Senior Data Scientist - Big Data Analytics

Placements24; Midrand; Hybrid; ZAR 1,976,000 - 2,964,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Competitive salary

Paid time off

Retirement plan with company match

Professional development budget

Access to cutting-edge cloud tools

Flexible working hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Data Scientist for a fully remote, high-impact role. You will develop and deploy advanced statistical models, ML algorithms, and predictive analytics to drive strategic decisions across the organization.

You will work with an international team, leverage big data technologies, design experiments, build robust ETL pipelines, create visualizations, mentor peers, and stay ahead of industry trends in a remote-first environment.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a quantitative field or PhD.
• 5+ years of professional data science experience.
• Strong modeling and ML expertise with experimentation.
• Proficient in Python or R with key libraries.
• Experience with Spark, Hadoop, Hive and SQL.
• Ability to communicate complex results clearly.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and deploy advanced statistical models and ML algorithms.
• Analyze large datasets with Spark/Hadoop to identify trends and insights.
• Design and run A/B tests to validate hypotheses and measure impact.
• Build and maintain robust ETL data pipelines.
• Create compelling visualizations and dashboards for stakeholders.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, and business leaders to define DS requirements.
• Mentor junior data scientists and share best practices.
• Ensure quality and reliability of analyses and model outputs.
• Document methodologies, code, and findings.
• Contribute to strategic data initiatives.

Skills

Statistical modeling

Machine learning

Experiment design

Python

R

Big data

Data visualization

Cloud platforms

Education

Master's degree

Tools

Spark

Hadoop

Hive

SQL

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Pandas

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a globally recognized leader in data-driven innovation, is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to join their fully remote, high-impact team. This position is designed for an experienced professional who thrives on tackling complex analytical challenges and extracting actionable insights from vast datasets. You will be instrumental in developing and deploying sophisticated statistical models, machine learning algorithms, and predictive analytics solutions that drive strategic business decisions across the organization. Working remotely offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing you to contribute from anywhere while collaborating with a diverse and talented international team. The ideal candidate possesses a strong quantitative background, deep expertise in big data technologies, and a proven ability to translate complex data into clear, business-relevant recommendations. You'll have the opportunity to work on challenging, large-scale projects with significant impact, utilizing cutting-edge tools and methodologies in a supportive, remote-first environment. This role emphasizes autonomy, continuous learning, and the freedom to innovate without geographical constraints.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and deploy advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms to address complex business problems.
• Analyze large, complex datasets using big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights.
• Design and implement A/B tests and other experiments to validate hypotheses and measure the impact of proposed solutions.
• Build and maintain robust data pipelines for data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL).
• Create compelling data visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and business leaders to define data science requirements and project roadmaps.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and big data technologies.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to the team's knowledge sharing and best practices.
• Ensure the quality, accuracy, and reliability of all data analyses and model outputs.
• Document methodologies, code, and findings thoroughly.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the company's data initiatives.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field.
• 5+ years of professional experience as a Data Scientist, with a proven track record of delivering impactful analytical solutions.
• Strong expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning techniques (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and experimental design.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Hands-on experience with big data technologies and platforms like Spark, Hadoop, Hive, and SQL.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib, Seaborn).
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly and concisely.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a remote setting.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonus opportunities.
• Full remote work flexibility.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and company holidays.
• Retirement savings plan with company contributions.
• Professional development budget for courses, conferences, and certifications.
• Access to cutting-edge cloud-based data analytics tools.
• Opportunity to work on challenging, large-scale projects with significant business impact.
• A highly collaborative and supportive remote team culture.
• Flexible working hours to accommodate different time zones.