer, risk, and operational outcomes across digital and business channels using the Databricks platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with product, digital, and risk teams to identify high‑value analytical opportunities.
• Design, train, and optimise ML models using Databricks, MLflow, and distributed compute.
• Build customer propensity, retention, engagement, fraud, and risk models.
• Develop and govern reusable enterprise features within the Databricks Feature Store.
• Perform feature engineering, selection, and importance analysis to improve model performance.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis, statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, and model validation.
• Implement model monitoring frameworks for drift, stability, and performance.
• Explore Generative AI use cases (customer support, document intelligence, assistants).
• Collaborate with ML Engineers to productionise models into enterprise platforms.
• Produce documentation, validation reports, and governance artefacts.
• Mentor junior Data Scientists and contribute to modelling standards and best practices.

Core Deliverables

• Production‑ready ML models supporting digital and business use cases.
• Reusable enterprise features deployed in Databricks Feature Store.
• Decisioning models for acquisition, retention, engagement, and cross‑sell.
• Risk and operational models improving decision quality.
• Feature libraries, documentation, and governance artefacts.
• Analytical insights and measurable business value.

Key Skills

• Databricks Notebooks, Workflows, MLflow.
• Databricks Feature Engineering & Feature Store.
• Python, SQL.
• Machine Learning & Statistical Modelling.
• Predictive & Prescriptive Analytics.
• Generative AI & LLMs.
• Data Visualisation & Storytelling.
• Stakeholder Management.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, Econometrics, or related quantitative field.
• Masters or PhD preferred.{"FinalAction":"RefinementRequired","FormattedDescription":"

  Job Title: Senior Data Scientist - AI & Decision Science

  
  

  Experience - 5+ Years

  
  

  Job Purpose

  
  

  Design, develop, and optimise machine learning, AI, and decisioning solutions that drive customer, risk, and operational outcomes across digital and business channels using the Databricks platform.

  
  

  Key Responsibilities

  
  
  
  
  • Partner with product, digital, and risk teams to identify high‑value analytical opportunities.
  
  
  • Design, train, and optimise ML models using Databricks, MLflow, and distributed compute.
  
  
  • Build customer propensity, retention, engagement, fraud, and risk models.
  
  
  • Develop and govern reusable enterprise features within the Databricks Feature Store.
  
  
  • Perform feature engineering, selection, and importance analysis to improve model performance.
  
  
  • Conduct exploratory data analysis, statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, and model validation.
  
  
  • Implement model monitoring frameworks for drift, stability, and performance.
  
  
  • Explore Generative AI use cases (customer support, document intelligence, assistants).
  
  
  • Collaborate with ML Engineers to productionise models into enterprise platforms.
  
  
  • Produce documentation, validation reports, and governance artefacts.
  
  
  • Mentor junior Data Scientists and contribute to modelling standards and best practices.
  
  
  
  

  Core Deliverables

  
  
  
  
  • Production‑ready ML models supporting digital and business use cases.
  
  
  • Reusable enterprise features deployed in Databricks Feature Store.
  
  
  • Decisioning models for acquisition, retention, engagement, and cross‑sell.
  
  
  • Risk and operational models improving decision quality.
  
  
  • Feature libraries, documentation, and governance artefacts.
  
  
  • Analytical insights and measurable business value.
  
  
  
  

  Key Skills

  
  
  
  
  • Databricks Notebooks, Workflows, MLflow.
  
  
  • Databricks Feature Engineering & Feature Store.
  
  
  • Python, SQL.
  
  
  • Machine Learning & Statistical Modelling.
  
  
  • Predictive & Prescriptive Analytics.
  
  
  • Generative AI & LLMs.
  
  
  • Data Visualisation & Storytelling.
  
  
  • Stakeholder Management.
  
  
  
  

  Qualifications

  
  
  
  
  • Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, Econometrics, or related quantitative field.
  
  
  • Masters or PhD preferred.
  
  
  • Certifications: Databricks ML Engineer, Databricks Data Engineer, Azure AI, AWS/GCP AI/ML, SAS, Coursera/DeepLearning.AI.
  
  
  
  

  Technical / Professional Knowledge:

  
  
  
  
  • Strong experience developing machine learning models on Databricks.
  
  
  • Strong understanding of feature engineering, feature selection and feature optimisation techniques.
  
  
  • Experience building and governing reusable enterprise features within Feature Stores.
  
  
  • Experience using Databricks MLflow for model tracking, experimentation and model governance.
  
  
  • Experience developing customer propensity, risk, fraud, retention and optimisation models.
  
  
  • Strong knowledge of statistics, machine learning and decision science methodologies.
  
  
  • Experience working with large-scale customer, behavioural, transactional and digital datasets.
  
  
  • Experience designing model monitoring and performance measurement frameworks.
  
  
  • Knowledge of Generative AI, prompt engineering and applied AI use cases.
  
  
  • Ability to translate business problems into analytical solutions and measurable business outcomes.
  
  
  • Strong stakeholder engagement, communication and business consulting skills.
  
  
  • Experience delivering end-to-end data science use cases from concept through production deployment.
  
  
  • Self-driven and able to operate effectively in a fast-paced, outcome-focused environment.
  
  
  
  

  Company Description-

  
  

  Indsafri believes in the limitless potential of individuals to create and build anything imaginable. They leverage their deep industry experience and cutting‑edge technology to help organizations transform for growth. They work with some of the best organizations around the world and have a global network of partners and talents. Indsafri believes that technology is at its best when it makes people smile. This is a place where with passion and intelligence, anything is possible.

  
  

  Interested candidates can reach out to [e-mail]

  "