Senior Data Scientist - Finance

Placements24; Welkom; Hybrid; ZAR 1,990,000 - 2,986,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Remote-first culture

Flexible hours

Professional development budget

PTO

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Data Scientist for a fully remote role focused on finance and cutting-edge analytics. You will leverage ML, big data, and statistical modeling to build predictive systems for risk, fraud, and trading strategies.

Join a distributed team of engineers and financial experts, shaping innovative financial products and services. You’ll mentor peers and influence data-driven decision making from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's in a quantitative field (e.g., CS, statistics, math, physics).
• 5+ years hands-on data science experience with financial applications.
• Strong knowledge of ML algorithms and statistical modeling.
• Proficiency in Python or R with relevant libraries (scikit-learn, Pandas).
• Experience with big data technologies (Spark/Hadoop) and SQL.

Responsibilities

• Design and deploy ML models for forecasting, risk, fraud, and trading strategies.
• Analyze large financial datasets to identify trends and insights.
• Develop data mining strategies to optimize operations and product performance.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, and quant teams to translate needs into solutions.
• Build robust data pipelines and ensure data quality for analysis.
• Communicate findings clearly via visualizations and presentations.
• Stay updated with advancements in data science and AI.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to team growth.
• Develop and implement A/B testing frameworks for model evaluation.
• Contribute to architecture and design of data infrastructure.

Skills

Machine learning

Python

R

Big data

Finance domain

Education

PhD or MS

Tools

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Pandas

Spark/Hadoop

SQL

Job description

About the Role

Our client is a cutting-edge FinTech company that is revolutionizing the financial services industry. We are looking for a highly skilled Senior Data Scientist with a passion for finance to join our fully remote team. In this role, you will leverage advanced statistical techniques, machine learning algorithms, and big data technologies to extract valuable insights from vast datasets. You will be instrumental in developing predictive models for risk assessment, fraud detection, customer behavior analysis, and algorithmic trading strategies. This position offers an unparalleled opportunity to work with complex financial data, collaborate with a world-class team of engineers and financial experts, and contribute to the development of innovative financial products and services. If you are a data-driven problem-solver looking to make a significant impact in the financial technology space from anywhere in the world, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy machine learning models for financial forecasting, risk management, and fraud detection.


• Analyze large, complex financial datasets to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights.


• Develop and implement data mining strategies to optimize financial operations and product performance.


• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and quantitative analysts to translate business needs into data-driven solutions.


• Build robust data pipelines and ensure data quality and integrity for analytical purposes.


• Communicate complex findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders through visualizations and presentations.


• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.


• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to the team's technical growth.


• Develop and implement A/B testing frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness of new models and strategies.


• Contribute to the architecture and design of the company's data infrastructure.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, or a related discipline.


• 5+ years of hands-on experience as a Data Scientist, with a significant focus on financial applications.


• Proven expertise in machine learning algorithms (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning) and statistical modeling.


• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in data science, such as Python or R, and relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Pandas).


• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and SQL.


• Strong understanding of financial markets, banking principles, and common financial data sources.


• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.


• Ability to work independently and manage projects effectively in a remote setting.


• Strong communication and collaboration skills, comfortable working in a distributed team environment.


• Published research or contributions to open-source projects in data science or finance is a plus.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and stock options package.


• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.


• Flexible working hours and a fully remote work environment.


• Generous professional development budget for conferences, courses, and certifications.


• Unlimited paid time off (PTO) policy.


• Opportunity to work on challenging and impactful projects at the forefront of FinTech.


• Home office setup stipend.


• Regular virtual team events and social gatherings.