Senior Data Scientist (Hybrid)

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonuses

Medical aid

Retirement benefits

Generous annual leave

Professional development

Hybrid work model

State-of-the-art analytics tools

Team events

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Senior Data Scientist for a prominent analytics firm in Durban. The role is hybrid, blending in-office collaboration with remote flexibility to drive advanced analytics across business units.

You will lead modeling efforts, mentor junior data scientists, and translate complex findings into actionable recommendations for stakeholders. Strong Python or R, ML libraries, and data pipeline collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field.
• 5+ years in data science or related analytics role.
• Proficiency in Python or R with ML libraries.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced statistical models and ML algorithms.
• Extract, clean, and transform large datasets.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis to identify trends.
• Build and deploy predictive models for forecasting and classification.
• Communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Design and execute A/B tests to validate hypotheses.
• Collaborate with data engineers to build robust data pipelines.
• Stay up-to-date with ML advancements and mentor junior data scientists.

Skills

Python

R

scikit-learn

pandas

NumPy

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SQL

Data viz

Big data

Spark

Hadoop

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Master's or PhD

Tools

Tableau

Matplotlib

Seaborn

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prominent analytics firm based in **Durban**, is seeking a talented Senior Data Scientist to join their growing team. This is a hybrid role, requiring a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility, allowing you to contribute your expertise while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. You will be at the forefront of leveraging complex datasets to uncover actionable insights, build predictive models, and drive data-informed decision-making across various business units. This role offers a unique opportunity to work on challenging problems, collaborate with a diverse group of professionals, and contribute to the strategic direction of the company through advanced analytics. You will play a key role in mentoring junior data scientists and shaping our data science practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms to solve complex business problems.


• Extract, clean, and transform large, structured and unstructured datasets from various sources.


• Conduct exploratory data analysis to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities.


• Build and deploy predictive models for forecasting, classification, and anomaly detection.


• Communicate complex analytical findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.


• Design and execute A/B tests and other experiments to validate hypotheses.


• Collaborate with data engineers to build robust data pipelines and ensure data quality.


• Stay up-to-date 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 maintain documentation for data models, algorithms, and processes.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD degree in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field.


• 5+ years of professional experience in data science or a similar analytical role.


• Strong proficiency in Python or R, including libraries such as scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.


• Experience with SQL for data extraction and manipulation.


• Demonstrated experience in building and deploying machine learning models.


• Solid understanding of statistical modeling, experimental design, and hypothesis testing.


• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Matplotlib, Seaborn, Tableau).


• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts simply.


• Experience working with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) is a plus.


• Ability to work effectively in both collaborative team settings and independently.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.


• Comprehensive medical aid and retirement benefits.


• Generous annual leave and company holidays.


• Opportunities for professional development, attending conferences and workshops.


• Hybrid work model offering flexibility.


• Access to state-of-the-art analytics tools and platforms.


• A stimulating work environment with opportunities to solve impactful problems.


• Regular team events and social gatherings.