Senior Data Scientist - Financial Modeling

Placements24; Midrand; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Retirement plan

Professional development

Hybrid work model

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Data Scientist for our client, a leading fintech in Midrand, Gauteng. You will advance predictive models for fraud detection, credit scoring, and algorithmic trading, working on large, high‑dimensional datasets in a hybrid office setup.

You’ll collaborate with data engineers and product teams, mentor junior data scientists, and translate complex insights for stakeholders while staying current with ML advances and cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure) in a flexible,

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in a quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional data science experience in financial modeling.
• Strong proficiency in Python or R with data manipulation and ML libraries.

Responsibilities

• Develop, train, and validate machine learning models for financial applications.
• Process, clean, and analyze large datasets.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and experiments.
• Collaborate with engineers and product managers to deploy models.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to technical growth.
• Communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science/Statistics/Mathematics

Tools

Pandas

Scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Spark

Hadoop

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prominent financial technology company, is seeking an experienced Senior Data Scientist to enhance their predictive modeling capabilities in **Midrand, Gauteng**. This role focuses on leveraging advanced machine learning techniques and statistical analysis to build and deploy sophisticated financial models for applications such as fraud detection, credit scoring, and algorithmic trading. You will work with large, complex datasets and collaborate closely with data engineers, analysts, and business stakeholders. This hybrid position offers the best of both worlds: the opportunity for in-person collaboration and team building in our **Midrand, Gauteng** office, combined with the flexibility of remote work. We are looking for a highly skilled individual with a passion for innovation in financial data science.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, train, and validate machine learning models for various financial applications.
• Process, clean, and analyze large, high-dimensional datasets.
• Identify valuable data sources and automate collection processes.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and other statistical experiments.
• Implement data-driven solutions and integrate them into production systems.
• Communicate findings and insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborate with software developers and product managers to deploy models.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and AI.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to the team's technical growth.
• Evaluate and adopt new tools and technologies to improve modeling processes.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in data science, with a focus on financial modeling.
• Strong proficiency in Python or R, including libraries for data manipulation, machine learning, and deep learning (e.g., Pandas, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Experience with SQL and big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Solid understanding of statistical concepts and experimental design.
• Proven ability to translate business problems into data science solutions.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, suitable for a hybrid team environment.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.
• Prior experience working in **Midrand, Gauteng** or its surrounding areas is advantageous.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Attractive retirement savings plan.
• Significant opportunities for professional development, including conferences and training.
• Access to cutting‑edge technology and research resources.
• A stimulating and collaborative work environment in a hybrid model.
• Flexible working hours and arrangements.
• The opportunity to shape financial products and services in **Midrand, Gauteng**.